Opening a bank account in Spain and setting up Bizum

In short: You can get a Spanish account with your ID, NIE, proof of address and proof of where your money comes from. As long as you don’t live in Spain yet, it runs as a non-resident account, and you switch it over afterwards. If a bank turns you down, you are entitled to a statutory basic account for no more than 3 € a month.

Do you actually need a Spanish account?

Legally, within the euro area, direct debits and salaries can also be paid through a German or Austrian IBAN. In practice, many Spanish organisations still ask for an IBAN starting with ES. This mainly affects utility companies, landlords and some official forms.

At the latest at this point, a Spanish account makes life easier:

• Rent and deposit, see Finding a flat
• Electricity, water, internet and mobile, see Setting up mobile, internet and electricity
• Social security contributions when you register as an Autónomo
• Payments to and refunds from the tax office (Hacienda), see Taxes in Spain
• Bizum, the Spanish mobile payment system

Which account fits your situation?

Spanish banks distinguish between people who are tax resident in Spain and people who aren’t. The documents required, and often the fees, depend on this. The information below describes common practice. Each bank sets its own requirements.

If you move to Spain later, tell your bank and have the account switched to “residente” status. Otherwise you keep paying the conditions for non-residents.

Branch or online bank?

A branch helps if your Spanish is still shaky or your case doesn’t fit the standard form, for example as a self-employed person in your first year. Online banks are convenient, but they check everything via the app and stop the process if a document doesn’t fit their template. Ask before opening whether the bank takes part in Bizum.

Which documents does the bank ask for?

Banks need to know who you are and where your money comes from. Anti-money laundering rules require this. The more complete your folder is, the faster it goes.

• Passport or national ID card, valid
• NIE on paper or as a PDF
• Proof of address: rental contract or Padrón, for non-residents proof of your address in your home country
• Proof of income or source of funds: employment contract, payslip, tax assessment or pension statement
• A Spanish mobile number if possible, for approvals by SMS and for Bizum

Many banks accept German documents without a translation, but you can’t rely on it. Ask the branch by email beforehand what they want to see.

How does opening an account work?

From choosing the bank to the first direct debit, there are four steps.

1. Choose a bank and account type

   Compare the banks’ price lists. The Spanish central bank (Banco de España) runs its own comparison portal for this. Above all, read which conditions apply to a fee-free account.

2. Book an appointment or start online

   At the branch, bring all documents in the original. Online, you upload them and verify your identity by video.

3. Sign the contract, activate card and app

   You receive your IBAN and your login details. Set up the app straight away, because almost all approvals go through it.

4. Share your IBAN

   Give the new IBAN to your landlord, utility companies, employer and social security.

The statutory basic account: your right if a bank says no

Spain has introduced a basic account, the Cuenta de pago básica. Anyone legally resident in the EU is entitled to it, even without a fixed address, provided they don’t yet have an account in Spain. The legal basis is Real Decreto-ley 19/2017 and Real Decreto 164/2019.

The bank may charge no more than 3 € a month for it, as a single, all-inclusive fee. This includes:

• Opening, maintaining and closing the account
• Deposits and cash withdrawals
• A debit card
• 120 payment transactions per year in euros within the EU

The bank may only refuse for a few reasons: if you already have an account in Spain, for reasons of national security or public order, or if you don’t provide the information required for anti-money laundering checks.

Setting up Bizum

Bizum is the payment system of the Spanish banks. You send money to a mobile number instead of an IBAN, and it arrives instantly. This is how people in Spain split the restaurant bill, pay the tradesperson or send their flatmate their share of the electricity bill. You can find more about everyday life under Everyday life in Spain.

You need two things: an account with a bank in Spain that takes part in Bizum, and a mobile number linked to that account. There is no separate app. You activate Bizum in your banking app.

1. Open your banking app and look for the Bizum menu item.
2. Confirm your mobile number, usually with an SMS code.
3. Select the account where payments should arrive.

Whether your German or Austrian number works depends on the bank. With a Spanish number you’re on the safe side. Limits and possible costs are set by your bank and listed in its price list.

Common pitfalls

Most problems don’t come up when you open the account, but months later.

• Conditions not met: Many fee-free accounts require incoming salary or pension payments or direct debits. Without them, the bank charges account fees.
• Requests ignored: Banks regularly ask for up-to-date documents. If you don’t respond, you risk your account being blocked.
• Status not switched: After your move, the account keeps running as a non-resident account.
• Second account and basic account: You lose the right to the basic account if you already have a Spanish account.

Frequently asked questions