Rules for joining the Padrón in San Miguel de Salinas

It's against the law to be on the padron if you're not legally resident here, and always has been.

As I've said in other threads, some town halls don't care if people break the law - their income from central government depends on how many people they've got on the padron. It's not the council that would be prosecuted, if it came to that - it's the individual who illegally signed onto the padron.

I have not illegally signed in to the Padron, so your answer is unhelpful. 

I withdraw this statement, as I have indeed been proved wrong. Apologies to those who corrected me . I was given the wrong information previously. 

Ok.........having looked into this further, it looks like if you wish to spend more than 90 days a year in Spain, you are required to apply for residency. There are 2 types of residency, temporary residency and permanent residency. Temporary residency means you can spend up to 6 months a year in Spain, permanent residency means you can spend 12 months in Spain, valid for 5 years, and can be extended after that period. 

Regarding signing on to the Padrón, it looks like you can only do this if you have residency, so in that I was clearly wrong, and apologise unreservably to Jim, In my defence, I can only say that I was advised to sign onto the Padrón, and had no idea it was illegal. Why was I allowed to sign up in the first place? Also , I have bought a home here, 2 cars, and opened 2 bank accounts, all legally,  and not one person or agency has mentioned applying for residency !! 

Never did I think I was doing anything illegal. Everyone who buys a home here should be made aware of the legal requirements regarding residency/ Padrón etc.

I intend to correct my situation, and will instruct my lawyer to look into applying for temporary residency.

Thank you for bringing this to my attention. 

You're welcome, and welcome to Spanish bureaucracy!

Although I'm all for doing what the law requires, in some ways having any form of residencia doesn't actually achieve anything, except that permanent residency could be used to alert the tax man to expecting a return from you.

And in any case it will all be subject to change post-Brexit, as our residencias are/were issued to citizens of EU member states, so they could well be redundant pieces of paper before not much longer.

ailes, just a thought in passing, in case you're not aware. If you've got a car here on Spanish plates, then as a non-resident, you should have a certificate of non-residency and carry it in the car in case you're stopped by the police.

Hi Jim, thank you for your gracious response, and I apologise again for my ignorance.....erm......what is a certificate of non-residency ?

I thought that might catch you out!

It's illegal to own and drive a Spanish registered car unless you're a resident, or have a certificate of non-residency, and the Guardia Civil have been known to fine drivers who can't produce the certificate (unless, of course, it's a hire car).

Don't ask for the logic behind this - I doubt there is one.

I don't know how long you've had a bank account here, but banks are required to report information about account holders to the tax office. Because the reporting requirements are different for resident and non-resident accounts, for non-residents the banks themselves will (I think every two years) apply on your behalf for the non-resident certificate (and charge you for doing so). It's cheaper to get the certificate yourself, but most people just let the bank do it, and save themselves the hassle.

So, in your case, I'd ask your bank if they would give you a copy of the certificate. Otherwise, the application procedure is the same as applying for an NIE - it's just a different tick box on the EX-15 application form.

Enjoy!

Ok Jim. Thanks for that. The whole system is just so crazy and disorganised .......nothing is clear cut....will try to work it out !!

I doubt if I will ever be able to live in Spain, but must say I find the forum very interesting and informative.  Well done all.