Applies to: National rule for the people covered by the immigration regulation; not a universal requirement for every traveller.
Before you start
- Valid passport or travel document.
- Evidence of your arrival in Spain, such as boarding passes or tickets.
- The police office’s declaration form and any supporting documents it requests.
The steps
Check whether you are covered
Article 13 addresses covered foreign nationals arriving from a state with abolished border controls. EU/EEA/Swiss and other special regimes need their own assessment.
Act promptly
The current regulation says that, if not made at entry, the declaration must be made within three days at a National Police station. Do not substitute an old guide’s different wording.
Contact the station
Explain your arrival route and ask how it handles declaración de entrada. Use the actual Spanish arrival date, not the date of your earlier flight into Schengen.
Present and keep the proof
Bring your identity and journey evidence and retain the police acknowledgement. Keep it with the visa and other immigration records.
Address a missed deadline honestly
Ask the responsible office or an immigration lawyer how to proceed. Never alter travel records or invent an arrival date.
Important details
Purpose
This records entry; it does not extend the Schengen allowance, regularise an overstay or grant residence.
Practical point
Save tickets as soon as you travel. A hotel booking by itself is not reliable proof of the exact day you entered Spain.
See the bigger picture
Pair these practical steps with the Spain-wide essentials.
Sources & next steps
Reviewed 30 September 2026. This independent guide provides general information. Requirements, fees and office arrangements can change; the responsible authority’s current instructions control your application. Commercial service links explain products, not official rules.