Preparing your au pair stay in Spain: an arrival checklist

Before you leave: the residence permit

At au pair in Madrid, the permit is processed at the Oficina de Extranjería, with fingerprints taken at a comisaría; book the appointment online. Initial authorisation often takes one to three months.

At au pair in Barcelona, the file goes through the Oficina on Carrer de la Diputació and the biometric appointment is booked online. Beyond 90 days, the estancia also takes several months to process.

Starting budget

In Madrid, an all-zone metro pass costs around €54.60 a month and a shared room €450 to €600. In Barcelona, the T-Usual card is €40 and a room in the Eixample or Gràcia runs €480 to €650.

Research the neighbourhood before committing: rents and atmosphere vary sharply from one area to another.

The first weeks

Sign up for a course on arrival and map the useful places: the children’s school, the market, your metro stop, the library. Those landmarks speed up settling in.

Keep a margin for administrative steps and store a digital copy of every document. A tidy file saves you extra appointments.

Documents to prepare

Gather passport, host agreement, insurance certificate and proof of funds in one folder, on paper and digitally. A complete file speeds up every appointment.

Have official documents translated if needed and check expiry dates. A passport expiring too soon blocks most administrative steps.

Note the useful numbers: consulate, foreigners office, family. If something goes wrong, those contacts save precious time.

Common mistakes

Many candidates wait until arrival to book their first appointment: waiting times grow fast. Book the cita as soon as you have an address in Spain.

Do not skip the biometric appointment and keep every receipt: they prove your status while the file is processed.

Finally, never leave without clarifying in writing what the family covers. Misunderstandings about housing or meals are more common than people think.

Getting off to a good start with the children

Prepare a small activity for the first days: a game, a recipe or a walk. Arriving with one concrete idea instantly builds a bond with the children.

Ask the family about the children’s habits: meal times, bedtime routines, favourite activities. Respecting those markers shows you are serious and eases settling in.

Write down the key instructions from day one, especially on safety and allergies. A written record prevents misunderstandings.