Bank account in Spain – the €3 basic account, Cl@ve, the digital certificate and Bizum
Last updated 25 September 2026Rules checked every MondayOfficial sourcesSources & methodology →
A bank account and a digital ID are the two keys that open most other doors in Spain, from paying rent to applying online instead of queuing. Here is who has a right to a basic bank account in Spain, what it may cost, and how to get Cl@ve and a digital certificate with an NIE.
Opening a bank account in Spain and getting a digital ID unlock most other errands. Rent must be paid by electronic means, an electricity contract asks for an IBAN for direct debit, and procedures from registering your address in Madrid to applying for Spanish citizenship can be done online with Cl@ve or a digital certificate.
Two current rules matter. Cl@ve PIN is now a one-time code that must be used within 10 minutes. And the quick video routes are closed to most newcomers for now: Cl@ve registration by video is temporarily only for Spanish citizens with a valid DNI, and the video route to the digital certificate needs an electronic DNI. With an NIE (foreigner identity number), you use a letter or an office visit.
Who has the right to a bank account in Spain?
According to the Banco de España, every bank that offers payment accounts must also offer a cuenta de pago básica (basic payment account), and may not tie it to buying other products. The right covers anyone legally resident in the EU, including people with no fixed address, as well as asylum seekers and people without a residence permit whose expulsion is impossible.
You identify yourself with your TIE (foreigner identity card), residence card or passport; EU/EEA citizens may also use their national identity card. The bank must refuse if you do not give the information the anti-money-laundering rules require, or if you already hold a Spanish account offering the same services.
| Basic payment account | What the rules say |
|---|---|
| Maximum fee | €3 a month, all in; the Banco de España may update it every two years |
| Included | Opening, using and closing the account, cash deposits, euro withdrawals at ATMs, card payments, and 120 euro payments a year within the EU (direct debits and transfers) |
| Possible extra | Fees another bank charges when you withdraw cash at its ATM |
| Free of charge | For households under income limits linked to the IPREM (public income indicator) with no property besides their home and no stake in a company; the bank decides within 30 days, and silence counts as yes |
| If refused | In writing, free, with reasons, within 10 working days of your complete application |
Source: Banco de España and Real Decreto-ley 19/2017 (BOE), read 23 September 2026.
A Spanish IBAN has 24 characters: ES, two check digits and 20 digits, of which the first four identify the bank and the next four the branch. Whether you count as tax resident is a separate test, covered in part 7.
What is Cl@ve and how do you register with an NIE?
Cl@ve is the government's common login for public services, and it also lets you sign in the cloud. Cl@ve PIN works with a new one-time code for each login; with Cl@ve Permanente, your NIE is the user name, you set a password, and higher-security services add an SMS code.
To register you need your EU registration certificate, TIE or residence permit plus your passport (EU citizens may use their national ID card instead), an e-mail address and a mobile number – Spanish or foreign, if it can receive SMS from other countries' operators. Each number can be linked to only one DNI or NIE, so partners need one each. The route you choose sets your level, basic or advanced.
| Route | Open to NIE holders? | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Video identification in the app | Not for now | Temporarily only for Spanish citizens with a valid DNI |
| Invitation letter | Yes | Request it online with your NIE and the support number on your NIE document; it is posted to the tax address the Agencia Tributaria holds for you, with a 16-character CSV code |
| Electronic certificate | Once you have one | Register online with the FNMT certificate below |
| In person | Yes | Go yourself to an office of the Agencia Tributaria, the Seguridad Social (social security), SEPE (employment service) or a Government Delegation; many need a cita previa (appointment) |
Source: Cl@ve and the Punto de Acceso General, read 23 September 2026.
The letter goes to the address the Agencia Tributaria has for you, so check that it is current; otherwise, book an office visit.
How do you get a digital certificate in Spain?
The FNMT's certificado de ciudadano (citizen certificate) lets you sign and prove your identity online, and any adult with a DNI or NIE gets it free. Of its four routes – video identification, an office identity check, an electronic DNI or a mobile device – the video route needs a valid electronic DNI and costs €2.99 plus taxes, so with an NIE the office check is the realistic one.
| Step | What to know |
|---|---|
| 1. Apply | Start the request and keep your application code |
| 2. Prove your identity | EU/EEA citizens: application code, EU registration certificate showing the NIE, and passport or national ID card. Others: TIE showing the NIE, or the official NIE document, with passport |
| 3. Choose an office | More than 2,400 FNMT identity offices; those of the Agencia Tributaria and the Seguridad Social need an appointment; not available through Correos (post offices) |
| 4. Download and renew | You get the certificate as a file; renew it online in the 60 days before it expires |
Source: FNMT-RCM and the Punto de Acceso General, read 23 September 2026.
