EU Registration Certificate in Madrid: Form EX-18, Proof and €12 Fee
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who live in Madrid for more than three months must register with the police. Here is what each group has to prove and how family members apply.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens living in Madrid for more than three months must apply for the certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión (EU registration certificate). Book a Policía Nacional appointment, bring form EX-18, your passport or national ID, proof of work, studies or sufficient means, and the fee on form 790 code 012: €12 as of November 2026.
Who needs the EU registration certificate?
The rule comes from Real Decreto 240/2007, which applies EU free movement law in Spain. Citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland can stay up to three months with just their passport or ID. If they stay longer, they must apply in person within three months of arrival.
The certificate, often called the green certificate, shows your name, nationality, address, the date of registration and your NIE. It is not a photo ID, so you keep using your passport or national ID card. You need it for employment contracts, buying property, opening some bank accounts and, in many cases, the health card.
Non-EU family members of an EU citizen do not get this certificate. They apply for a residence card for family members, explained below.
What must you prove?
You qualify in one of these situations. The documents listed are the usual ones, and officers can ask for more.
| Situation | Usual proof |
|---|---|
| Employee in Spain | Employment contract or employer’s certificate, or proof of Social Security registration (alta). |
| Self-employed in Spain | Registration as autónomo with Social Security and the tax agency, or the business registration. |
| Not working, with own means | Proof of sufficient income or savings for you and your family, plus public or private health insurance that covers you in Spain. |
| Student | Enrolment at an accredited institution, health insurance, and a signed declaration of sufficient means. |
| Family member who is also an EU citizen | Proof of the family link and of the main holder’s situation. |
For the “sufficient means” route there is no single fixed figure. Officers assess your personal situation; as a reference, many offices use the IPREM, the public income benchmark, which is €600 a month as of November 2026. Private health insurance should give cover comparable to the public system, without copays or waiting periods. A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is generally not enough for residence, because it covers temporary stays. Pensioners with an S1 form from their home country register it with Social Security instead.
How do you book the appointment in Madrid?
- Go to the cita previa de extranjería site and choose the province of Madrid.
- Select the police procedure for the EU registration certificate (certificado de registro de ciudadano de la UE).
- Enter your passport or ID number, name and nationality.
- Choose an office and time from the slots offered and save the receipt.
In Madrid these certificates have been handled at Policía Nacional foreigners’ offices, including the office on Avenida del Padre Piquer in the Aluche area, and at some police stations in towns of the region. Go to the address printed on your appointment receipt.
What should you bring on the day?
- Form EX-18, filled in and signed, original and copy.
- Valid passport or national ID card, original and copy.
- The proof for your situation from the table above.
- Form 790 code 012 with the line for the EU registration certificate ticked, paid at a bank: €12 as of November 2026. Some offices tell you to pay after the officer checks your file, so follow the instructions you receive.
- A volante de empadronamiento if the office asks for proof of address. See how to register on the Madrid padrón.
The certificate is usually printed and handed over at the appointment if everything is in order.
How do non-EU family members apply?
A non-EU spouse, registered partner, child under 21 or dependent child or parent of an EU citizen living in Spain applies for the tarjeta de residencia de familiar de ciudadano de la Unión (residence card for a family member of an EU citizen).
- Form: EX-19.
- Where: the application is filed with the Oficina de Extranjería, usually electronically or by appointment; the card is then issued by the police after fingerprints.
- Documents: passport, proof of the family link (marriage, partnership or birth certificates, legalized and translated where needed), the EU citizen’s registration certificate and proof of their situation.
- Fee: €12 on form 790 code 012 as of November 2026.
- Validity: generally five years, or the expected length of the EU citizen’s stay if shorter.
Family members of Spanish nationals follow their own route under the 2025 immigration regulation. Read more about which office does what in the Oficina de Extranjería in Madrid.
What happens after five years?
After five years of continuous legal residence, EU citizens can request a permanent residence certificate with the same form EX-18. Non-EU family members can request a permanent residence card with form EX-19.
Bottom line
Gather your proof before booking: the appointment is short, and a missing contract or insurance certificate means booking again. If you are moving without a job, get health insurance that matches the requirements first, because it is the document most often rejected.
FAQ
Does the certificate expire?
The ordinary certificate has no expiry date printed in most cases. Update it when your address or circumstances change.
Do I need an NIE before applying?
No. If you do not have an NIE yet, it is assigned with the certificate.
Can I work while I wait for the appointment?
Yes. EU citizens have the right to work in Spain from arrival; the certificate records residence but does not grant the right to work.
Do British citizens use this certificate?
No. UK nationals who lived in Spain before 2021 have a separate card under the Withdrawal Agreement. Those who arrived later follow the rules for non-EU nationals.
