By: Ashley from The Burgos Experience
This is a checklist to help you ease into your transition of living in Zaragoza, Spain. It can probably be applied to almost any city in Spain, however, the links I provide will be attached specifically to Zaragoza.
This checklist also assumes you have already found a place to live. Steps 1 – 3 can be done without having a home lined up, and I highly recommend you prioritize them ahead of looking at properties. They do not take more than a day or two in order to accomplish, and they will make calling properties, getting to them, and paying for them, a lot easier.
1. Get a SIM card at your local cell phone shop. For the best rates, we recommend DIGI. They do not have many, if any main offices like you are used to in the United States. You will need to go into a generic store while offers the service. There, you can get an inexpensive SIM card, without needing a bank account. You can do this by looking for the DIGI sign on a window, and going in and asking, or you can go to an office I know of, which does not close during the middle of the day hours, at this time. Getting yourself data and phone service is going to make everything else a lot easier from day one! You do not need longterm housing in order to do this. If you want to open up at N26 bank account BEFORE you go get cell phone service, you can do that. (See step 3). I am putting this as step 1 because it is the fastest way to get you up and running with a local number. You COULD open up an N26 account first, AND THEN go get a “real” cell phone plan at this same place and with the same provider, it will just take more time to get done.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/JjDT6BD9n4m1BsP97
2. Get a bus card. You can find the different bus and tram ticket offerings here. If you do not have a bus card, you will need cash to pay for the buses. You can buy a tram ticket with a card at a machine at any tram stop. You can get a basic bus card at the Avanza offiice in “El Caracol”. This is how the shopping center “Commercial Central Caracol” is commonly referred to. With a basic bus card, you will automatically save 50% on bus fares. It is prepaid and has to be reloaded. The card cost about 7 euros, at the time of this writing. You do not need longterm housing in order to do this. You can also get a personalized bus card with unlimited rides with your passport ID and a photo. Read the avanza card requirements for specific information. After you have a padron and residency card, you can get a “citizen card”, which is valid for much more than just the bus, like using the city bikes.
I also have a video with the bus card information here.
Where is the Avanza Zaragoza office? From Paseo de Independencia (where the tram line is), you enter into the Caracol through here. Then, you take the stairs down, and the Avanza office is on your right.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/dfGcTyNQSDAjTgts7
3. Open up at N26 Bank Account. This is the best and fastest non-resident account that you can open in Spain. Even though you are entering Spain to become a resident, you do not have proof of that until you have your residency card in your hand. You can open an N26 bank account with your cell phone. You will an address in Spain in order to do this. You can use an airbnb address, and you can also try to use a hotel address. You can update the address after you have long term housing. You do not need longterm housing in order to do this. IF you already have a place to live when you arrive to Zaragoza, or Spain in general, then you can open up the N26 account before you arrive. This will save you some time when you get here, and allow you to go get an actual cell phone plan, rather than just a SIM card.
4. Order Internet. If you already have home to live in, you can call your chosen internet provider and request internet service. We like DIGI for this as well.
5. Get your padron. All of the above items can do on day 1 or 2 of your arrival. You will probably need to stop by a print shop or phone a local friend to use their printer for this step. Alternatively, if you have your documents in order in before your arrival, you won’t need to print anything out when you get here. Here, I have recorded all of the information you should need in order to get your padron done on your own. You do not need an appointment. I suggest you ask for 4-5 copies of the padron. They will often offer 1-2 copies when you leave, but we usually ask for a couple more, because you will need them for many procedures. The copies are valid for almost any procedure for a couple of months, and then you will need to go in person to get more, or request them online and receive them via snail mail, with a wait of a week or two. You will likely need some Spanish for this, but you can use a translator or hire help. I think you can do it on your own after you watch my video.
6. Make an appointment for your fingerprints. If you haven’t already made the appointment for your fingerprints at immigration, you will need to do that ASAP. You can work on that before you arrive, or after. At certain times of the year, it takes while to get an appointment. You need to check every day, multiple times a day, and something will eventually pop up. You can do this with your data from your SIM card or cell phone plan, in the event that your home internet is not set up.
https://icp.administracionelectronica.gob.es/icpplus/index.html
How to use the extranjera website in Spain to make an appointment for fingerprints?
Click the link above.
Choose ZARAGOZA (last option in “PROVINCIAS DISPONIBLES”)
Select “ACEPTAR”
Under “Selecciona Oficina: Cualquier Officina” choose OPTION 3 ” CNP Zaragoza Unidad Doc. Extranjeros…”
After you select the correct office, your page will look like the image below, without the yellow oval. Go to TRAMITES POLICIA NACIONAL (circled in yellow) & select the option that includes the word “huellas”. As of this writing, it is the last option in the list. (second image below)
Now, click ACEPTAR.
The next page will include an extensive description of the law and other jargon. Within that content is the list of documentation that you need for the appointment. By now, if you haven’t already installed an automatic browser plug in, like google translate, then it’s a good time to do so, unless you can read and understand spanish.
At the bottom of the page you will see an option to log in with or without your CLAVE. If you don’t yet have a digital certificate, or a CLAVE, then you will click “SIN CL@VE” (white button).
If you have a CLAVE, then chose the first option (red button).
The next page will require you to fill in your NIE (found on your VISA STICKER in your PASSPORT), your name, and other nationality. Fill it in and click ACEPTAR.
Select the RED BUTTON for SOLICITAR CITA.
THE NEXT PAGE will inform you either that:
1) There are no appointments available, but some will be released soon or
2) It will give you the option to select a date and time for an appointment.
If you are able to make an appointment, you will receive an email confirmation, which you need to print out and take with you. If you are not able to make the appointment, you will need to try again later.
6. Request and receive your digital certificate. You do not need your residency card to do this. It does however take a few days to get completed, usually. Your fastest option is the 1) get it done through your consulate before you arrive or 2) Use a walk-in office for identity verification.
This page will start you down the road for it and give you the information you need to start the process. It can be a little confusing, so be patient while you figure it out, and don’t hesitate to ask for help in facebook groups. Once again, this is something you can do on your own, with your passport as ID, without a padron, and without paying someone to do it for you.
https://www.sede.fnmt.gob.es/certificados/persona-fisica
After you have your digital certificate installed, or your CL@VE received in the mail, you will be able to do a lot of processes online, fast and securely like, make immigration appoints, file taxes, register your kids for school, and more.
What’s next?
Once you have a padron and your residency card, you can update some things like, getting a personalized bus card with unlimited rides and opening up a resident bank account. These things will make your life easier, but they are not required nor often possible on day one of your arrival. The steps I have listed above are meant to make your transition smoother, get you on the bus, get your data on your phone for making calls and getting directions, etc. Once you have all of your paperwork in order, you can make some adjustments, but this will take weeks, or maybe even a couple of months to accomplish, whereas my list can be done in a couple of days! :).
Welcome to Zaragoza!
Ashley
