EX-18 Form: EU Citizen Registration Certificate in Spain
A practical guide to registering correctly in the Central Register of Foreign Nationals as an EU citizen, without administrative mistakes.
The EX-18 form is the mandatory official form for citizens of an EU Member State, the European Economic Area or Switzerland who will live in Spain for more than three months. Filling in this immigration form correctly is the essential administrative step to register in the Central Register of Foreign Nationals and obtain the well-known green A4 certificate.
What is the EX-18 form for?
The official EX-18 form formally governs the application for registration in the Central Register of Foreign Nationals. Unlike a plastic TIE card under the general regime, this procedure issues the residence document for EU nationals, showing the Foreign National Identity Number (NIE), name, nationality and address.
Key Points: Reasons and Requirements
📌 Obligation to Register
Every EU citizen staying in Spain for more than 3 months is legally required to apply for this registration in person at the relevant police station or office.
🔄 Specified Cases
You must prove the economic or social reason: employment, self-employment, studies with health insurance, or sufficient financial means without working.
Steps to fill in the form correctly
- Applicant details: Enter your personal information (name, surnames, passport or national identity document) exactly as on your official documents.
- Registered address (empadronamiento): Give the exact address of your home in Spain and a valid contact method.
- Reason for the application: Clearly mark the section that matches your situation (worker, student or resident without economic activity).
- Signature and submission: Make sure there are no crossings-out and sign the form before going to your appointment at the competent office.
Mandatory documents to submit
Together with the EX-18 form duly completed and signed, you will usually need to provide a file that includes:
- Passport or national ID card: Valid national identity card or passport from your EU country of origin.
- Registration certificate (empadronamiento): Proof of residence in the relevant Spanish municipality.
- Proof of activity or means: Employment contract, self-employed registration, school enrolment or proof of sufficient financial means.
- Health coverage: Public or private health insurance (when required for non-working or student cases).
Deadlines and the green certificate
A fundamental regulatory point when using the EX-18 form is to strictly respect the legal deadline for submission, set at three months after the date of entry into Spain. Once the documents have been checked at the immigration office or authorised police station, the registration certificate is issued immediately: a green A4 paper that proves indefinitely the legality of your EU residence as long as the original conditions remain.