If you have decided that you want to change the bank account your salary is paid into, called ‘la nómina, in Spain, there are several factors you need to be aware of and various steps you need to take.
There may be several reasons you want to open a new bank account in Spain. Maybe you aren’t happy with the service at your current one, perhaps you have seen better conditions elsewhere or there’s a different one that’s more compatible with your needs and lifestyle.
In order to access these better conditions, like a higher APR rate, many banks here will ask you to move your nómina over. These means they want you to get your salary to get paid into the new account.
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If you’re self-employed, this will be a bit different as obviously you don’t get paid a salary from one employer, but instead multiple payments from several clients. In this case, you will have to check with the new back if they will accept this being your main business account instead of traditional nómina account or if they have a separate type of account for autónomos.
Fortunately, changing bank accounts and opening another one in Spain is a fairly simple process.
Firstly, you’ll need to check the conditions at your current bank where your salary is paid into. Make sure there’s no minimum contract period or that you have to have your salary paid in there in order to access certain conditions that you still use. If the contract period has finished or there isn’t one and there are no other conditions attached to it, then it’s fine to start making the change without worrying about getting penalised for it.
The next step is to open a new account at your new bank. With some banks you can do this online, but with others you’ll have to go into a branch. This typically involves getting your ID verified like a TIE or passport, showing proof of address and signing the paperwork.
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You’ll then need to contact the account department at your work at let them know about the change of account details and that you’d like your salary to be paid in there from now on. If it’s a very small business and there’s no accounts department, simply let your employer know.
If you are freelance and get different paid by different clients, you will have to let them all know about your change in bank details. Remember, if you have a regular client, don’t just change the bank details on your invoice, let them know by e-mail that you’ve changed them as it’s likely they have your details saved on their system and might automatically continue paying into the same account.
The next part is the most complicated as it involves contacting lots of different companies. It’s likely that if you’ve changed the account you get your salary paid into, you’ll want to move some of your other direct debits to this account too, like your rent, your mortgage repayments, bills and taxes. In this case, you will have to contact each company or body individually to give them your new bank details. This could be done through online forms or via the phone.
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The final step is to close your old bank account – if you want to.
You could still keep it open for certain payments if the conditions allow for that, even though you’re no longer getting your salary paid in there.
Make sure though that you won’t get penalised for doing this. Speak to someone at your bank first or read through the conditions of your contract carefully. It may be that you get charged ‘hidden’ fees for not having your nómina paid into that account anymore.
If you choose to close your account, instead of keeping it open, read our article on how to close your bank account in Spain to avoid hidden fees to make the process easier.
