Phrasebook
Spanish words on your Benidorm forms
Forms, offices and documents in Benidorm keep their Spanish names. Here they are, explained in a sentence or two.
A
- Ayuntamiento
- The town hall, and the council that runs the town. Benidorm’s also has district offices, the Extensiones Administrativas.
C
- Casilla
- A box on a form. On the 790-012, the box you tick decides which fee you are paying.
- Certificado de registro
- Known in English as the green certificate: it shows that a European citizen is registered as living in Spain, with their NIE and address.
- Cita previa
- An appointment booked in advance. Most public offices in Spain will only see you with one.
- Comisaría
- A police station. In Benidorm, the Policía Nacional’s comisaría is on Calle Apolo XI.
E
- Escritura
- The deed of a property, signed before a notary when you buy or sell.
- Extranjería
- Literally “foreigners’ affairs”: the word Spaniards use for the offices and procedures that deal with non-Spanish people.
J
- Justificante
- Proof or confirmation: of an appointment, a payment or an application. Keep every one you are given.
N
- NIE
- Número de Identidad de Extranjero, the identity number given to foreigners, assigned by the Policía Nacional and yours for good.
O
- Oficina de Extranjería
- The central government’s foreigners’ office in a province. It decides on residence and work authorisations; for Benidorm, the nearest is in Altea.
P
- Padrón
- The town’s register of the people who live in it, kept by the ayuntamiento.
- Poder notarial
- A power of attorney granted before a notary, allowing someone else to sign or act for you.
R
- Resguardo
- A receipt, such as the one given at the fingerprint appointment to show that your card is being made.
- Resolución
- A formal decision of the administration, for example the one granting a residence authorisation.
S
- Subdelegación del Gobierno
- The central government’s representation in a province, which runs the Oficinas de Extranjería.
T
- Tasa
- A state fee. For the NIE, the certificate and the card, the form that collects it is the Modelo 790, código 012.
- TIE
- Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero, a non-EU resident’s card, carrying the NIE, a photograph, the kind of residence granted and the last day of validity.
- Toma de huellas
- The fingerprinting appointment for a residence card, where your prints are scanned and stored for the card.
- Trámite
- An administrative procedure. The booking system asks you to choose one before it shows any appointments.
V
- Volante de empadronamiento
- A simple note showing that you are on the padrón. The formal version, signed by the town hall, is the certificado.
Which floor are you heading for?
Tell us your passport, your plans and your dates. We reply by email with the route that fits and what it involves.