Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
“Hello, all! I’m curious if anyone has ever applied for and received empadronamiento prior to receiving NIE or visa (ideally in Valencia)? We were told we might be able to apply as long as we had a signed lease but are getting confusing answers when we call town hall.
This is important to us because we’re trying to figure out how to register our kids for school in April but don’t think all of our visa documents will be ready till May or June. Thanks in advance!”
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These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
“You can do it if you have a lease agreement.”
“Yes, all you need is a passport and proof of where you are living in the city (property deeds or rental contract).”
“You shouldn’t be on the Padron until you are a resident.”
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Explore Cities →“Not true… if they are here in Spain, they can go with their rental info and passport.”
“They should if they are waiting for resident papers and living here already then they are residents until they have the visa.”
“We obtained one with passport, NIE and property deed but no visa.”
Conclusion
The process for obtaining empadronamiento (in this case, in Valencia) can be initiated with just a passport and proof of residence, such as a lease or property deed, even before obtaining an NIE.
While there is some debate among residents about the appropriateness of registering for the padrón before officially obtaining residency status, it appears that the local authorities allow and sometimes require this registration for practical reasons, such as school enrollment for children.
Therefore, it’s advisable for expatriates to contact local town hall officials directly for the most accurate guidance.
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