In addition to cash and credit cards, there are some documents that are not usually missing in the Spanish wallet. Today you will discover what they are and the equivalents in your country of origin in case you decide to spend a season in Spain. All of them will facilitate your trip and your day to day in the country.

1. The National Identity Document

The National Identity Document (or DNI) is the official document that proves the identity and Spanish nationality of its holder. In Spain it is mandatory for people over 14 years of age. It has the same dimensions as a credit card and contains a chip with digital information about the citizen.

In addition to being obliged to show it at the request of the Police or the Civil Guard, it is essential to carry out many administrative procedures.

Although identity documents are very common throughout the world, there are countries where this type of personal card does not exist, such as the United Kingdom, Denmark, Canada, the United States or Japan. If this is your case, in Spain you must identify yourself with your passport.

Anyway, remember that if your stay is going to last less than three months, you will only need your valid passport. If you are a native of a nation included in the list of countries subject to visa requirements –and do not have a valid residence permit–, you must apply for it before entering Spain.

If you want to live and work in Spain, you will also need the NIE (Foreigner Identity Number). It is a unique and personal identification code that will allow you to carry out any economic activity in the country, such as buying a house or opening a Spanish bank account.

2. Driving license

This is another of the usual documents that Spaniards carry with them. Unlike the identity card, this is implemented in all countries, so it can be validated on many occasions.

The requirements to drive in Spain as a foreigner vary depending on the country of origin and depending on whether you have residence or not. Thus, driving licenses issued in any state of the EU (such as Germany, France or the United Kingdom) or the European Economic Area (here Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are included) are valid as long as they are valid and that the required age to drive a vehicle of an equivalent category is the same as in Spain. In fact, since 2013 all permits issued in the European Union have the same format (European permit), which greatly simplifies things.

In addition, national permits from other countries issued in accordance with certain annexes of the Geneva Convention or the Vienna Convention, those recognized in particular international conventions of which Spain is a party, or those that are written in Spanish or go accompanied by an official translation.

Six months after acquiring residence in Spain, it is mandatory for citizens from outside the European Economic Area to exchange their original driving license for a Spanish one. Depending on the country of origin, validation requires more or less formalities and tests.
We will cover this topic in more detail in a future article.

3. The Social Security card

This is a card issued by the National Health System that guarantees health care at all times in Spanish public health centers and hospitals.

If you are a citizen of any country of the European Union or of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, before coming to Spain you can request the European Health Card (TSE) in your city of origin. This document gives you the right to receive treatment in all the medical centers mentioned above under the same conditions as a Spaniard.

Its validity period is two years and covers urgent medical assistance due to illness, accident or aggravation of chronic diseases.

In any case, for your stay in Spain, it is worth taking your private insurance from a professional company or from the travel agency itself, since there are medical or related actions that are not covered by the TSE, such as assistance in private centers, certain specific treatments or repatriation costs.