Registering without a fixed address: how to do it in Spain

Not having a rental contract or proof of address is one of the biggest hurdles for Brazilians recently arrived in Spain — and it is exactly where many people get stuck when trying to register (empadronarse). What few people know is that there is a specific procedure for this situation: the registration without a fixed address (empadronamiento sin domicilio fijo).

Registration is a right and a legal obligation for anyone who habitually lives in Spanish territory — regardless of whether they have a contract, regular migratory status, or conventional housing. What changes in this mode is the path to achieving it.

Legal basis

The Resolution of February 17, 2020, by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), updated by Royal Decree 141/2024, establishes that substandard housing and even the total absence of conventional housing can and must be considered valid addresses in the padrón. Article 15 of Law 7/1985 makes it clear: anyone living in Spanish territory has an obligation to register — and the ayuntamiento (city council) has an obligation to register them.

In practice, many ayuntamientos create illegal obstacles. This guide explains how to overcome each one.

Who can use this procedure

The no-fixed-address procedure is available for:

• People living with others without a formal contract or written authorization from the owner
• People in precarious or informal housing situations (without a registered contract)
• People in shelters, hostels, or temporary reception centers
• People experiencing homelessness or without stable housing
• Immigrants living with family or friends who do not want to or cannot sign a formal authorization

It is not for tourists or those passing through. The requirement is that the person habitually resides in the municipality — even without a fixed address.

What is the ICR (Informe de Conocimiento de Residencia)

The ICR is the central document for this procedure. It is issued by the municipality's Social Services (Servicios Sociales) and certifies that the person habitually resides in that locality — without the need to present a formal address.

To obtain it:

1. Go to the Servicios Sociales of the municipality where you live (or the office closest to the place where you spend most of your time)
2. Explain that you do not have a contract or proof of address and that you need the ICR for registration
3. A social worker will register your situation and schedule a verification visit
4. During the visit, a municipal agent will go to the place you indicated as your residence — whether it is a room rented informally, a room at a friend's house, a hostel, or any other space where you sleep regularly
5. The agent does not evaluate the quality of the housing or the legality of the contract — they only verify that you are present and habitually reside there
6. With the ICR in hand, you have 90 days to complete the registration at the ayuntamiento

This verification visit is what users in Tarragona, Barcelona, and other cities report: the agent stops by, confirms your presence, issues the report, and the process moves forward.

Complete step-by-step

Step 1 — Servicios Sociales Go to the Servicios Sociales center of the municipality where you live. If you don't know which one it is, call 010 (a free municipal service in almost all cities) or check the ayuntamiento's website. Bring your passport or ID document.

Step 2 — Requesting the ICR Explain to the social worker that you do not have a rental contract and need to register. Explicitly ask for the Informe de Conocimiento de Residencia (ICR). In some cities, this document has a different name, but the logic is the same. The assistant will open a file and register your information.

Step 3 — Verification visit The municipality will schedule a visit to the address you provide. Be present at the agreed time. If you cannot attend, contact Servicios Sociales to reschedule — an unjustified absence can result in the denial of the ICR.

Step 4 — Registration (Empadronamiento) With the approved ICR, go to the ayuntamiento (or the OAC — Citizens' Attention Office) with the document, your passport/NIE/DNI, and the registration form. You will be registered using the address of the Servicios Sociales offices or another fictitious address designated by the municipality.

Step 5 — Volante de empadronamiento The certificate is issued on the spot or within a few days, depending on the municipality.

Documents you need to bring

Document	Note
DNI	Brazilians with Spanish citizenship
NIE/TIE	Foreign residents with authorization
Passport	Recently arrived or without a NIE yet
ICR issued by Servicios Sociales	Obtained in the previous step
Registration form (alta en el padrón)	Available at the ayuntamiento or online

For Brazilians in an irregular situation, the registration has no impact on migratory status and does not imply a report to the police. It is a right regardless of documentation status.

Where to go, by city

The entry point in all cities is the Servicios Sociales of the municipality. In most cases, the ayuntamiento is the correct body, but there are cities with specific entry points:

City	Where to go first	Contact
Madrid	District Servicios Sociales + SAMUR Social (for homelessness)	C/ Carrera de San Francisco, 10 (SAMUR) · tel. 010
Barcelona	OPSE (Oficina de Prestacions Socials i Econòmiques) or any OAC	C/ Aragó, 344 (OPSE) · barcelona.cat
Valencia	Municipal Servicios Sociales — special cases	sede.valencia.es — special cases
Sevilla	Ayuntamiento social work units	tel. 010
Málaga	Community Servicios Sociales (6 districts)	tel. 010
Zaragoza	Municipal Zone Social Services Center	tel. 010
Bilbao	Municipal Servicios Sociales + Cruz Roja Bizkaia	tel. 010
Tarragona	Servicios Sociales + Ajuntament de Tarragona	seu.tarragona.cat
Alicante	Municipal Servicios Sociales	tel. 010
Valladolid	Servicios Sociales + Ayuntamiento de Valladolid	tel. 010

In all cities where the number is not listed individually: call 010 (free call) and ask to be directed to Servicios Sociales.

Catalonia: clearer rules

The Generalitat de Catalunya promoted a Decàleg (a set of minimum criteria) signed by the main provincial capitals to unify the registration process without a fixed address. Barcelona, Lleida, Girona, and Tarragona have signed the document.

In practice, this means that in Catalonia, the process tends to be more standardized: the ICR is requested by Servicios Sociales, an agent makes a verification visit, and the registration is concluded. The model described by residents in Tarragona — where an agent goes to the location to verify residency — is exactly this: the field visit provided for in the ICR.

For non-EU residents without permanent authorization, registration in Barcelona must be renewed every 2 years.

What to do if the ayuntamiento refuses

Illegal refusal — which is common. Steps to circumvent this:

1. Request the refusal in writing — submit the application at the ayuntamiento Registry and ask for a receipt. This creates a formal record that can be used in an appeal.
2. File a complaint with the Ombudsman (Defensor del Pueblo) — national (defensordelpueblo.es) or regional (Síndic de Greuges in Catalonia, Defensor del Pueblo Andaluz in Andalusia).
3. Seek an NGO for immigrant support — organizations like ACCEM, Cruz Roja, Cáritas, and SOS Racisme have lawyers who act specifically in cases of denied registration.
4. Judicial path — there is ample jurisprudence recognizing the right. Immigration lawyers have handled these cases successfully.

Why this matters for immigrants

Registration is the most strategic document in any immigration process:

• Arraigo social: without a start date in the padrón, it is impossible to prove the 3 years of continuous residence required
• Family reunification: the padrón is required at most stages
• TIE renewal: the city council sends the registration certificate to the consulate
• Public health: the health center requires the volante de empadronamiento to assign a family doctor
• School for children: enrollment in public schools requires registration

The sooner you get the start date in the padrón, the sooner the clock starts ticking for any future procedure.

Sources

• Resolution INE 2020 — Padrón Municipal de Habitantes
• Royal Decree 141/2024 — Population and Territorial Demarcation Regulation
• Ajuntament de Barcelona — Empadronament sense domicili fix
• Ajuntament de Valencia — Casos especials d'empadronament
• El Salto — Empadronamiento sin domicilio fijo: el negocio de un derecho
• Fundación Democracia y Gobierno Local — Novedades Real Decreto 141/2024