What is the EU Registration Certificate?

Temática

The EU Registration Certificate is a document that recognizes the right of EU citizens to reside in another Member State or in another state that is part of the European Economic Area.

EU citizens do not have to register themselves or obtain a certificate of residence when their stay is less than three months. If their stay is longer than three months, the country in which they are residing can require registration with the corresponding administration, which is normally local government or the police.

For this you need an ID or valid passport and, depending on the case:

  • Workers displaced to another country: employment certification or hiring confirmation from the company.
  • Autonomous workers: proof of self-employed status.
  • Retirees: proof of complete health insurance coverage and proof of sufficient income to live without requiring economic assistance (their resources can come from any source).
  • Students: certificate of enrollment in a recognized center of education, proof of complete health insurance coverage or a statement of having sufficient resources to live without requiring economic assistance (their resources can come from any source).

The Registration Certificate is obtained at the same time as its processing, and you do not have to renew it. If you are required to register and do not do so, a financial penalty may be imposed, but this is not grounds for expulsion from the country.

More information about registration as a resident in each country is available here.