What can you do online once you have a digital ID?
| Task | Where | What the rules say |
|---|---|---|
| Register on the padrón (municipal register) online | Madrid city | Needs electronic ID; in person, a cita previa is compulsory |
| Register on the padró online | Barcelona | idCAT Mòbil, Cl@ve or electronic DNI, or FNMT certificate; takes about 7 calendar days |
| Get a padrón certificate at once | València | Only through the electronic office with a digital certificate or electronic DNI |
| Request your Social Security number | Nationwide, Import@ss | Cl@ve, digital certificate, SMS, or a selfie with photos of your NIE document |
| Pre-register as a job seeker | Comunidad de Madrid | Cl@ve Móvil, digital certificate or Cl@ve Permanente with two-factor login |
| Apply for Spanish citizenship | Nationwide, Justice Ministry | Digital certificate or Cl@ve |
Source: Ayuntamiento de Madrid, Ajuntament de Barcelona, Ajuntament de València, Seguridad Social, Comunidad de Madrid and Ministerio de Justicia, read 23 September 2026.
Bizum: how do you send money with a phone number in Spain?
Bizum lets you pay someone with just their mobile number. You activate it in the app of a participating bank and, according to Bizum, the money moves between accounts in about 10 seconds. A Spanish IBAN can be linked to a mobile number from any country, so you can keep your old one. Even the €73.26 fee for a first digital nomad (teleworker) authorisation can be paid by Bizum.
| Bizum between people | Limit |
|---|---|
| Number of payments sent | Unlimited |
| Sent per day / per month | €2,000 / €5,000 |
| Received per day | €2,000 |
| Payments received per month | 60 |
| Money request not accepted | Expires after 7 days |
| Payment to someone not yet on Bizum | Stays pending for 2 days |
Source: Bizum (the operator, not a public authority), read 23 September 2026.
Your bank may set lower limits, and these do not apply to shop purchases or donations. The Banco de España's fraud-prevention pages cover SIM-card duplication, fake SMS and caller IDs, QR-code phishing and WhatsApp scams. And cash has a ceiling: €1,000 or more may not be paid in cash when a business or professional is involved.
What to do now
| Step | What | When |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gather your NIE document, TIE or EU registration certificate, and passport | Before you visit a bank |
| 2 | Ask for a cuenta de pago básica if other accounts come with conditions | Your first week |
| 3 | Register for Cl@ve by invitation letter or in person | Once you have your NIE document |
| 4 | Book an FNMT identity check and download the certificate | Soon after |
| 5 | Activate Bizum in your bank's app | Once the account is open |
| 6 | Renew the certificate online | In the 60 days before it expires |
Source: Banco de España, Cl@ve, FNMT-RCM and Bizum, read 23 September 2026.
Official sources
The official pages this guide is based on, read 23 September 2026. Links open the authority’s own website.
- Banco de España – Portal del Cliente Bancario · clientebancario.bde.es
- BOE – Real Decreto-ley 19/2017, de 24 de noviembre, de cuentas de pago básicas (texto consolidado) art. 3 · boe.es
- Banco de España – Portal del Cliente Bancario · clientebancario.bde.es
- Banco de España – Portal del Cliente Bancario · clientebancario.bde.es
- Banco de España – Portal del Cliente Bancario · clientebancario.bde.es
- BOE – Real Decreto 304/2014 (Reglamento de la Ley 10/2010 de prevención del blanqueo de capitales), art. 6 · boe.es
- Agencia Tributaria (AEAT) – Sede electrónica, No residentes · sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es
- Agencia Tributaria (AEAT) – Sede electrónica, No residentes · sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es
- Agencia Tributaria (AEAT) – Sede electrónica, No residentes – Rentas exentas IRNR · sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es
- Agencia Tributaria (AEAT) – Sede electrónica, No residentes – Tipos de gravamen IRNR · sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es
- Cl@ve – Identidad electrónica para las Administraciones · clave.gob.es
- Cl@ve – Identidad electrónica para las Administraciones · clave.gob.es
- Cl@ve – Identidad electrónica para las Administraciones · clave.gob.es
- Cl@ve – Identidad electrónica para las Administraciones – FAQ registro · clave.gob.es
- Cl@ve – Identidad electrónica para las Administraciones · clave.gob.es
- Cl@ve – Identidad electrónica para las Administraciones · clave.gob.es
- Cl@ve – Identidad electrónica para las Administraciones · clave.gob.es
- FNMT-RCM – Sede electrónica (Certificado de Ciudadano / Persona Física) · sede.fnmt.gob.es
- FNMT-RCM – Sede electrónica (Certificado de Ciudadano / Persona Física) · sede.fnmt.gob.es
- FNMT-RCM – Sede electrónica (Certificado de Ciudadano / Persona Física) · sede.fnmt.gob.es
- FNMT-RCM – Sede electrónica (Certificado de Ciudadano / Persona Física) · sede.fnmt.gob.es
- BOE – Resolución de 17 de febrero de 2020 (INE y D.G. de Cooperación Autonómica y Local), instrucciones técnicas a… · boe.es
- Ajuntament de València – Empadronamiento. Certificado de padrón · valencia.es
- Banco de España – Portal del Cliente Bancario – Protégete contra el fraude · clientebancario.bde.es
Relocate in Europe provides general information, not legal or financial advice for your individual situation. Check with the authority named above before you act – rules change, and your case may differ.