Paperwork glossary · ES · EN · AR
The words at the counter
When you arrive in Spain, acronyms and official terms appear everywhere. Here are the most common ones, in Spanish, English and Arabic.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Regulations change. Before any procedure, check the requirements on the relevant official website, in Spanish (Public Administration, Madrid City Council, Tax Agency).
- NIENúmero de Identidad de Extranjero
- A personal number that the Police assign to foreign nationals. You need it for almost any financial step: buying a home, opening a bank account or signing a contract. On its own, it does not grant residence.
- EN Foreigner Identity Numberرقم هوية الأجنبي
- TIETarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero
- The card that proves legal residence for citizens from outside the European Union. It shows your photo, details and NIE. With a long-stay visa, you apply for it during your first month in Spain.
- EN Foreigner Identity Cardبطاقة هوية الأجنبي
- EmpadronamientoPadrón municipal
- Registration on the town hall’s register of residents. It proves your address and how long you have lived there. You need it, for example, to enrol your children at school or to register with a health centre.
- EN Municipal registrationالتسجيل في سجل البلدية
- Cita previa
- A booked time slot for dealing with a public office: Immigration (Extranjería), Social Security, the tax office (Hacienda) or the town hall. Almost all of them require one.
- EN Prior appointmentموعد مسبق
- AutónomoTrabajador por cuenta propia
- Someone who works for themselves, without an employment contract. They must register with the tax office (Hacienda) and with the special Social Security scheme for the self-employed (RETA).
- EN Self-employed workerعامل لحسابه الخاص
- IVAImpuesto sobre el Valor Añadido
- A tax on consumption. The standard rate is 21%; there are reduced rates of 10% and 4% for some goods and services.
- EN Value Added Tax (VAT)ضريبة القيمة المضافة
- IRPFImpuesto sobre la Renta de las Personas Físicas
- A progressive tax on the annual income of people resident in Spain.
- EN Personal income taxضريبة الدخل على الأشخاص الطبيعيين
- Seguridad Social
- The public benefits system for workers and their families: healthcare, disability, retirement and unemployment.
- EN Social Securityالضمان الاجتماعي
Welcome Spain
Rehearse this paperwork before you do it
In the Welcome Spain programme we rehearse the appointment, the counter and the documents with you.