COMMUNICATION

Mobile Phone

Do I need a Spanish Phone Number?

For obvious reasons, a Spanish mobile or cell phone number is necessary while on the Grant:

  • The TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad del Extranjero) process and other immigration processes require a valid Spanish phone number.
  • You will want to message potential landlords from a Spanish WhatsApp number to avoid confusion about what country you are located in, and to prevent price gouging associated with typical American rates.
  • You will need a valid Spanish phone number and Spanish address in the fulbright.es Portal to receive Grant payments from the Commission.
  • You often need a valid Spanish phone number tied to your Spanish bank account, in order for it to remain open.
  • You will need a valid Spanish phone number to receive calls from internet providers, locksmiths, or other local services you may need to contact in Spain.

Obtaining a valid Spanish Phone Number

Prepaid Mobile Phone Plan

You will find that a prepaid cell phone (teléfono de tarjeta/prepago) is the easiest way to communicate with others while in Spain as contracts are for a minimum of 18 months and require much more documentation when registering. 

The most popular companies with grantees are DIGI, Lowi, Yoigo, Orange, MásMóvil, Pepephone, Tuenti, Simyo, Movistar and Vodafone. Though available plans are constantly changing, all companies have prepaid plans for smartphones.

All companies have their own stores throughout the country, as well as other independent shops where you can buy a phone and/or SIM card and plan de prepago, and compare rates. The Commission does not recommend a particular company or mobile provider, but we do recommend going to a physical store to purchase your SIM card or e-SIM and a plan de prepago once you arrive in Spain, instead of ordering online. All you will need to bring is your passport and your phone, and the representative at the store will be able to help you set-up your new SIM card or e-SIM in just a few minutes.

It is easy to add minutes and data to your account (or saldo) through the app or website of the mobile provider you choose.

E-SIMS vs Traditional SIM Cards

If you plan to use your U.S. smartphone in Spain, it must be unlocked before you leave the US for it to work with a physical SIM card from a different provider. If you aren’t sure if your phone is unlocked, make sure to ask your US phone company before you come to Spain. In the past years, more and more grantees have told us they are opting for digital SIMs (e-SIMs). You can check https://esimcard.com/esim-compatible/ to see if your phone make and model is e-SIM compatible. 

There are pros and cons to e-SIMS: On the one hand, some e-SIM cards can be purchased online, and some people have an easier time recovering their information if their phone gets stolen or lost. On the other hand, some e-SIMs don’t include phone calls, which you may need when getting in touch with landlords. You can look into local carriers that offer e-SIMs with phone calls, such as DIGI, Vodafone, or Orange.

If your phone is not e-SIM compatible, you can opt to buy a traditional Spanish SIM card from local phone companies in Spain.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp is a popular messaging application that is widely usedin Spain. It allows users to send unlimited and free text messages via the Internet. Since unlimited text messages are not the norm on Spanish plans, this will save a lot of money. You will most likely “whatsapp” with everyone from your landlord to your colleagues. Trust us, this is the first app you will want to download!

INTERNET

Internet access and service in Spain is efficient and reasonably priced, depending on the service you contract. Most shared apartments will already come with an Internet connection set up by previous flatmates. For budgeting reasons, we recommend renting a flat that already has WiFi.

If you are a Researcher or Senior Scholar travelling with family and renting out an entire apartment, you will likely need to contract your own internet service. Most companies, such as Movistar, Orange, and Vodafone require a minimum contract of 12 or 18 months. Past grantees highly recommend DIGI and Lowi for WiFi contracts that are relatively easy to cancel at the end of your stay in Spain.

MAIL

You may use the Commission or your Host Institution as a temporary mailing address until you find permanent housing. When you find permanent housing, be sure to let all relevant parties (such as your Spanish bank!) know of the address change. Your name and the name of the Fulbright Commission must be clear. Keep in mind that the Commission cannot claim or clear packages at the post office or customs, nor can it ship mail that has already delivered in your name. If it absolutely necessary to use the Commission’s address, please let us know so we can arrange a time for you to pick up the envelope in person.

 

In general, the Commission does not recommend sending packages from the U.S. to Spain. When trying to receive packages from the U.S., grantees often encounter problems because the packages are stopped at Customs. In addition to having to go to Madrid Barajas airport to claim your packages (regardless of where you are living in Spain), grantees have had to pay taxes on the packages which sometimes end up being more expensive than the items contained, and all of this is after having paid the shipping fees. Usually, the package is already sent back to the U.S. by the time you have completed the bureaucratic processes necessary to retrieve it from Customs. Given the experiences of past grantees, we recommend limiting mail to letters and small items that can fit in an envelope. Please inform your family/friends of this, so they know that receiving packages in Spain is ultimately more time-consuming and expensive for you than they might expect!

CALLING HOME

If you need to call landlines in the U.S. you can pay-per-minute or buy monthly plans on Skype. Google Voice is unfortunately not available in Spain. You may want to check out other pay-per-minute or subscription plan options offered by apps like Yolla or Rebtel, that allow you to call U.S. phones for relatively low rates. Of course, if both speakers are connected to via mobile phones through apps like Whatsapp, Telegram, or  Viber, calls are free of charge.