What is a 'green certificate', who needs it, and how do I get one?

A 'green certificate' is the colloquial (commonly-used) term for a certain type of residence document. It is only held by citizens of the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland. Family members, spouses, or legally-registered cohabiting partners of these citizens also hold a 'green certificate' as proof of residence.

The official name for this document is a European Union Residents' Certificate of Registration (Certificado de Registro de Residentes de la Unión Europea). It is sometimes abbreviated to 'CUE'.

For ease of reading, the citizens described above will henceforth be described as 'Europeans'. However, please note that this definition does not cover citizens of countries in Europe that are not part of the EU or EEA, except Switzerland.

Is a 'green certificate' a Residencia or a NIE?

Europeans can stay in Spain for up to three months without becoming resident. If you plan to stay longer, or permanently, you must register with the foreigners' office (Oficina de Extranjería). When doing so, you will be given a CUE, or 'green certificate'. This is either A4-sized or credit-card sized. It is paper, not plastic, and is pale green in colour.

Your CUE or 'green certificate' is not valid as identification (ID), as it does not have a photograph on it. It is merely evidence that you are a resident. You will, however, need to show it for numerous official transactions in Spain. If so, you will usually need to show your passport or national ID card from your country of origin at the same time.

You do not need to obtain a NIE (foreigners' national identity number) first. The process of getting your 'green certificate' includes assigning you a NIE number. However, you may already have a NIE if you applied for this earlier for other reasons. This might be because you bought a holiday home in Spain, or opened a bank account, but did not plan to live there. If this is the case, you will not get a different NIE number, as these are the same for life.

Europeans eligible for legal residence in Spain

To be legally resident in Spain, Europeans must fulfil one or more of the following criteria:

• Have a job in Spain, with an employment contract. If it is a temporary contract, it must be for a minimum of three months
• Be self-employed in Spain. You must be registered for, and paying, Social Security contributions on a self-employed basis
• Be a student at a recognised academic centre, college or university in Spain

Those who do not meet the above requirements (such as retired people, or those who do not need or are unable to work) may still be eligible for residence. They must be able to prove their income is sufficient to support themselves, and that they have healthcare insurance.

Once registered as resident, Europeans are usually eligible for public healthcare, which is free of charge at the point of use. Those on a job contract or registered as self-employed are eligible automatically and immediately. To find out more about this, you might like to read our article on the Spanish national healthcare system.

Where to apply for a 'green certificate'

You must book an appointment at a foreigners' office in your province of residence. These are based at National Police stations (Comisarías). Appointments must be attended in person. To reserve a date and time at your nearest foreigners' office, go to the page Cita Previa ('pre-booked appointment') on the government's website.

What documents do I need to take with me?

The paperwork you should take to your appointment includes standard documents, which are as follows:

• Your original passport or national ID card. If this has expired, you should show proof that you have applied for a replacement
• A photocopy of your passport or national ID card
• Completed and signed Form EX-18
• Proof that you have paid the requisite fee (currently €12). This will be a copy of a bank receipt accompanying Form 790 Code 012

Other documents will be required, depending upon your financial or professional situation. If they are in a language other than Spanish, they must be accompanied by a sworn translation. Documents in one of Spain's co-official languages are accepted without a translation in the region where they are spoken.

• If you are employed by a company in Spain: You should bring your original job contract. If it is a new job and you have not yet started, you must supply an original written statement from your employer confirming your position. In the latter case, you must supply a certificate from the Social Security office (Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social, or INSS) showing you are registered for work, and a photocopy of this. You may be asked to sign a consent form to allow the foreigners' office to check your data.
• If you are self-employed: You must bring the original certificate showing you are registered with the Social Security office as a self-employed person (autónomo), and a photocopy of this. You may be asked to sign a consent form to allow the foreigners' office to check your data.
• If you are a student: You must show original confirmation of enrolment at your college or university in Spain, and a photocopy of this. If you are an Erasmus student, confirmation of your participation in this exchange scheme, plus a photocopy, may be accepted instead. You will also need to show proof of income and healthcare insurance, in the same way as a non-working resident will. The healthcare element may be covered by your course fees or exchange scheme. If this is the case, you must show documentation to prove it, and a photocopy.
• If you are not working (retired, do not need to work, or are unable to work due to disability): You must show proof of income. This could be bank statements, pension documents, or proof of transferable overseas disability benefits you receive. You must also show proof of existing healthcare cover.

