Spanish bank account for non-residents: how to open one

Can a non-resident open a Spanish bank account?

A Spanish bank account for a non-resident is a normal current account with one difference: the bank records that you don't live in Spain. It affects the paperwork, the fees, and how the bank reports interest to the tax office. Opening a bank account in Spain is open to British, Irish, American and other nationals, whether or not they own property yet.

Banks do have discretion. They must apply anti-money-laundering checks under Ley 10/2010, and some branches in areas with few foreign clients are less used to non-resident files. Coastal branches in Málaga, Alicante, the Balearics and the Canaries open these accounts every day.

Documents for a non resident bank account in Spain

The Banco de España's customer portal says EU and EEA citizens identify with their passport or national ID card plus their NIE, non-EU citizens with their foreigner's ID, and that non-residents must also prove they are non-resident. In practice, expect to show:

• Passport, valid and original.
• NIE (número de identidad de extranjero). See how to get an NIE. Some banks will start the file with a passport, but they need the NIE to finish it and to report to the tax office.
• Certificate of non-residence (certificado de no residente), issued by the Policía Nacional under the Ministry of the Interior. The Banco de España notes that banks ask for one issued within the last two months.
• Proof of address abroad: a recent utility bill or bank statement.
• Proof of income or employment: payslips, a tax return or a pension statement.
• Source of funds: especially if you'll send a large sum for a purchase. The bank may ask when you open the account or later, and can block the account if you don't answer.

Every two years the bank must ask you to confirm your non-resident status with a fresh certificate, which you then have three months to provide. If you move to Spain, tell the bank so it can reclassify the account.

Resident vs non-resident accounts

If you become resident, for example after moving to Spain and registering on the padrón, the account should be switched to resident status.

Typical fees for a Spanish bank account for non residents

There is no official fee for a non-resident account; each bank sets its own and publishes it. As typical market figures, not official ones:

• Maintenance: commonly a monthly or quarterly fee, often waived only for residents who pay in a salary.
• Debit and credit cards: an annual card fee is common.
• Incoming international transfers: SEPA transfers in euros are usually cheap; non-euro transfers from the UK or US can carry a receiving fee plus the exchange margin.
• Bank drafts (cheque bancario): a fee per cheque if you pay the seller by bank cheque at the notary.

Ask for the precontractual fee information in writing and compare two or three banks. Moving money through a specialist currency provider into the Spanish account is often cheaper than a direct transfer from a UK or US bank.

Why you need a Spanish account when you buy

You can technically buy without one, but almost every owner opens an account because:

• IBI: the annual property tax is easiest to pay by direct debit (domiciliación), and many councils offer a small discount for it.
• Utilities: electricity, water, gas and internet companies bill a Spanish IBAN.
• Community fees and home insurance: both are normally direct debits.
• Non-resident tax: your gestor or tax adviser can pay Modelo 210 from it. See non-resident tax in Spain.
• The purchase: the notary must record how the price was paid, and a bank cheque or transfer from a Spanish account makes that simple.
• A Spanish mortgage: the lender will require an account with it. See Spanish mortgages.

Can you open a bank account in Spain online?

Some Spanish banks let you open a bank account in Spain online with a video call, but many limit online opening to residents with a DNI or TIE. Non-residents are often asked to visit a branch or sign in front of a notary or consulate.

Pan-European online accounts with a Spanish or other EU IBAN (Wise, Revolut, N26 and similar) are useful but have limits:

• Some Spanish direct-debit issuers reject foreign IBANs in practice, even though SEPA rules say they shouldn't.
• Large one-off transfers for a purchase can trigger extra checks and delays.
• Notaries and sellers usually expect a Spanish bank cheque or a traceable transfer from an established bank.
• A Spanish mortgage requires an account at the lending bank.

Many owners keep both: a traditional Spanish account for bills and the purchase, and an online account for currency exchange.

Before you send money for a purchase

Open the account a few weeks before you need it, and don't move the deposit until you've checked the property. You can put the address or referencia catastral into our free property check and we'll reply by email. For the whole process, see buying property in Spain.