Terminology for Expats: Agencia Tributaria, SUMA, Cita previa, etc…

Learn some of the terminology that will be necessary for your life in Spain.

Moving to Spain for permanent residence is always associated with a lot of new things that we have to deal with almost every day. And this is where the Spanish bureaucratic system can become an obstacle for expats, so let’s take a look at some of the terms that we will definitely come across while living in Spain.

Agencia Tributaria is the federal tax office of Spain. Also called Hacienda. This is where you pay your annual income tax (IRPF) or non-resident tax and where you pay your sales tax known as IVA.

Autonomo is the Spanish equivalent of a freelancer and self-employed person. Autonomo registration is carried out in two stages: registration with the Tax Office (Agencia Tributaria) and with the Social Security System (Regimen Especial de Trabajadores Autonomos RETA).

Cuenta Bancaria – bank account. As a general rule, identification documents are required to open a bank account. For some banks, a valid passport is sufficient; others may also ask for a NIE (Foreigner´s Identification Number).

Cita Previa – getting an appointment. Many governmental offices in Spain work only by appointment. You can usually sign up online, by phone or in person at the office.

Declaracion de la renta – annual tax return. Under Spanish law, you are tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Spain per year, or the source of your main economic activity is in Spain. If you have lived in Spain for less than 183 days in a calendar year (January 1 to December 31) and you own property in Spain, you are considered a non-resident but you are still required to file tax returns.

Empadronamiento (padron) – registration at a municipal town hall. Under Spanish law, there is an obligation to register at the place of residence. Many Spanish authorities ask for a certificate of registration (Certificado de Empadronamiento), which is valid for 3 months from the date of issue.

Residencia Fiscal – place of residence for tax purposes.

Gestor is a legal and tax advisor, a link between you and the government services. His tasks include filing tax returns and providing you with legal advice. Pretty much all paperwork is Spain is done through a gestor.

Homologación is the process of recognition in Spain of diplomas and qualifications obtained in another country.

IRPF stands for personal income tax or income tax.

Libro de Familia is a family book that includes data on marriage and birth of children and is issued by the registry office of Spain. Basically what they are asking for is for a birth or marriage certificate. Remember that all government issued documents need to be translated into Spanish by a certified translator in Spain (traductor jurado).

NIE – Foreigner´s Identification Number. Spanish legislation obliges foreign citizens to obtain an NIE number for various transactions, such as buying a property, a car, obtaining a mortgage, paying taxes, opening a company, etc. It´s like your personal tax number. But in Spain it´s used as your main ID number.

Notario is a notary, a legally competent specialist who certifies private agreements in accordance with the Spanish Law.

RETA (Régimen Especial de los Trabajadores Autónomos), a social security scheme under which freelance workers, autonomos, are registered.

Seguridad Social – social insurance. In order to start working in Spain, you need a social security number. If you are an employee, your employer can arrange it for you. You can also contact the office in person.

INSS – Social Security Number that entitles you to access the Spanish health care system.

Tarjeta Sanitaria (SIP) is a health card issued by a medical center that allows you to access the Spanish health system.

Traductor jurado is a certified translator. Spanish structures almost always require documents to be translated by an official translator.

If you are interested, then in the next article we will tell you more about certified translations (traductor jurado), as well as how not to confuse residency and tax residency.

We provide services to accompany our clients to the tax authorities, social security authorities (Seguridad Social) and other governmental agencies.

We can help you obtain your NIE number, open a bank account, get a residence permit, extend your residence permit, etc.

Contact us, we are always ready to help!