NIE, residency and the padrón in Arguineguín: steps and documents

By Terje Moy, editor · Published 25 October 2026

They are three separate registrations, not one. The NIE is a tax-and-ID number, the padrón is the council's list of residents, and residence is a status you register with the national police or the foreigners' office.

Moving to Arguineguín means sorting out three different things that people often mix up. The NIE is your foreigner's identity number. The padrón is the municipal register of residents, kept by Mogán council. And residence is your legal status, registered with the foreigners' office or police: an EU registration certificate for EU citizens, a TIE card for British citizens and other non-EU nationals. You need all three, and the order matters because the council register is needed for the residence application.

This page covers the steps and documents. The wider checklist, from visas to health care and schools, is in moving to Arguineguín: a practical guide. Rules change and offices differ in what they ask for, so treat this as the map and confirm the details with the office that will process your file.

The NIE: what it is and what it is not

The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is a personal, unique number given to foreigners who have economic, professional or social ties with Spain. You need it for any tax or financial transaction: opening a bank account, buying a home, signing a utility contract.

How to get one:

• In Spain. Apply on form EX-15 at an immigration (foreigners') office or police station, with proof of payment of tax form 790, code 012. The police website says the application must be resolved within five days of being registered, and that silence counts as a refusal. Book your appointment well ahead.
• From abroad. Apply at a Spanish consulate. The London consulate lists a fee of £8.65 (January 2026 page), needs you to attend in person or send an accredited representative, and says a NIE is normally issued within about three weeks and sent by email.
• Through residence registration. If you register as a resident, the NIE is issued with your registration certificate or TIE, so you do not need a separate application.

If you only need a NIE to buy a property, the process and the reasons the tax office wants it are in buying property in Arguineguín.

The padrón at Mogán council

The padrón municipal is the list of people who live in the municipality. It matters far beyond paperwork: the padrón certificate (certificado de empadronamiento) is what you use to get a public health card, enrol children in school, register a vehicle, and apply for residence. GOV.UK tells British citizens to register at their local town hall as soon as they arrive, using their usual address even if they rent or share, and that you can be registered at only one address.

What to know about doing it in Arguineguín:

• The registering authority is the Ayuntamiento de Mogán, whose town hall is in Mogán village (Avenida de la Constitución 4), not in Arguineguín.
• Mogán lists "Oficinas Municipales" in Arguineguín at C/ Tamarán 4 (tel. 928 568 566). The council's website does not say which services each office handles, so ask whether you can register the padrón there.
• In October 2026 the council's online appointment booking was still marked "coming soon". The council asks you to call 928 158 800 to make an appointment.
• The council does not publish a document list on its main pages, so ask when you book. Take your passport or ID and something that shows you live at the address, such as a lease or property deed, and confirm the list when you book.

Often an authority asks for a certificate issued within the last three months. You can get a fresh copy at the council, by post or online if offered, or by downloading it with a digital ID such as Cl@ve. If you move house inside Mogán, ask for a "cambio de domicilio". If you move to another municipality, register there and you are removed automatically from the old register. Deregister before leaving Spain for good.

EU and EEA citizens: the registration certificate

EU citizens can enter and stay for up to three months. After that you must register in the Central Register of Foreigners. The Spanish government says you apply in person at the foreigners' office of the province (Las Palmas, for Gran Canaria) or at the relevant police station, with an appointment, and within three months of entering Spain. You are issued a registration certificate stating your name, nationality, address, NIE and registration date.

What you must show depends on your situation:

• Employed or self-employed: an employer's confirmation or contract, proof of self-employment, or proof you are registered with social security.
• Not working: public or private health insurance that gives cover in Spain equivalent to the national system, and sufficient resources for yourself and any family. Resources are assessed case by case.
• Students: enrolment at an accredited institution and health cover. A valid EHIC is accepted for this purpose.

You need to be on the padrón before you apply. After five years of continuous legal residence you can apply for the right of permanent residence, again in person at the foreigners' office, with a valid passport or ID and proof of payment of the fee.

British citizens: the TIE card

For British citizens who move now, GOV.UK says you need to register as a resident and get a TIE (tarjeta de identidad de extranjero). The visa you enter on sets out whether you must apply for the TIE after arrival and by what deadline. To get it, book an appointment at the foreigners' office or the local police station, take your padrón certificate and the documents they ask for, and give your fingerprints. Applications can take several weeks.

A TIE is also what exempts you from registering with the EU Entry/Exit System when you cross a Schengen border. If you lived in Spain before 1 January 2021 and still hold the older green certificate, GOV.UK advises exchanging it: it remains a valid residence document but is not accepted as proof of status at the Schengen border for EES purposes. The exchanged card carries the words "Articulo 50 TUE", showing rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. Holiday-length stays follow different rules, covered in UK citizens and the 90/180-day rule.

If you cannot get an appointment, GOV.UK suggests checking the booking system regularly, trying again with a digital ID, or using an accredited gestor or an English-speaking immigration lawyer. The British Embassy cannot intervene in residency applications or give legal advice.

Getting a visa first: the non-lucrative route

Unlike EU citizens, British citizens who want to live in Spain without working generally need a visa before they travel. The Spanish consulate in London describes the non-working residence visa, which is not a work permit. Applicants submit, among other things:

• the national visa form and form EX-01, with a recent photograph;
• a passport valid for at least one year with two blank pages, issued within the last 10 years;
• proof of financial means equal to 400 % of the IPREM (the public income indicator), plus 100 % for each dependant;
• public or private health insurance covering the risks of the Spanish public system (a receipt for a registered S1 is also accepted);
• a criminal record check for the last five years (an ACRO certificate for the UK), apostilled and translated;
• a medical certificate issued within three months, and proof of residence in the consular district;
• payment of the fee on form 790, code 052.

Check the euro figure for the IPREM multiple with the consulate that will handle your file, because consulates have read it on different bases. Other visa types exist for work, study and remote work; see Spain's digital nomad visa and working remotely from Arguineguín. The Golden Visa for investors was abolished from 3 April 2025, so buying a property no longer gives a route to residence.

What to do first, in order

1. Settle the legal route: EU registration, or a visa from your consulate if you are British or from another non-EU country.
2. Arrive and register at your Arguineguín address on the padrón (phone the council for an appointment).
3. Book the foreigners' office or police appointment for the registration certificate or TIE, with your padrón certificate.
4. Use the padrón certificate for the health card and, later, for school places and a vehicle.
5. Exchange a UK driving licence: GOV.UK says UK licences are no longer valid for residents after six months, and Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man licences cannot be exchanged.

For health cover, see healthcare for residents; for children, schools in and around Arguineguín; and for the budget side, the cost of living in Arguineguín. If you are only visiting, the border rules are in entry requirements for Gran Canaria.