The Certificate of Registration of European Union Citizen (CRUE)
The Certificate of Registration of European Union Citizen (CRUE) is the official document that certifies residence of a citizen from a European Union member state, another country that is part of the European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland, in Spanish territory. Although these citizens have the right to move and reside freely in any EU member country, obtaining the CRUE is a requirement for all individuals who are going to reside in Spain for more than three months.
However, it is important to mention that before fulfilling the three-month stay in Spanish territory, acquiring the CRUE is not an obligation but rather a right. This could lead to the request for additional documentation beyond what is mentioned in this article by the Police Officers.
The CRUE is a small green paper card that details the citizen’s personal information (first and last names, place and date of birth, address in Spain, NIE). To the surprise of many citizens who obtain this type of permit, the CRUE does not display any photograph of the individual. This happens because the CRUE, by itself, is not a valid means of identification for the individual, and this is stated on the back of the card.
This piece of information may seem strange to the person obtaining it, as it raises the question, “Why did I go through the entire CRUE process if it won’t serve as a method of identification?” The answer to this question is quite simple and can be broken down into four main points that leave no doubt:
- Firstly, the CRUE is not an identity document and, therefore, does not replace the passport or identity document from the citizen’s home country. Its main function is to certify continued residence in Spain.
- Second, the citizen is required to carry their passport or identity document from their country of origin for identification purposes when dealing with any authority. That is, the official recognition of identity falls upon the national documents of each country.
- On the other hand, it is a simplification of the administrative process since, without the need to include a photograph of the individual, its issuance is quicker and easier, as the CRUE is a registration document, not an identity document.
- Lastly, the CRUE is necessary for carrying out various official procedures, such as accessing public services, registering with Social Security, working legally, or opening a bank account. Therefore, it is an essential document to facilitate the citizen’s interaction with the Spanish Public Authorities and Administrations.
Furthermore, upon obtaining the CRUE, the citizen is assigned a Foreign Identity Number (NIE), which must be used for the person’s fiscal identification in all procedures they undertake in Spain. This is a personal, unique, and exclusive number for each citizen, consisting of a sequence of two letters and seven numbers, as follows: Z1111111Z. There are often many doubts regarding this, so it is important to emphasize that the NIE is the complete sequence, from the first letter to the last letter included.
Having clarified the details about the characteristics of the CRUE, the following will outline the requirements that must be met to obtain it, the different methods of acquisition based on the requirements fulfilled, and the necessary documentation to carry out this process.
Requirements for Obtaining the Certificate of Registration of European Union Citizen (CRUE)
Primarily, as is evident, the applicant must be a citizen of a country belonging to the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland.
Regarding employment status, the individual must be employed in Spain with a job contract (working for a company) or be self-employed (a freelancer). Similarly, there is also the possibility of being a posted worker, which refers to someone temporarily sent to Spain by their company to provide services, while maintaining their employment contract in the country of origin.
The applicant must have sufficient financial resources to support themselves. The sufficiency of the financial resources will be evaluated based on the personal and family situation of the applicant and must exceed the threshold established annually in the State Budget for access to non-contributory benefits.
Additionally, the individual must have health insurance (either public or private) that guarantees health coverage in Spain, equivalent to the Spanish National Health System.
If the individual is a student, they must be enrolled in a public or recognized private educational institution for studying or vocational training, have health insurance with coverage in Spain, and provide a declaration stating that they have sufficient resources to support themselves and their family.
A citizen of the EU or the EEA can obtain the Certificate of Registration of the EU Citizen (CRUE) through a direct family member who already possesses this certificate in Spain, as long as they are joining or accompanying that family member in the country and meet certain requirements.
Depending on the case, the following individuals may be eligible for this right:
- If the EU citizen is a student: Their spouse or registered partner, and their children (either their own or their partner’s), provided they are financially dependent on them.
- In other cases: Their spouse or registered partner, children under 21 years of age (or older if they are financially dependent), and their direct ascendants (parents or parents-in-law) who live at their expense.
To prove that a family member is financially dependent, it must be demonstrated that the EU citizen is their primary financial supporter and that the dependency existed previously in the country of origin.
Required documentation for each case:
For the submission of the CRUE application at the Police Station, citizens must ensure they bring the following documents: some are general for all applicants and others depend on the specific requirements outlined in the previous section.
In general, all citizens must present:
- Completed and signed Application Form.
- Valid passport or identification document from the country of origin at the time of application. If the citizen does not have a valid identification document at the time of submission, they may provide a copy together with the renewal request.
- Payment of the fee, which must be paid before submitting the application. Payment can be made at a bank in person, or a numerical code similar to the NIE can be requested from National Police officers to pay at the ATM.
If the citizen is employed (working for someone else), in addition to the documents mentioned above, they must present:
- Employer’s certificate: A document issued by the employer.
- Employment contract: Detailing the working conditions.
- Social Security registration.
If the citizen is self-employed, they must submit:
- Registration with the Economic Activities Census, which verifies the practice of a business, professional, or artistic activity.
- Commercial Registry, if the activity requires registration.
- Social Security registration.
If the citizen is not engaged in any work activity in Spain, they must provide the following:
- Health insurance: A document proving a health insurance policy, either public or private, that has been contracted in Spain or another country, as long as it offers coverage in Spain equivalent to that of the Spanish National Health System during the time of residence.
- Proof of sufficient financial resources to support themselves and their family members during their stay in Spain.
If the citizen is a posted worker, they must present the following documents:
- Employment contract proving the posting.
- Proof of sufficient financial resources to support themselves during their stay in Spain.
- A1 certificate or “Certificate of applicable legislation.”
- Portable document S1 in Spain, which certifies the right to receive healthcare in Spain.
- Health insurance: A document proving a health insurance policy, either public or private.
If the citizen is a student in Spain, they must submit the following documentation:
- Enrolment certificate from an educational institution (public or private) that is recognized or funded by the competent educational administration in Spain.
- Proof of health insurance, which may be public or private.
- Declaration of responsibility from the applicant.
If the applicant is an EU or EEA citizen obtaining their CRUE through a direct family member who already holds this certificate in Spain, they must submit the following documents:
- Proof of the family relationship, duly legalized if necessary, demonstrating the relationship with the EU citizen. If submitting certificates of any type, they must be updated within the last three months, legalized or apostilled depending on the country of origin, and translated into Spanish by a sworn translator officially registered in Spain.
- Documentation proving economic dependency, showing that the applicant depends economically on the EU citizen, such as an income certificate or evidence of financial support.
- Proof that the EU citizen has sufficient financial means. This can be demonstrated by a bank certificate or the last three pay slips if the citizen is employed.
It is important to emphasize that the Police Officers reserve the right to request additional documentation if they deem it necessary. Therefore, while the documents listed are the general requirements, each case is unique and specific, and officers may request other additional documents such as, for example, the last three pay slips, a certificate of residence, among others.
Moreover, the appointment system for processing the application may vary depending on the police station, and in some cases, it can be quite a hassle due to the availability of appointments and the management of the process.
For all these reasons, it is always recommended to seek legal assistance and the help of professionals who can guide and facilitate the process, avoiding possible inconveniences or delays and ensuring that all requirements are met correctly.
Finally, it should be noted that these applications must be submitted by the citizen in person at the relevant police station through a prior appointment. Moreover, it’s important to highlight that the process is relatively simple, as long as the citizen has the proper legal support from professionals in the field, ensuring the CRUE is issued promptly and without complications.
