Spanish Red Tape

Spanish bureaucracy is something that native Spanish people appear to accept with a resigned calmness. It is not so easy for an extranjero to cope with this bureaucracy, at least to start off with.

The following is a guide to what documentation is required in order to complete business registration and tax returns here in Spain. In most cases we will complete all the necessary forms for our clients. Please see below for the note on original documents .

1. Registration with the Tax Office as self-employed.

• Copy of N.I.E. and passport.

• Completion of form 036 (Tax Registration).

2. Submission of annual Non-Resident's Income Tax And Patrimonio Return .

• Copy of N.I.E. and passport.

3. Registration of self-employed person with the Social Security Office

• Completion of form TA.0521.

• Choice of insurance organisation (Mutua) for illness and accident cover (optional).

• Original and copies of N.I.E. and  passport.

• Copy of Tax Office form 036.

4. Registration of a business with employees with the Social Security Office

• Completion of form TA.6

• Original and copies of N.I.E. and passport of the business owner / administrator.

• Copy of policy from a local insurance company (Mutua) for accident and health cover (paid as part of Social Security contributions).

• Copy of Tax Office form 036.

• Copy of Escritura (companies only).

5. Registration of an employee with the Social Security Office

• Complete form TA.2/S.

• Original and copies of N.I.E. and passport of the employee.

6. Company formation in general

• Bank's certificate of deposit (certificado de ingreso) of share capital.

7. Company formation for overseas corporate shareholders

• Legalised and translated copy of report with parent company details.

• Where client cannot travel to Spain, legalised and translated Power of Attorney.

8. Branch formation for overseas companies

• Legalised and translated copy of report with company details.

• Legalised and translated document authorising us to register your company at the Spanish Tax Office.

Original documents

The Social Security Office often does not accept normal photocopies of documents. However they do accept copies which have been authenticated by a local Notary or Ayuntamiento. This can avoid the need for our clients to have to send us their original documents.