Opening a bank account in Spain as a non-resident

This section provides you with the information you need to open a bank account both as a resident and as a non-resident in Spain. The following is a breakdown of all the relevant documents you need to have in order to open a bank account in Spain in each case.

There are, nonetheless, some common requirements such as being of legal age, having a good credit history that proves financial solvency, not being included in any list of defaulters and having a DNI (Spanish National Identity Card) or NIE (Foreigner Identity Number).

Residents in Spain must include other requirements in addition to the above, such as a declaration of economic activity. This is a document that provides information on the economic activity performed by the resident.

You will also need to provide documentary evidence of your main source of income. You must provide proof of employment, self-employment, student status or any other employment status you may have.

When opening a bank account when you are not residing in Spain, the requirements are somewhat different. First of all, you will be asked to prove that you are a non-resident, and you will be required to submit a certificate to that effect.

In addition, you will need to provide documentation to prove your income. These documents should be requested from the bank in the country of origin, in the form of a payslip, an employment contract or an income tax return.

In order to open a bank account as a non-resident or resident in Spain, it is important to know what types of bank accounts are available and which ones you can choose from.

The most common bank accounts you can open in Spain are:

• Current account. This is the most common type of account and is offered by most banks.
• Interest-bearing account. This type of account offers a yield and interest that will make your money grow a little. Typically, no bills or payments can be paid with this account by direct debit.
• Salary account. This account is a savings account that offers lower returns and allows direct debit of bills.
• Home savings account. This is like a savings account but has the advantage of tax benefits. However, there is a requirement that the balance must be used for the purchase of a home.

Should you be unable to open a non-resident bank account for any reason, there are also firms that offer these services. If you are looking to purchase a property, our office has a specific client account that we opened specially for these cases, thus saving you the trouble of having to open a specific account.

As you can see, there are options for everyone, whether you are a resident or non-resident in Spain. Regardless, you will be able to operate and perform transactions in Spain.