BARCELONA INTERNATIONAL WELCOME · A JUAN MORE CHANCE GUIDE
A new city.
The order to do it in.
What happens at the border, how to get out of the airport, and which piece of paperwork has to come before which. Then the city’s own welcome service, topic by topic.
Start with your first days ↓Your first days,
in order.
Four things decide how your first fortnight goes: what happens at passport control, how you get out of the airport, how quickly you hold a Spanish phone number, and the order you do the paperwork in. The last one is where weeks are lost.
Passport control is biometric now
There is no ink stamp in your passport any more. Since 10 April 2026 every arrival and departure by a non-EU traveller is recorded electronically instead: a camera photographs you at the desk, and your travel document, the date and the place you crossed go into one file shared by all 29 countries in the system. Barcelona–El Prat began running it on 12 October 2025 and the phase-in finished across Europe last April.
Fully operational at every external Schengen border since 10 April 2026, replacing the passport stamp. Cyprus and Ireland are the only EU countries still stamping by hand. There is nothing to apply for and nothing to pay.
Does it apply to you?
The Philippines is a visa-required country, which means your fingerprints were already taken when you applied for the visa and are held in the Visa Information System. The Entry/Exit System reuses them rather than repeating them, so at the border it records your facial image, your passport details, and the date and place you crossed. Travellers who can enter without a visa give four fingerprints as well; you will not be asked for them. Refusing the photograph means being refused entry. source
The first time you cross
One registration at the desk, and it opens a file that lasts three years.
- A photograph of your face, taken at the desk or at a self-service kiosk.
- No fingerprints, on a Schengen visa. The four taken for your visa application are reused from the Visa Information System.
- Your passport details, plus the date and the place you crossed — and the same again when you leave.
- Children under 12 are not fingerprinted at all.
- Allow more time than you used to. The check itself runs at about a minute, but first-time registrations pushed queues at several Schengen airports well past an hour through summer 2026. Barcelona was not among the airports airlines named as worst affected, which is not the same as a promise.
Every crossing after that
Nothing is collected again. The border verifies what it already holds.
- Your face is checked against the photograph on file. The officer confirms you rather than re-registering you.
- With a biometric passport you can often use a self-service kiosk instead of queuing for a desk.
- Your exit is recorded as well as your entry. That is the half the old paper stamp kept missing, and it is what the day count is built from.
- The file is erased three years and a day after your last recorded exit — or five years after your permitted stay ended, if no exit was ever recorded.
- Occasionally the border will register you again from scratch. It is rare, and it is not a sign that anything is wrong.
What it means for 90 days in 180
The rule itself has not changed. A short-stay visa lets you spend 90 days inside any rolling 180-day period across the whole Schengen area. What changed is that the counting is now done by the system, and no longer depends on an officer reading a smudged stamp.
Go over, and you are filed as an overstayer on a list that border, immigration and visa authorities can all see. What follows depends on the country: a fine, removal, or an entry ban, commonly of up to five years. You can ask to be taken off the list if something genuinely unforeseeable kept you here — a hospital admission, for instance — and you can evidence it.
The EU runs a free calculator that tells you how many days you have left. It publishes one caveat about its own answers: until 6 October 2026 the result can be wrong for anyone on a single- or double-entry visa who used an entry between 12 October 2025 and 9 April 2026, because those crossings predate the full digital record. If that is you, count by hand as well.
The official day calculatorWhat it does not change
- It is not a visa, and it is not a fee. There is nothing to apply for and nothing to pay, before you fly or after you land.
- It is not ETIAS, and no website can register you for it in advance.
- It does not shorten or lengthen your stay. Ninety days in a hundred and eighty is exactly what it was.
- It stops applying to you the day you hold a Spanish residence permit. A TIE holder flying home from Manila is not enrolled and is not counted.
Out of the airport
Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat sits about 15 km from the centre and five services run into town. They differ by more than price: two of them stop overnight, one of them will not take an ordinary travel card, and one leaves from Terminal 2 only.
All five routes, in no particular order.
