Week 1
Padrón: register your address with the City Council
The Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council has an e-office procedure for registering on the padrón (the municipal register), with separate forms depending on your housing: owned home, rented home, rented room, sublet, free-of-charge contract, or authorisation/invitation by someone who lives there. They are open all year. Adults need their original, valid identification (ID card, passport, EU ID or residence permit). If the Council does not notify a decision within three months of your application, you are registered anyway (positive silence).
Alta en el padrón municipal (Sede Electrónica) · Registration in an owned home: documents (Sede Electrónica)
Week 1
Visit the Oficina de Acogida for new residents
The Oficina de Acogida is a free municipal information and welcome service for people who have just arrived in the city. It gives personalised guidance, up-to-date information on community resources, public services and administrative procedures, and runs meetings and workshops such as learning the official languages. It is mainly in person with no appointment, at Calle Las Escuelas 11 (Monday to Friday 9:00-14:00, Tuesday and Thursday also 16:00-18:00; phone 945 151 814). Its welcome guides exist in Basque, Spanish, Arabic, English, French and Urdu.
Oficina de Acogida (Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council)
Week 1
Get around: Tuvisa buses and the tram
Buses and the tram can be paid in cash, with a bank card (Visa or Mastercard), with your phone (NFC) or with a transport card (BAT, Barik or Mugi). A single daytime bus ticket costs €1.40; with a BAT, Barik or Mugi card it is €0.36. The 30-day pass (Bono 30D) costs €18, and €12.75 for under-26s (Gaztea). Paying with a general BAT card, you have 50 minutes to transfer between buses, or between bus and tram, at a reduced cost. Most buses run every 10 minutes on weekdays, and the Gautxori night buses have 5 lines. The prices page was last updated on 29 December 2025.
Fares, transfers and payment (City Council) · Bus network FAQ (Tuvisa) · Tram fares (Euskotren)
Weeks 1–2
NIE, EU certificate or residence card
Foreigner procedures are handled by Spain's National Police, whose e-office lists each one with its form: EX15 to be assigned an NIE, EX18 for the EU registration certificate (citizens of EU and EEA states) and EX17 for the foreigner identity card. Pick the exact procedure there and download its form before you apply.
National Police, foreigner procedures
Weeks 2–3
Health card (TIS)
The Tarjeta Individual Sanitaria (TIS) is requested at the health centre nearest your home: fill in the application form there and bring the documents they ask for, which include a copy of your ID and, in many cases, your padrón certificate. Since 19 June 2024 the digital TIS is available in all pharmacies in the Basque Country. To book an Osakidetza appointment online you need your TIS number, surname and date of birth.
Individual health card, Basque Government · Osakidetza appointments
Weeks 2–3
Open a basic payment account
Banks in Spain must offer a basic payment account, and they cannot make it conditional on buying other services. They must also tell you about it and explain its features.
Basic payment account (Banco de España)
Weeks 3–4
Housing: Etxebide and Gaztelagun
To apply for public housing, register with Etxebide, the Basque register of housing applicants: you must renew the application every 2 years, and you can file it fully online with an electronic certificate (B@kQ, DNIe or ONA card) or on paper. If you are 18 to 35 and rent, check Gaztelagun, the Basque rent aid: the initial monthly rent must not exceed €900 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, and you need 6 months of uninterrupted residence in the Basque Country.
Etxebide, how to register · Gaztelagun requirements (Alokabide)
Month 1
Start Basque (euskera) classes
The City Council's Euskera service highlights municipal Basque courses. HABE, the institute for adult Basque teaching and literacy, publishes a directory of euskaltegis (adult Basque schools) that you can filter by municipality, including Gasteiz, and an online learning environment called INGURA.
Euskera (City Council) · Euskaltegis in Gasteiz (HABE, ikasbil.eus) · HABE
Weeks 3–4
Your first plans to meet people
The civic centres network offers an activity search and enrolment information; the Salburua civic centre, for example, has a library and study room, a community meeting room and sports facilities. You can also join the meetings and workshops of the Oficina de Acogida, or go to one of the events below: they are picked because it is easy to go alone and talk to people.
Civic centres (City Council) · Salburua civic centre
Rules change: always confirm on the official page before you go.
Public services and civic centres in Vitoria-Gasteiz, each with its official page. Hours change: check the page before you go.