Income requirements

You must be earning more than a person who would qualify for a non-contributory pension or State benefits in Spain. According to the 2023 State Annual General Budget (Presupuestos Generales del Estado) this is €6,230 per year. If you are living with other people, each additional household member needs to earn 70% of this, or €4,361 per year. Therefore, a person living on their own needs to prove an a annual income of at least €6,230. Two people living together, or a couple, married or not, must be earning at least €10,591 per year between them. Three people cohabiting must have a combined yearly income of €14,952 or more. Four people in the same household must earn at least €19,313 in total.

These figures apply even if one or more of the people living together is aged under 18. If you are a family of five or more, you should allow an additional €4,361 (70% of €6,230) per person per year.

Proof of healthcare cover

If you have a job or are self-employed in Spain, you are automatically covered for public healthcare, so you do not need to provide proof of this. Everyone else needs to show either private medical insurance cover or State medical cover from their country of origin.

• Private medical insurance policy documents must be in Spanish, or accompanied by a sworn translation. Cover provided must apply permanently, in Spain, and encompass all treatment you may need for any medical condition. Policies with a monetary limit per claim are not accepted. However, those with a policy excess are eligible, if this is less than €10.
• State healthcare cover from your country of origin is sometimes provided even after you have moved to another EU nation. This is often the case for retired people receiving a State pension. The relevant authority in your country of origin will be able to advise you whether you are eligible, and provide documentation as proof. These documents include forms S1, E106, E109, and E121. They will usually be sent to you in Spanish if you request it, meaning you will not have to obtain a translation. The forms must have been issued recently – no more than three months before your appointment.

Healthcare cover documents not permitted

Proof of medical cover not accepted for a 'green certificate' or CUE application includes:

• Travel insurance
• Student insurance cover
• European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC)

How long will I have to wait for my 'green certificate'?

Unlike a TIE card for non-Europeans, you do not have to wait for your CUE to be prepared. Once you have handed in your paperwork, you will be told immediately whether it is acceptable. If it is not, you may be sent away to collect other documents, as applicable. But if your paperwork is in order, you will receive your 'green certificate' or CUE instantly.

Do I have to renew my 'green certificate'?

Your initial 'green certificate' will remain valid for five years. After this time, if you wish to continue living in Spain, you must renew it. You will then be given a permanent 'green certificate', which will never expire.

If you move house or change your name, you will need to update your 'green certificate'. To do so, you should book an appointment and show proof of your new name or address. A change of address is demonstrated by showing a padrón certificate from your town hall. This is a document showing you are on the municipal census. It must have been issued no more than three months before your appointment.

If you are still not sure about the definitions of different documents a resident needs, we can help. You'll find a full explanation in our article What is the difference between Residencia, padrón, NIE and TIE.

I'm British and I've got a 'green certificate'. Has it expired?

British nationals who moved to Spain before the UK left the EU (Brexit) on February 1, 2021 may have a 'green certificate'. This might be A4-sized or credit-card sized. Spain stopped issuing 'green certificates' to British citizens in 2020, replacing them with a Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjeros ('foreigners' identity card', or TIE).

If you are British, your 'green certificate' may have an expiry date on it, if you had lived in Spain for less than five years when you applied for it. If this is the case, you must renew it when it falls due. Instead of a new 'green certificate', you will be given a TIE.

If your 'green certificate' does not have an expiry date, this means you had lived in Spain for at least five years when you received it. In this case, you are a legal, permanent resident, and your 'green certificate' remains valid.

British nationals are not legally obliged to replace their 'green certificates', if they are still valid, with a TIE. However, many British citizens choose to acquire a TIE voluntarily, for convenience. The TIE can be used as ID, and is plastic, so less likely to become damaged. You can find out how to get one in our article TIE: What is it, who needs it, and how to get it.