- Metro L9 SudBoth terminals · change for the centre
- Time
- 32 min
- Cost
- €5.90
- Runs
- 05:00–24:00
The only rail link that reaches Terminal 1 directly, every seven minutes, and the one with the trap in the ticketing: a T-casual, T-familiar, T-grup or single ticket is refused at Aeroport T1 and Aeroport T2, so you must buy the €5.90 airport ticket. A T-usual, T-jove, T-dia or T-70/90 covers it with nothing extra to pay. Runs to 02:00 on Fridays and the eve of public holidays, and all night on Saturdays. source
- Train R2 NordTerminal 2 only · Rodalies
- Time
- 16 min to Sants
- Cost
- €1.30 on a T-casual
- Runs
- Every 30 min, 06:00–24:00
The cheapest and quickest way into the city, and the least advertised. Every integrated travel card is accepted, so a journey that costs €5.90 on the metro costs one ordinary fare here — €1.30 with a T-casual. Sants in about 16 minutes, Passeig de Gràcia 21, El Clot 25. It leaves from Terminal 2 only; the free shuttle bus from Terminal 1 runs around the clock. source
- Bus 46, and N17 or N18 overnightBoth terminals · Plaça Espanya
- Time
- Not published
- Cost
- €1.30 on a T-casual
- Runs
- 05:00–24:00, then all night
An ordinary city bus at an ordinary fare, so any integrated card works. When bus 46 stops for the night the Nitbus takes over: N17 and N18 run roughly midnight to 05:00, every 20 to 30 minutes, by way of Plaça de Catalunya. This is the only route that costs the same at four in the morning as at four in the afternoon. source
- Aerobús A1 and A2Both terminals · Plaça de Catalunya
- Time
- About 35 min
- Cost
- €7.45–€7.75
- Runs
- 24 hours
A1 serves Terminal 1 and A2 serves Terminal 2, both running to Plaça de Catalunya every five to ten minutes by day and every ten to twenty overnight. It is outside the integrated fare system: no travel card of any kind is valid and you buy an Aerobús ticket. Buy from the operator’s own site — aerobusbcn.com, the address printed in older guides, no longer belongs to the bus company and now serves an unrelated gambling site. source
- TaxiOfficial rank outside arrivals · no app needed
- Time
- Traffic-dependent
- Cost
- €21 minimum
- Runs
- 24 hours
The metropolitan taxi tariff sets a minimum of €21 for any journey starting at the airport, all supplements included, of which €4.60 is the airport supplement itself. The meter is €2.80 to start plus €1.35 a kilometre on weekdays between 08:00 and 20:00, and €1.66 a kilometre at night, at weekends and on public holidays. The official tariff lists no luggage charge. The Consulate’s kit quotes about €40 from Terminal 1 and €30 from Terminal 2; no official flat fare exists, so treat those as its 2025 estimate rather than a price. source
Going back, the train is called R2 Nord
Rodalies runs three R2 services and only one of them stops at the airport. A platform display reading plain R2, or R2 Sud, is not your train — it goes somewhere else entirely. Look for R2 Nord, and read the display rather than the line number painted on the map.
- Free wifi
- Airport Free Wifi Aena, across both terminals. Fifteen minutes are free; after that it asks for an email address before it will keep going. source
- Ride-hailing
- Bolt and Uber both operate at El Prat. The Consulate’s kit also lists Free Now; we could not confirm its airport pick-up in September 2026. None of them is needed for a taxi — the official rank outside arrivals takes no app and no booking.
- On the Aerobús price
- ATM lists the Aerobús at “from €7.45” and the operator’s own fares page read €7.75 on the day we checked. The difference is small and we have printed both rather than choosing between them.
That is arrival. Everyday travel is a different question — which card to buy, how the zones work, and why the airport can cost €1.30 rather than €5.90. Fares, zones and the whole network →
A Spanish number, on day one
Nearly every appointment system, bank login and council form in Catalonia confirms itself by sending a code to a Spanish mobile. Until you hold one, several of the steps further down cannot be finished at all.
If you are using an eSIM, install it before you fly
An eSIM profile has to be downloaded over the internet, and the moment you need it is the moment you have none. Install and activate the profile while you are still on wifi at home. This is the one step on the whole page that cannot be done after you land.
- Your passport, and the original
Spanish law requires the operator to record who buys a prepaid SIM, so the shop will take your identity document and register the line to you. A Philippine national ID will not do it. Bring the passport itself, not a photocopy. source
- The handset has to be unlocked
A phone still locked to a Philippine network will reject a Spanish SIM, and the shop cannot fix that for you. Ask your operator at home to unlock it before you fly; once the handset is paid off this is usually free.
- Ask for prepago — prepaid — not contrato
Those are the two words on every shop sign. A contrato — a contract line — is collected by direct debit from a Spanish bank account, which is step seven on the list below and weeks away. Prepago needs nothing but cash and your passport, and you can switch to a contract later while keeping the number.
Where to buy one
Operator shops in most shopping centres and on the main streets, independent phone shops, some supermarkets and news stands, and the arrivals halls at both terminals. There is no need to buy at the airport; every provider has shops across the city, and you will have longer to read the plan.
