Line E · EU, EEA & Swiss citizens · Stop E4
Registering as an EU resident in Madrid: the green certificate
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens living in Madrid register with form EX-18 at the SACE on Avenida Padre Piquer and receive their Certificado de Registro, the paper people call the green NIE: proof that you are registered as a resident, with your NIE printed on it.
The ground you register on
The certificate records why you live here. For most people reading this, that is work: a contract with a Madrid employer, or self-employment. Others register as students, on their own means with health cover, or as the family of an EU citizen who lives here.
Each ground comes with its own proof, and the officer checks it against the box ticked on the EX-18. A mismatch between the two is the commonest reason for a second trip.
A typical file
- Form EX-18, filled in and signed
- Passport or national identity card, with a photocopy
- Proof of your ground: a work contract or self-employment registration, enrolment and cover, or means and cover
- The paid Modelo 790 código 012
- The cita previa confirmation for the EU certificate
Before booking anything
Book the appointment for the EU certificate, not the NIE assignment: they are different entries in the booking system and different buildings in Madrid. If you already hold a NIE from a consulate or an earlier stay, it is reused on the certificate.
We prepare the EX-18 with you, match the evidence to your ground and search for the appointment, so you reach Padre Piquer with a file that answers the officer’s questions before they are asked.
Platform
The desk for this stop
From the official sources. Your cita previa confirmation always names the office: if it differs, trust the confirmation.
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SACE · Padre Piquer
SACE Padre Piquer (Brigada Provincial de Extranjería y Fronteras de Madrid)
- Address
- Avda. Padre Piquer 18, 28024 Madrid
- Desk hours
- 9:00–13:30 (per the Delegación del Gobierno)
- Office telephone
- 915 180 394 (the office’s own line)
Handles
- EU citizens’ registration certificates (Certificado de Registro de ciudadano de la UE)
- extensions of stay
Appointments through the administration’s cita previa system (icpplus).
Information point
Questions about EU residence registration
I already have a NIE. Do I still need this?
If you live in Madrid, yes: the number alone does not register you as a resident. The certificate keeps your existing NIE.
Is the certificate an identity document?
No. Keep your passport or national identity card with it whenever you need to identify yourself.
My partner is not an EU citizen. Can they use the EX-18?
No. Non-EU family members of an EU citizen apply for a residence card of their own with the EX-19: see the family stop on Line N.
Plan your route
Get this stop prepared
Tell us your situation and dates for “EU residence registration (EX-18)”. We reply by email with your route and what we can take on.
- Tell us where you stand
- We map your route
- Paperwork prepared
Prefer email? desk@nie-madrid.com