Barcelona padrón certificate online: volante and certificado (2026)

Padrón registration documents in Barcelona

The padrón (Padrón municipal de habitantes) is the municipal register that proves where you live. In Barcelona it is managed by the Ajuntament de Barcelona, and you need to prove it constantly: to enrol children in school, get a health card, apply for the NIE, request benefits or start a citizenship file.

There are two documents people routinely confuse, and it pays to know the difference before you start.

Volante or certificado: which one you need

• Volante (residence document): an informative document confirming you are registered. Issued instantly and accepted for most day-to-day procedures.
• Certificado (official certificate): the legally binding version. Requested when an authority explicitly asks for it, such as a citizenship file or court proceedings.

Rule of thumb: unless you are asked for a "certificado" in writing, the volante is usually enough.

How to request it online, step by step

You do not need to visit an office or book an in-person appointment. It is done from the electronic office of the Ajuntament de Barcelona.

Step by step

1. Open the Virtual Office procedure: the residence/cohabitation document or the padrón certificate, depending on what you need.
2. Click Start the procedure ("Iniciar el trámite").
3. Choose the type: your own ("My residence or cohabitation document") or one for another person registered with you.
4. Confirm and let the site redirect you to the VÀLid identification gateway run by the Consorci AOC.
5. Identify yourself with idCAT Mòbil, Cl@ve or a digital certificate (idCAT, DNIe).
6. Download the official PDF or receive it in your citizen folder.

Which digital ID to use

Barcelona, like the rest of Catalan administrations, routes identification through the VÀLid gateway. You have three options:

• idCAT Mòbil: the fastest if you have no certificate. You register with your ID number and mobile phone and confirm with a code.
• Cl@ve: the national identification system, valid across Spain.
• Digital certificate (idCAT or DNIe): if you already have one installed.

How GovEasy helps

Identifying yourself, finding the right procedure among dozens and downloading the correct version takes time. GovEasy's Hazlo por ti (Do it for you) service is built for exactly this: we ask only for what is essential, handle the padrón request for you and deliver the document to your account, ready to submit. You only approve the identification; we never sign or file anything on your behalf without your go-ahead.

Before you start, check

• Which document you are actually asked for: volante or certificado.
• Whether the certificado must be addressed to a specific authority (common for citizenship).
• That your phone is working if you use idCAT Mòbil to receive the code.