Documenting American Citizens

Head Position & Placement

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

U.S. citizens who are remaining in Spain for an extended period are encouraged to register with the Embassy. The enrollment provides a local contact address, and is an opportunity for the Embassy to add you to the emergency notification system, or “warden” system. Registration is free.

Those living in Spain may have occasional need for an “inscription letter.” To obtain the notarial service, you must make an appointment and bring your passport. There is a fee for this service.

Passports

The Department of State issues state-of-the-art passports incorporating a photo-digitized image and other enhanced security features to all American citizens, whether they apply in the US or overseas. The Department of State achieves this goal by issuing all full-validity passports at a domestic U.S. passport facility. The processing time to receive a full validity passport from the US issuing facility is approximately two to three weeks. American citizens are encouraged to apply early when renewing expiring passports. In most cases, a full validity passport will be issued for the following lengths of time: Minor under 16 years of age – 5 Year Passports and 16 years of age and older – 10 year Passports.  

1. Adult Passport Renewals

Make an appointment. The application may be submitted by the applicant or a third party, as long as the application form has been filled out beforehand and the applicant has personally signed it. The Consular Section in Madrid has a special photo booth inside its premises that takes the picture as specified above.

You may use passport renewal form DS-82, if your previous passport:

• Is a 10-year validity passport (issued after the age of 16).

• Was issued in the last 15 years.

• Was issued in the same name you currently use, or if your name was changed recently, you can present the proper documentation as proof of the name change (Certified True Copies of marriage documents or court order).

• Is not damaged.

• Is submitted with your application.

If you can answer “yes” to all the previous statements then you can use form DS-82.

To process the above renewal, you will need to present:  

1. Passport application form DS-82 – Please be sure to complete all fields and include your contact telephone number, Social Security number.  The application form must be signed by the applicant.

2. One 2”x2” (5x5cm) color photograph, full face looking forward, (no plastic photos accepted), taken within the last 6 months with a light, plain background, size as shown above.  Applicants may not wear sunglasses, hats, hair bands or anything on their heads.

3. Your most recent passport. Upon issuance of your new passport, we will cancel your old passport in accordance with State Department regulations and return it to you.

4. Payment of fee: You can pay with credit card or cash in Euros or U.S. dollars at the Consular Section of the Embassy in Madrid, Consulate General in Barcelona or at one of the six U.S. Consular Agencies. Please see paragraph 7 for the current fee.

If you have any questions, please call the Passport Unit of the Embassy (91-587-2240) or the U.S. Consular Agency nearest to your place residence.

2. Passports for children

As of February 1, 2008 all passport applications for children under 16 years of age must comply with the following requirements:  

• Make an appointment

• Both parents must execute and sign the passport application, form DS-11, in person before the authorized consular personnel, either at the Embassy, Consulate General, or at a Consular Agency.

• The child must also be present at the time of the passport application.

• The child’s original birth certificate, showing the parents’ names, must be presented each time. Both parents will have to present valid photo identification documents (passport or Spanish DNI or resident card). Please bring one photocopy of each document you submit (parent’s ids, child’s birth certificate, and/or custody document). The fee for each photocopy made in the Consular Section is $1 or the Euro equivalent.

• One 2” x 2” (5x5cm) color photographs, full face looking forward, (no plastic photos accepted), taken within the last 6 months with a light, plain background, size as shown below.  Applicants may not wear sunglasses, hats, hair bands or anything on their heads.
   
  If only one parent executes the application, that parent must provide documentary evidence that he/she:  

  • Has Sole Custody (Custodia y Patria Potestad) of the child, or is the child’s legal guardian; or

  • Has the notarized written consent, Form DS-3053, of the other parent to the issuance of the passport; the written consent must be in English and must indicate the parent’s unequivocal consent to passport issuance. It can be executed before a U.S. or foreign notary. A copy of the absent parent’s photo identification must also be submitted. The Embassy will accept this only when one of the parents is outside of Spain or is physically incapable of coming personally; or

  • Is “in loco parentis” and has the notarized written consent of both parents, of a parent with sole custody over the child, or of the child’s legal guardian, to the issuance of the passport. Again the photo identification of a parent authorizing someone to apply “in loco parentis” must be submitted.

  • Please bring one photocopy of each document you submit. The fee for each photocopy made in the Consular Section is $1 or the Euro equivalent.

3. Lost or Stolen Passports

Those wishing to replace lost, stolen, or damaged passports must make an appointment. You will need to present both photo identification and proof of U.S. citizenship. You will need to fill out form DS-11 Application for a U.S. Passport, and DS-64 Statement Regarding Lost or Stolen Passport. If you have reported the theft to the local police, please bring the police report (denuncia) when you come to apply for the replacement passport. You will also need one 2”x2” (5x5cm) color photograph, full face looking forward, (no plastic photos accepted), taken within the last 6 months with a light, plain background, size as shown below. Applicants may not wear sunglasses, hats, hair bands or anything on their heads.  

4. Emergency Passports

The U.S. Embassy in Madrid and the U.S. Consulate General in Barcelona can issue temporary passports in emergency cases. These passports are limited in validity and cannot be extended. You will need to exchange the limited-validity passport for a full-validity photo-digitized passport upon completion of your emergency travel, through passport facilities in the U.S. or U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad.

The hours for Consulate General in Barcelona is 9:00AM – 1:00PM.

The American Citizen Services Unit can normally issue emergency passports the same day. You are required to make an appointment; however, if you consider your case an emergency, you may come to the embassy from 08:00 to 13:00 without an appointment. An emergency being the loss/theft of an American passport, where travel must take place same day or next several days.

Unfortunately, emergency passports cannot be issued after-hours, on weekends or holidays.

The Consular Agencies in Spain are not authorized to issue Emergency Passports, so additional time will be needed for processing a passport application if you apply at one of the six Consular Agencies in Spain outside of Madrid or Barcelona.  

5. Extra Pages

If your passport is running out of blank pages and has become full of stamps, but your passport is still valid and in good condition, additional pages may be added to your passport. You need to make an appointment. Only one set of extra pages (24 pages are in each set) can be added to your passport at a time, but if needed, and if your passport remains in good condition, you may have up to three sets of extra pages inserted into your passport before it expires. Once this limit is reached, you will need to apply for a new passport. Please note that extra pages cannot be added to an emergency passport.

Note: If applying for extra visa pages for a child under the age of 16, please contact our office at 91 587 2240.

Application Requirements

You must make an appointment and submit:

• Your valid ten- or five-year passport;

• Passport form DS-4085: Application for Additional Visa Pages.

• Fees: please see below.  

6. First Time Applicants

First time applicants (adults) must appear in person and present both photo identification and proof of U.S. citizenship. You will need to fill out the Form DS-11 “Application for a U.S. Passport”.  Additional evidence may be required depending on the circumstances of the original case. If the applicant was born in the U.S., he/she must present the passport used to depart the U.S. and to enter Spain, if not the same. An appointment  is required for this service.  

7. Passport Fees

Note: This is a fixed exchange rate.

Accepted payment methods are: Cash - either dollars or Euros; or Credit card - Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or Diners Club. Please note you can only pay with a credit card if you are applying in Madrid or Barcelona. Consular agencies only accept payment in cash.