Consular Guides to Living in Spain

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Consular Guides to Living in Spain

United States Citizens, United Kingdom Citizens, Canadian Citizens and Australian Citizens living in Spain are particularly well catered to by the Consular sections of the Embassies and other organisations. The Consulates & Embassies link above provides a wealth of up-to-date and officially published information.

United States Citizens

The Embassy and Consulate's office offer a variety of services to Americans living in Spain as well as to American tourists visiting Spain.

Services available include:

• issuance of emergency passports
• handling of passport applications
• legal assistance
• election and voting information
• registration of a birth or death of a US citizen in Spain
• medical care rights
• guidance regarding criminal rights, if a citizen is in trouble with the Spanish law
• general assistance for any US citizen who is having problems in Spain

The United States Embassy is in Madrid

• United States Embassy
  At: Calle Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid
  Open:  Embassy "walk-in" hours 08:00-13:00
  For help and advice call between 15:00 and 17:30. Tel: 915 872 240 
  Emergencies: A duty officer is available for out of hours emergencies. Tel: 915 872 200
  Website

There is also a Consulate General in Barcelona and six consular agencies in cities around Spain. 

• For more information, see the United States Embassy website: Click here

The provinces of Murcia, Alicante, Valencia, Albacete and Castellon fall under the jurisdiction of the United States Consular Agency in Valencia.

• United States Consular Presence Post in Valencia
  At: Dr. Romagosa, 1, 2, J, 46002, Valencia
  Tel: 963 516 973
  Fax: 963 529 565
  Open: Monday to Friday 10:00-13:00
  Note: The Presence Post office cannot issue passports, however, they can issue and assist with passport applications.

British Citizens

The British Embassy in Spain website has a comprehensive guide to living in Spain with a section called Help for British Nationals which includes information on getting settled, pensions, benefits and healthcare, staying safe and what to do when things go wrong. 

Britons are requested by their government to register with the LOCATE service when planning to visit or live abroad for an extended period so that they can be helped in the event of a crisis. This can be done online.

• For information on registration: Click here

There are several British Consular offices in Spain serving British citizens in Spain.

The following services are provided by a Consular office

• Emergency passports (these can be issued by the local Consul for a one way trip back to the UK)
• Passport renewal applications available through the UK Regional Passport Processing Centre in Madrid 
• All births and deaths of British citizens in either Spain or Andorra must be reported to the Consulate in Madrid. 
• Notary service with authorisation to legalise a document
• Help and advice in an emergency situation concerning a British citizen in Spain
• Advice on moving to and living in Spain

The British Embassy is in Madrid.

• British Embassy 
  At: Torre Espacio, Paseo de la Castellana 259D, 28046 Madrid
  Tel: 917 146 300
  Fax: 917 146 301
  Open: Monday to Friday 09:00-17:30, by appointment only
  Duty office emergency Tel: 917 146 400 - Consulate number for details on how to proceed in case of an emergency 
  Website

The Consular office in Alicante provides services to British citizens in the Costa Cálida, Costa Blanca and Valencia areas. 

• British Consulate
  At: Plaza de Calvo Sotelo, 1, 2º\, Apdo. de Correos 564, 03001 Alicante
  Tel: 96 521 61 90 or 96 521 60 22
  Open: Open to the public from 08:30 to 13:30

Britons in Spain

The British Government website has a section for Britons living abroad. The information is not specific to Spain but provides useful facts relevant to moving, relocating with a family or retiring abroad. It includes information on tax and pensions, education, employment, insurance, as well as having information on everything to be considered when returning to the UK after a period of time overseas.

Australian Citizens

The Australian Embassy (and it's Consular office) is in Madrid, with Honorary Consuls in Barcelona and Seville. The services provided by the Consular offices include the handling of visa enquiries, replacement of lost, stolen or damaged passports and offering general support for Australians in Spain.

• Australian Embassy (Embajada de Australia en el Reino de España)
  At: Plaza Descubridor Diego de Ordás, 3, 28003 Madrid
  Tel: 913 536 600
  Open: Monday to Friday 08:30-16:30
  Website

The Australian Consulate in Barcelona is headed by an Honorary Consul.

• Australian Consulate Barcelona
  At: Plaza Gala Placidia, 1-3, 1st floor, Barcelona 08006
  Tel: 934 909 013
  Fax: 934 110 904
  Website

The Southern Cross Group is a global organisation that exists to "Promote Mobility in the Global Community," and communicate with expatriate Australians throughout the world. Their work includes lobbying for changes in laws that improve or simplify the life of Australians abroad. The Web site has detailed information on the legal and practical aspects of: citizenship, voting, visas, health insurance, taxation and more.

• The Southern Cross Group
• The Southern Cross Group in Spain

Canadian Citizens

The Consular offices of the Canadian Embassy in Spain offers information and assistance to Canadian citizens either visiting or living in Spain. Available services include:

• assistance with lost or stolen credit cards or travellers' cheques
• transfers of funds
• marriage formalities
• legalisation (endorsement) of Canadian documents and educational documents
• information regarding entry, work and residence requirements
• information regarding driving in Spain

The Canadian Embassy is in Madrid.

• Canadian Embassy
  At: Torre Espacio, Paseo de la Castellana 259 D, 28046 Madrid
  Tel: 91 382 8400
  Open: September to July: Monday to Thursday 08:30-14:00 and 15:00-17:30, Friday 08:30-14:30
  August: Monday to Friday 08:30-14:15
  e-mail
  Website

There are two Canadian Consulates in Spain:

• Consulate of Canada in Barcelona
  At: Elisenda de Pinos, 10, 08034 Barcelona
  Tel: 932 042 700
  Fax: 292 042 701
  e-mail
  Website
• Consulate of Canada in Málaga
  At: Plaza de la Malagueta 2 1º, 29016 Málaga
  Tel: 952 223 346
  Fax: 952 229 533
  e-mail
  Website

New Zealand Citizens

The New Zealand Embassy in Madrid represents New Zealand in Spain and Morocco.

• New Zealand Embassy
  At: Plaza de la Lealtad 2, 28014 Madrid
  Open: Monday to Friday 09:00-14:00 and 15:00-17:30; July and August: Monday to Friday 08:30-13:30 and 14:00-16:30. The visa, immigration and tourism sections are open all year Monday to Friday from 10:00-13:00.
  Tel: 915 230 226
  Fax: 915 230 171
  e-mail
  Website