We have been in Spain for almost three months now. During this time, we have completed the immigration process and obtained our resident status. While the process is highly bureaucratic, the Spanish public administration has adopted a pathway to online citizenship that allows for fast, secure, and simplified communications. In this article, we summarize how it all works.
The starting point
The starting point for entering the Spanish system is your identification as a resident of Spain. If you are a Spanish national, your identification number is called NIF and it’s assigned at birth. If you’re not a Spanish national but European, you need a NIE. If you aren’t European, you’ll need a TIE.
NIF, NIE, or TIE are the very basics to start your digital residency journey in Spain. It seems easy enough, right?
Roadblocks to get started
As a person who has no status in the Spanish system, fulfilling the prerequisites to get one of these documents can be quite tricky. While Europeans have an easier pathway to residency, as a tourist, you still can’t access basic services.
For example, not all debit or credit cards will work to purchase local goods and services. In particular, most public offices will only accept Spanish-based cards, so you won’t be able to make payments for your paperwork without one.
Even so, most banks will not allow non-residents to open a bank account in Spain. Some do, with limitations, and always require your presence at the bank. Also, to open a Spanish bank account, you’ll need a Spanish phone number.
That’s when you find out that you cannot register a SIM card without a resident ID: you can only have a pre-paid or PAYG numbers, which have some hefty limitations. Needless to say, as a tourist, you cannot buy a car or anything subject to a local tax registration.
However, unless you are in a big city, you will have to go in person to different offices, sometimes in different towns, most of which require an appointment. These appointments can sometimes be booked in person at a terminal in the office itself, or through a phone line, which can be busy, buggy, automated, or all of the above. In some cases, public offices won’t allow you to book an appointment without an ID.
When you finally get to the appointment, in some cases, you will need an interpreter with you, as most public offices will only speak to you in Spanish. All the documents you present must also be translated into Spanish by a sworn translator.
As you find yourself backtracking your steps in this game of what comes first – the chicken or the egg -, time goes by and something that looked very simple starts to feel like a major undertaking.
The worst part is that there is no right preparation for this: you couldn’t do any of that in advance from afar, as everything requires your physical presence.
Online citizenship: back to the future
The first steps are the most challenging and frustrating. You go in circles, and everything proceeds slowly. However, persistence is key.
Once you get your temporary ID, a few services unlock: for example, you can buy a vehicle (which will allow you to ditch the rental car and save you big money) and identify yourself in the public system to take appointments by phone or terminals.
When you then get your permanent residency, everything starts falling into place. You’re now in the system, and as much as the paperwork is complicated and convoluted, you can do things at a distance.
Layers of security
As you obtain your resident ID, you can register in the public systems:
- STEP 1 - The Electronic Certificate
Electronic certificates can be downloaded from the Spanish Government-authorized providers’ websites. They require downloading a piece of software on your computer or mobile and then selecting a procedure to verify your identity with a public officer. This can be done online, through a paid video authentication process, or for free, in person, at one of the authorized offices. The process is quick and easy. Once your identity is verified, you can download your certificate and share it with your other devices. This will allow you to authenticate seamlessly into PA websites, book services and appointments, with a medium level of security access.
- STEP 2 - The digital signature
The digital signature system allows you to electronically sign paperwork on a PA website where you are authenticated with a certificate. This way, you can fill in the forms for all kinds of procedures and return them electronically signed with a few clicks. All documents submitted this way have a faster turnaround, and they bear a verification hash to prove their authenticity.
- STEP 3 - The Mobile Cl@ve
Cl@ve is another authentication method that allows you to rapidly access your personal files online with the public administration. You can download the app, insert your resident ID, and it’s pretty much ready to go. Whenever you choose this authentication method, you will scan a QR code with a security hash and approve the login from the app, then the website will grant you access and redirect you to your personal information online. The Mobile Cl@ve is considered a step further the electronic certificate.
- STEP 4 - The permanent Cl@ve
The ultimate level of authentication and access to your public records is the permanent Cl@ve. This works both on computers and mobile devices, but utilizes a code to set up a permanent password that will be used to authenticate with your online public services. The permanent Cl@ve is registered with the Police, and hence it’s a higher level of security.
Being a citizen in the digital age
Having online access to the public administration services completely changes your perception of citizenship in Spain: you can go from the Middle Ages to the future in one blink. It’s only when you have this privileged access that you can appreciate the system.
Things might not be perfect, but it looks like, in the past decade, the European Union has stepped up to the challenge of digital transformation to level up the member states.
In Canada, identity verification with public websites is delegated to private companies, like banks or other financial institutions. You can access your public records online with an SSO-like system. At the same time, online banking in North America only requires MFA for logging in, whereas the standard for European banks is MFA for access and a security code to authorize each single online operation.
While the Spanish system has its drawbacks and is painful to access the first time, once you get verified, it looks like a solid system that can deter fraudsters from identity theft of public records.
What's next?
Our Spanish digital adventure has just begun, both as individuals and as a company. Only time will tell if this system is effective. In the meantime, more paperwork, registrations, and certifications await us.