Arrival checklist: your first days in Spain

Overview

This checklist covers the practical tasks to prioritise in your very first days in Spain, once you've landed — the immediate essentials before the broader first-month admin begins.

Requirements

• Relevant to anyone who has just arrived in Spain

Step-by-step process

• Get a Spanish SIM card (prepaid is the fastest option if you don't yet have an NIE or bank account) so you're reachable and can access maps and services
• Confirm your accommodation for at least the first couple of weeks, whether temporary or your final rental
• Locate your nearest town hall (ayuntamiento) and check its empadronamiento appointment system — this is usually your very first formal administrative task
• Identify your nearest pharmacy, supermarket and, if relevant, your children's prospective schools
• Start collecting a list of any appointment bookings you'll need in the coming weeks (empadronamiento, NIE/TIE, bank account) and book the earliest available slots

Required documents

• Passport
• Visa/residency approval, if applicable
• Proof of accommodation (rental contract or host confirmation)

Common mistakes

• Waiting to get a local SIM card, making it harder to book appointments or navigate in the meantime
• Not checking empadronamiento appointment availability immediately, when it's often the first bottleneck in the whole process

Practical tips

• A prepaid SIM bought on day one is often the simplest way to get connected before you have the paperwork for a full contract
• Photograph or scan any documents you receive in these first days immediately, rather than risking losing a paper original before you've backed it up

How Tuchati can help

Tuchati can help you prioritise these first days correctly and start booking the right appointments for your situation straight away.