Who sells them
Listed alphabetically, and not compared. We do not rank providers and the Consulate’s own kit carries the same caution: appearing on a list is not a recommendation.
- Lebara
- Movistar
- Orange
- Pepephone
- Vodafone
- Yoigo
€10 for 28 days: 60 GB of data, 13 GB of roaming, unlimited calls inside Spain and 500 minutes to 65 countries.
Worth installing on the same evening
- TMBMetro and bus times, and the official ticket app.
- CitymapperDoor-to-door routes across every operator at once.
- Google MapsDownload the Barcelona area offline before you fly.
- Google TranslateInstall the Spanish and Catalan packs for offline use.
- iTranslateA second option if you prefer speaking to typing.
The order to do things in
This is the running order the Philippine Consulate’s own orientation kit uses, with the dependencies drawn in. Done in the wrong order, the same eight steps take months instead of weeks — mostly because four of them are waiting on one free registration that people put off.
Start these on day one
None of the three waits on a document you do not already have.
Get a Spanish number
Every booking system in Catalonia sends a code to a Spanish mobile. Until you have one you cannot finish an appointment, confirm a bank login, or set up the digital ID that most online forms now require.
- You need first
- Your passport and an unlocked phone. Nothing else.
- This opens
- Appointment systems, bank verification codes, idCAT Mòbil, an employer who can reach you.
Go to the Philippine Consulate
It waits on nothing, so do it in your first week rather than the week you urgently need something. Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 601, Monday to Friday. One visit can cover several services.
- You need first
- Your Philippine passport. No appointment is needed.
- This opens
- Passport renewal, notarised documents, help if something goes badly wrong, and the community register.
Find somewhere to live
This is the step that actually sets your timeline, because the padrón needs a document with your address on it — a signed lease, or written permission from the person whose name is on one. Everything below waits on this.
- You need first
- A deposit, usually one or two months, plus whatever documents the landlord asks for.
- This opens
- The address document that step four is impossible without.
Then the one everything else waits on
Four of the steps below cannot start until this is done.
Register on the padrónempadronamiento — the municipal register of who lives here
Free, and you do not need a residence permit — Barcelona City Council says so in as many words. It is the hinge of the whole list: almost nothing below moves until it is done, and the sooner it is done the sooner the clock starts.
- You need first
- Proof of your address, and a passport for everyone being registered.
- This opens
- The health card, school places, income-scaled nursery fees, most council help, and the residence clock that arraigo counts.
Then these, in whatever order suits you
All four accept a padrón certificate as proof of where you live.
Register with the Consulate (FCRC)Filipino Community Registration Card
Free to register and free to issue. The Consulate asks every Filipino in its jurisdiction to do it — explicitly including people whose papers are not in order. Apply online first, then attend in person for the biometrics.
- You need first
- Your Philippine passport, plus a padrón certificate, a student card or unemployment paperwork.
- This opens
- Being findable by the Consulate in an emergency or a disaster.
Apply for your NIENúmero de Identidad de Extranjero — a number, not a permit
The NIE identifies you to Spanish administration. It does not by itself give you the right to live or work here — that is the TIE, and it comes after a permit is granted. Book through the government’s own appointment portal, the cita previa; never pay a third-party site for an appointment, because booking one is free.
- You need first
- Form EX-15, your passport and a copy, the fee paid on form 790 code 012, and a reason you need it.
- This opens
- Employment, contracts, tax filings, and a bank account at most banks.
Open a bank account
Spanish anti-money-laundering law names the passport as acceptable identification for a foreign customer; everything a bank asks for beyond that is its own policy, not the law. Expect to be asked for a TIE, an address document and proof of where your money comes from. If you are turned down, there is a regulated basic account you may have a right to — the banking guide further down this page is about exactly that.
- You need first
- A passport is legally enough. In practice most banks also ask for a TIE and an address document.
- This opens
- Getting paid, paying rent and bills by direct debit, and Bizum.
Get your health card (TSI)Targeta Sanitària Individual — CatSalut
What the card buys you is a named GP at the health centre for your address, referral to specialists, hospital care and subsidised prescriptions. What it turns on is proof that you live in Catalonia. The old rule — three months on the padrón, with a certificate issued in the last three months — was replaced by Real Decreto 180/2026 in March, which added eight other ways of proving it. Guides written before then, the Consulate’s kit among them, still print the old requirement.
- You need first
- Proof that you live in Catalonia. A padrón certificate is the usual one, and since March 2026 it is not the only one.
- This opens
- A GP at your local CAP, specialists, hospital care and subsidised prescriptions.
