Barcelona City Council processed a record 4.13 million citizen procedures in 2025, the first time the annual total has exceeded four million. For residents needing to register an address, report a move or obtain proof of residence, municipal register procedures made up more than one in four requests, with 1.71 million handled during the year.

Jordi Valls, the city council's fourth deputy mayor, said the volume averaged 11,300 procedures a day. The council reported a 24% rise in total procedures over five years.

“The extraordinary migration regularisation process has accelerated this type of procedure,” Valls said.

Register requests led demand for council services

The municipal register, known locally as the padrón, records a resident's legal address in Barcelona. Registration can enable access to documents, support and public services, including healthcare at local primary care centres.

According to the figures presented by Valls, demand rose for new register entries, notifications of address changes and, in particular, certificates proving legal residence in the city. Such certificates are one requirement in the extraordinary migration regularisation process.

  • 1.71 million procedures concerned the municipal register.
  • 1.19 million concerned municipal finance, including tax-related matters.
  • 201,000 complaints and suggestions were received, including reports about problems in public spaces through the Barcelona a la Butxaca app.

Six in 10 procedures are now completed online

The city council said 60% of procedures were completed digitally in 2025, compared with 25% at a counter and 15% by telephone. Digital procedures have increased by 48% over four years.

Under the Plan Barcelona Fácil, the council digitised 33 additional procedures last year, including renewal of municipal registration for foreign nationals. The plan also provides real-time chat support with a staff member for about 300 procedures and has revised more than 40 forms to make them easier to understand.

Residents who need to complete an online council procedure can use the Ajuntament's electronic procedures portal.

Primary sources: ajuntament.barcelona.cat, ajuntament.barcelona.cat, Ajuntament de Barcelona, ajuntament.barcelona.cat, Ramon, seuelectronica.ajuntament.barcelona.cat. Reported by El Periódico, Alfonso L. Congostrina, Europa Press, europapress.es, Carla Stavraky, Barna Diario, elperiodico.com, Màrius Lamor.