Floor 02 · EU, EEA & Swiss passports

The green certificate: registering as a European resident of Benidorm

Europeans who live in Benidorm for more than three months register as residents: form EX-18, the paid 790-012 slip and proof of work, a pension or means of their own, by cita previa. In return comes the certificado de registro, called the green certificate after its colour, with your address and NIE; if you had no NIE, one comes with it.

Start my NIE

Does this apply to you?

You have moved to Benidorm or the Marina Baixa and live here most of the year
You work here, for an employer or for yourself
You are retired and draw a pension from home
You live on savings or other income of your own
You are studying at a school or university in Spain

The evidence follows your situation

Employed: your contract, or a certificate from the employer showing that you are registered with Social Security
Working for yourself: proof that you are signed up as autónomo, Spain’s self-employed status
Retired or living on your own means: proof of sufficient resources, and health cover, public or private
Studying: your enrolment, health cover and a signed statement that you can support yourself
Joining a European relative: proof of the relationship, and of that person’s own registration

Your folder for the appointment

Form EX-18, signed
Your passport or national identity card, still valid, plus a photocopy
The 790-012 fee slip, already paid
The evidence for your situation, as above
A recent padrón certificate, which offices often request as proof of address

Certificado de registro UE Benidorm: where it is done

The Policía Nacional’s directory lists the EU regime (régimen comunitario) at the Comisaría de Benidorm, Calle Apolo XI 36. The government’s page for the Oficina de Extranjería in Altea also includes the EU registration certificate in its list. Which of them receives you depends on the slot you take through the cita previa system for the province of Alicante: your appointment confirmation names the office.

When you book, choose the procedure for EU citizens, not the one for a NIE on its own. The two appear separately in the system, and a slot for the wrong one rarely ends well. Pay the 790-012 fee under the box for this certificate before the day.

Questions on this floor

Can I use the green certificate as ID?

No. It shows that you are registered, not who you are, so keep your passport or national identity card alongside it.

I already have a NIE from buying my flat. Will I get a new one?

No. The number you already hold is carried over onto the certificate.

Does the certificate expire?

It carries no expiry date. If you move house or your details change, let the authorities know so the record stays correct.

I spend the winter here and the summer at home. Should I register?

Probably not. Registration is for people who live in Spain. If your home and your life remain elsewhere, you are a visitor, and the NIE on its own is what you need. Tax residence is a separate matter, best put to a tax adviser.

Official sources for this page

This floor was read against these pages in October 2026.