Torre Pacheco Residency Document/ ID

Have you signed on the empadronamiento ("Padron") at your town hall? This defines you as a resident of that city, and you need your certificado de registration de extranjero, passport, and escritura/rental agreement to get it.

The council gets money from the state based upon the number registered (a bit like the electoral roll in the UK) so it is important for the local area. It is only for permanent residents not part-time.

I will need to check my records/documentation.  Having said that I am not resident in Spain i.e. pay UK taxes not Spanish. Does this mean that I do not qualify ? May need to ask my Solicitor who arranged the purchase of my flat. Thanks for replying

If you are in Spain for more than 183 days in any calendar year you are fiscally resident in Spain, and must submit a tax return declaring all your worldwide income. There is no choice in this. You are also obliged to annually complete a Form 720 declaring any assets with a value over €50000 outside Spain including pension funds, property and so on. Penalties for non-declaration are pretty hefty.

If you're not resident you don't need to sign on the padron although the town hall may allow you to. Your deeds or probably of of address should be enough. Its a bit of a minefield!!

If you're not resident you don't need to sign on the padron although the town hall may allow you to. Your deeds or probably of of address should be enough. Its a bit of a minefield!!