On the long road to administrative procedures, you will often be asked for a “certificado de empadronamiento” (not easy to pronounce in addition!) which is also called “padrón”.
This is simply the mandatory registration in the city’s residence register, which is done at your local Town Hall. This could be the equivalent of an active census process on the part of the inhabitants.
Concretely a padrón, what is it for?
From the beginning, you will need it to register for Social Security and get your Health Assistance card.
But also to update your driver’s license, to regularize a residence permit, to register your children in school, to vote in elections, to register as unemployed, to change your vehicle registration.
You can also get a special resident fare for public transport, some visits to monuments (free of charge such as Parc Guell and Château Montjuic with Gaudir Més, with very interesting discounts for Casa Batlo, la Pedrera…).
Above all, it is the legal proof of the date of your residence in Barcelona that can be very useful in the event of a legal need, or an application for social or municipal assistance. In addition to its administrative usefulness, the “padrón” allows important reductions at the town hall, such as registration for multi-sport centres or cultural activities in your neighbourhood. As soon as you have proof of your residence (rental contract, certificate of ownership or certificate of residence of a third party), quickly request registration at the Padrón Municipal, which will be requested and useful on many occasions!
And if you don’t have the time, don’t want to, call on your favourite administrative concierge service: Barcelona Plug&Play at your service!
https://expatconcierge.net/en/services-solutions/paperwork-assistance/city-hall/