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STATISTICS

Spain’s population hits 48 million with surge in foreign nationals

Spain's population passed 48 million in 2022 and now counts more than six million foreign nationals, whose numbers jumped last year, the National Statistics Institute (INE) said Wednesday.

Published: 13 December 2023 16:37 CET
Spain's population hits 48 million with surge in foreign nationals
Of the foreign nationals living in Spain, the largest group are Moroccans (893,953), then Romanians (629,755) and Colombians (453,911). (Photo by Pau BARRENA / AFP)

The number equates to a 1.26 percent growth in the population, with an increase of almost 600,000 people within the year, an INE statement said.

Figures show that Spain’s population stood at 48,085,361 inhabitants on January 1, 2023, up from 47,486,727 a year earlier, it said.

Of the overall number, 6,089,620 are foreign nationals who make up 12.7 percent of the population.

One factor driving the increase was Russia’s war on Ukraine, which began in February 2022 and prompted hundreds of thousands to flee with some 83,401 Ukrainians moving to Spain that year, the figures showed.

In relative terms, that meant the number of Ukrainians in Spain increased by 76 percent in 2022.

READ ALSO: Older and more diverse – What Spain’s population will be like in 50 years

Ukrainians made up the second-largest group of foreign nationals moving to Spain after Colombians, with 142,391 new arrivals registered that year, and 64,498 Venezuelans.

Of the foreign nationals living in Spain, the largest group are Moroccans (893,953), then Romanians (629,755) and Colombians (453,911).

Italians represent the largest EU foreign population group in Spain with 301,791.

There are also 284,037 UK nationals residing in Spain, according to the latest INE population stats. 

Another body which keeps a census of Spain’s population is the Immigration Observatory of Spain’s Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, but their data rarely coincides with INE’s.

The reason for this discrepancy is explained by the fact that INE primarily uses local census information from the town halls (padrón address registrations, birth, death certificates etc) rather than migration documents.

The largest number of foreign nationals to leave Spain in 2022 according to INE were Romanians, whose number fell by 9,742, and UK nationals with 7,328 fewer than a year earlier.

Currently, one in three children born in Spain have at least one foreign parent.

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PADRON

When and how you need to renew your padrón certificate in Spain

The padrón document you get when registering at your local town hall in Spain must be renewed periodically. Find out when and the steps on how to do it.

Published: 22 April 2024 13:09 CEST
When and how you need to renew your padrón certificate in Spain

The padrón certificate is used to show proof of where you live. Your town hall – or ayuntamiento – uses it to find how many people are living in the area and what their ages are.

The number of people living in each area will depend on how much money they will receive from the government. They use this money for local services such as schools, health centres, parks and police officers.

If you are a non-EU citizen with temporary residence (less than 5 years) in Spain, then you will need to renew your padrón certificate every two years.

You will also need to renew your padrón each time you move house, as it should have your current address. 

For some bureaucratic processes in Spain, you will also need to be able to show you have a padrón certificate that’s no older than three months. 

Depending on where you live, there are different ways you can renew it. This could be in person, online or by post.

READ ALSO – Padrón: 16 things you should know about Spain’s town hall registration

Generally, in order to renew your certificate, you will need:

  • A recent gas, water or electricity bill in your name
  • Your rental contract and receipt of your last rental payment
  • If you own your own property, you will need to show evidence that you own it, such as the property deeds

You will also need to show:

  • A valid residence card such as TIE
  • A valid passport
  • In addition, it is also advisable to bring your previous padrón certificate

For children you will also need the following:

  • Records of your digitised family book (libro de família)
  • A valid passport or residence permit of the minor
  • A passport of one of the parents which also contains the identification data of the minor
  • Birth certificate of your child

If you do not live in the same household as your child, you will also need:

  • A delegation for registration form, signed by the parent who lives with the minor.
  • Photocopy of the valid identification document of the parent who lives with the child.
  • In the case of minors under 14 years of age, it will not be mandatory for them to have an NIE, passport or identification document from their country of origin.

Remember that all your documents should be officially translated into Spanish or another local language such as Catalan, if they aren’t already.

READ ALSO: Can I get my padrón online in Spain?

In person

If you are applying in person, you will need to make an appointment at your local Ayuntamiento or town hall.

When the date for your appointment arrives you will need to complete the renewal form, which will most like look something like this, but may change depending on where you live. 

You will also need to bring originals and photocopies of all the documents above.

Online

If you have a digital certificate or Cl@ve PIN you are able to renew your padrón online. You will need to do this via your local government website.

First, you’ll need to identify yourself digitally with your digital certificate or Cl@ve PIN.

Next you will have to complete the renewal form and then attach digital copies of all the above documentation that’s required.

Then you’ll need to submit and sign it digitally.

By post

Although this is not the most common way to renew your certificate, some town halls may let you apply by post and will have details of the relevant address to send your documents and forms to online. 

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