First week
Time
20 min at the OAC
Cost
Free
Difficulty
Easy
What to bring
Passport
Your lease (or a letter from the person you live with, plus their ID)
Not needed: NIE. You can register on a passport alone
Not needed: A long-term lease (a room sublet works if the owner signs)
Your options
OAC (Oficina d'Atenció Ciutadana)
Barcelona's town-hall service desks
Free
Book at barcelona.cat → "cita prèvia". The Plaça Sant Miquel office is the biggest; neighbourhood offices often have sooner slots.
Online (with idCAT/Cl@ve)
Only if you already have a digital ID
Free
The portal works but needs a Spanish digital certificate, which new arrivals don't have yet. Do the first one in person.
Prices checked June 2026
Do it
- 1
Book a cita prèvia online
barcelona.cat → Padró → "alta per canvi de residència". Pick any OAC; bring the confirmation number.
- 2
Bring your lease and passport
If you're subletting, bring the "autorització" form signed by the leaseholder plus a copy of their ID.
- 3
Sign and collect the volante
They register you on the spot and print the "volante de empadronamiento" — the proof every other office asks for.
- 4
Order fresh copies when needed
Most offices want a volante less than 3 months old. You can request new ones online or at kiosks once registered.
Words you'll hear
Padrón / empadronamentpa-DRON
Your address registration at the town hall. Gets you on the list for healthcare, schools, and half of all paperwork.
Cita previaSEE-ta PREH-vya
The online appointment every office requires. Slots drop early morning and vanish in minutes.
Common questions
I'm subletting a room — can I still register?
Yes. Any real address works, with the main tenant's authorisation or your room contract. The padrón is about where you live, not whose name is on the lease.
Why does everything ask for the padrón?
It's Barcelona's proof-of-address layer — healthcare, schools, the TIE, even some discounts key off it. Register early; the certificate is free.
Does it expire?
Non-EU residents without long-term residence reconfirm every two years — the town hall writes to you. Everyone else just updates it when moving.
Full checklist tracking and task completion live in the Settli app for Barcelona.