Sources for this section Checked 9 September 2026
The sequence comes from the In-Country Orientation and Navigation Kit, 2nd edition, October 2025, published by the Philippine Consulate General in Barcelona. Every fare, fee and rule below was re-checked against the body that sets it, because the kit is eleven months old and both the EU border rules and Barcelona’s fares moved in between. Where the two disagree we say so and give the date the rule changed. Juan More Chance is independent of the Consulate and of every organisation named here.
Find your next step.
12 topics · Open a topic for practical next steps
First stepsMake your arrival plan
Start with a small list of what your household needs: a place to stay, the right documents, healthcare and everyday travel. The city’s Welcome Pack gathers practical guides, including school choices and ways to feel at home.
Your next steps
- If you have just landed, start with the first-days section above: the border, the airport, a phone number, and the order the paperwork has to be done in.
- Then pick the topics here that apply to your household. These twelve have no single sequence; the eight paperwork steps above do.
First stepsRegister where you live
The padró records people who normally live in the municipality. Barcelona’s guide explains registration and the certificates used to show your address or who lives with you.
Your next steps
- Choose the registration procedure for your municipality and housing situation.
- Check whether the next service needs a residence certificate or a household certificate before requesting one.
First stepsFind your document route
The non-EU guide separates routes for work, research, study and family situations. Much of this portal focuses on international talent; other immigration routes also exist. Filipino nationality alone does not determine which procedure fits your circumstances.
Your next steps
- Read the category matching your own residence, work or family situation.
- For advice outside these routes, use the SAIER information in our FAQ or the responsible authority.
First stepsDo paperwork online
Digital certificates can identify you and let you sign compatible online procedures. The city explains the FNMT and idCAT certificate options; the procedure you want to complete determines which identification methods are accepted.
Your next steps
- Check the accepted sign-in methods before applying for a certificate.
- Use your own device and keep certificate files and passwords private.
Home & familyFind a place to call home
The housing guide covers neighbourhoods, renting, buying, setting up utilities and municipal housing support. Use it to understand the process and which city service can help with your next question.
Your next steps
- Compare the location, total monthly costs and written rental conditions.
- Follow the rental or housing-support section for the questions relevant to you.
Home & familySet up your healthcare
The city separates recognition of public-healthcare entitlement from applying for the individual health card, the TSI. Which step comes first depends on your circumstances; the linked procedures explain the documents and application routes.
Your next steps
- Check whether your entitlement is already recognised before choosing an application.
- Use CatSalut or your local CAP for guidance on your own situation.
Home & familyFind the right school process
Publicly funded schools normally have pre-registration followed by enrolment. Families arriving after that period have a separate newly arrived student procedure. Non-subsidised private schools manage their own admissions.
Your next steps
- Choose the process for your child’s education stage and arrival date.
- If ordinary enrolment has ended, follow the newly arrived student route rather than waiting for next year.
Home & familyBuild your family’s routine
The family guide brings together support for pregnancy and parenting, family activities and outdoor places to explore. It is a useful companion to the separate school and healthcare procedures.
Your next steps
- Explore parenting resources and local support networks that match your family’s needs.
- Check each activity’s age range, booking information and current availability.
Work & learningPlan your next work step
The work guide connects job-search resources, employment information, technology training, professional networks and business-starting support. It helps you find the right service whether you are searching for a role or exploring a business idea.
Your next steps
- Choose job-search help, training or business support according to your goal.
- Check the eligibility and language requirements of each opportunity.
Work & learningLearn Catalan and Spanish
Both languages are part of daily life in Barcelona. The city lists Catalan classes, official language schools, university courses and opportunities to practise with language partners or community groups.
Your next steps
- Choose a course that suits your current level and schedule; check fees and enrolment dates.
- Pair lessons with conversation practice through a local group or language-partner programme.
Everyday lifeFind your everyday route
The transport guide covers public transport, travel zones and passes, Bicing, cycling and driving. Start with the journeys you actually make, then compare the relevant travel options.
Your next steps
- Check the zones and conditions of a pass before purchasing it.
- Use current operator information for fares, route changes and accessibility.
Everyday lifeMeet the city, and its people
International Welcome runs information sessions, networking and other activities for the international community. Its calendar lists dates, locations and languages; participation is free, with limited places and registration where required.
Your next steps
- Choose an upcoming activity and check its language and registration details.
- For familiar food and community plans, explore Juan More Chance’s businesses and events too.
MONEY, WITHOUT THE MYSTERY
Set up your
bank account.
A practical route for new arrivals. Your residence status, documents and the account you choose determine the exact process.
