Spanish bureaucracy has an order, and the padrón (empadronamiento) is the key that unlocks the rest — your NIE/TIE, healthcare and school places. Here's the chain, done right.
Register your address at the town hall. Bring passport + proof of address (rental contract + a recent rent receipt). In a shared flat? You need an autorización de empadronamiento signed by the registered occupant plus a copy of their ID.
The Volante is a free instant basic proof. The Certificado is the official one needed for residency procedures (small fee, a few days). For your TIE/NIE, always request the Certificado.
With the padrón in hand you complete your NIE (foreigner ID number) and TIE (the physical residence card). Healthcare and school enrolment also ask for the padrón.
Barcelona requires an online appointment (cita previa), often booked weeks ahead — log in with Cl@ve PIN / Cl@ve Permanente or a digital certificate. New slots tend to drop Monday and Thursday mornings (~8–9 AM). If the central Oficines d'Atenció Ciutadana (OAC) are full a month out, try a district office — you can often find a slot the following week.
Admin, housing, what's on — the free daily brief, launching soon.