Bank statements and certificates

Overview

Various procedures — a visa renewal, a rental application, a mortgage — often ask for an official bank statement or certificate, not just a screenshot from your app. Knowing how to request the right document saves back-and-forth.

Requirements

• An active or recently closed Spanish bank account

Step-by-step process

• Identify exactly what's being requested: a simple statement (extracto, showing transaction history) or a formal certificate (certificado bancario, an officially signed document confirming specific facts, like your balance or how long the account has been open)
• Request it through your bank's app or online banking for a standard statement, which is usually instant
• For a formal certificate, request it through your branch or online banking's specific certificate request feature, since these often require bank sign-off rather than being auto-generated
• Confirm the certificate covers exactly what the requesting institution asked for (balance, account age, average balance, etc.)

Required documents

• ID
• Clear description of what the requesting institution needs, to make sure you request the right document

Common mistakes

• Requesting a standard statement when the institution specifically needs a signed certificate, or vice versa
• Not checking how recent the document needs to be — some institutions only accept documents issued within a specific recent window

Practical tips

• If you're not sure which document you need, ask the requesting institution directly rather than guessing — it saves a second trip to the bank
• Some certificates can take longer if they require specific wording (for example, confirming a particular balance held over time) — request these well ahead of any deadline

How Tuchati can help

If you're not sure what document a specific institution needs from your bank, Tuchati can help you clarify it before you request the wrong one.