01 · START HERE
Which route sounds like you?
Filipino citizenship means you are a non-EU national, but your current residence status decides which route to ask about.
Bring your valid passport and TIE if it has been issued. The bank may also request your address, economic activity, tax residence and evidence for the origin of money entering the account. A NIE is a number; do not assume the number alone replaces the identity or residence document a particular bank requests. source
Say at the branch “Quiero abrir una cuenta como residente. ¿Qué documentos exactos necesito?”
02 · PACK ONCE
Your appointment checklist.
Requirements vary. Tick these off as you prepare; your choices stay only on this page and are not submitted.
0/6 ready
KNOW THIS RIGHT
A bank account can be basic
and still do the essentials.
A basic payment account covers ordinary services such as deposits, cash withdrawals, payments, direct debits, transfers and a payment card. It does not guarantee an overdraft or credit. Legally resident EU consumers have this right regardless of nationality, subject to the permitted refusal grounds. source
Money in covered current and savings accounts is generally protected up to €100,000 per account holder, per institution. If several brands share one banking licence, the limit applies to the combined deposits at that institution. Confirm the institution and guarantee scheme before opening. source
Check Spain’s FGD member list ↗03 · COMPARE THE REAL COST
Seven questions beat a “free” headline.
Ask each provider for its standard Documento Informativo de Comisiones before signing. Banks use the same format and terminology, which makes the recurring costs easier to compare. source
Monthly maintenance or administration fee; salary, balance or direct-debit conditions; what happens when a condition stops.
Debit-card issue and renewal fees; replacement cost; mobile wallet support; whether a physical card needs a Spanish address.
Nearest accessible branch and cash machine; free ATM network; charges at other banks’ machines; cash-deposit options.
SEPA transfers, standing orders, direct debits and instant-transfer costs; Bizum availability and eligibility.
The full PHP amount received, exchange-rate margin, transfer fee, correspondent-bank deductions and delivery time—not only the advertised fee.
Languages, branch appointments, telephone support, accessible app and statements, screen-reader support, and how to recover access without the old phone number.
Which licensed entity holds the money and which deposit-guarantee scheme applies. A brand and its underlying bank can be different.
04 · KEEP CONTROL
Before money moves.
Security habits
- Start from the bank’s own app or type its official address yourself.
- Never give a caller, SMS or email your password, full security keys, PIN or one-time code. A bank does not need your code to “cancel” a suspicious transfer.
- If a message creates urgency, stop. Call the number printed on your card or found independently on the bank’s official site.
- Update your phone number with the bank before losing access to the old SIM.
If the application stalls
- Ask which document is missing and whether a branch review is available.
- If you qualify, repeat that you are requesting a cuenta de pago básica, not a standard commercial account.
- Keep the application, documents requested and any written refusal.
If something goes wrong
- Contact the bank immediately for suspected fraud or lost access.
- Submit a written complaint to the bank’s Customer Service Department and keep proof it was received.
- If the reply is unsatisfactory or the applicable response period passes, follow Banco de España’s complaint route.
Accessibility and language
Before opening, test the part you will rely on: branch access, ATM height and audio, screen-reader labels, large text, telephone authentication, and support in a language you understand. Ask how identity recovery works if video identification or the app is not accessible. Product pages do not always answer these questions, so confirm them with the provider and keep the response.
Still deciding what applies to you?
Tell Juan whether you already have a TIE, where you are tax resident, and whether you need a branch or online account. Leave passport numbers, bank details and documents out of the chat.
Banking sources & editorial notes Checked 9 September 2026
This is general orientation, not financial or legal advice. Requirements can differ by bank, product, residence status and risk checks. Commercial bank pages below are examples of how processes differ; their inclusion is not a recommendation.
WHEN A CONVERSATION WOULD HELP
Meet the
Welcome Desk.
The municipal team offers free, confidential support in English, Catalan and Spanish, in person or by video appointment.
Check whether the service fits your situation
The service focuses on international talent, including entrepreneurs, researchers, highly qualified professionals, university students and accompanying family members. The request form asks about your circumstances and what you need.
Send your appointment request through the official form. The team contacts you to confirm the appointment; submitting the form does not itself book a time.
Request an appointment ↗For other immigration questions, see our guide to SAIER →
Sources & checks
These are short, original summaries of Barcelona International Welcome, published by Barcelona City Council. Each topic links to its specific source. Juan More Chance is independent of the council and does not process official applications.
Official Live and settle portal ↗ · Welcome Desk service and appointment process ↗
Checked 9 September 2026. Appointment requests and personal documents belong in the official service’s form.