Administrative services in Marbella for foreign nationals
NIE, residency, Social Security and paperwork with the Spanish authorities.
Led by Ricardo Bocanegra Sánchez, lawyer and chartered administrative agent, Cristina Bocanegra and their team. More than 44 years serving foreign nationals on the Costa del Sol.
Formerly Gestoría Bocanegra · Español · English · Русский
Tell us what you need
Marbella's administrative services agency for foreign nationals, with a chartered administrative agent
Bocanegra Lawyers is the Marbella administrative services agency founded in 1982 as Gestoría Bocanegra by Ricardo Bocanegra, a chartered administrative agent and law graduate: the first administrative agency in Andalusia dedicated to serving foreign nationals. We handle paperwork with the Spanish authorities for residents and non-residents: NIE and certificates, residence card, Social Security, the Tax Agency and the town hall, in Spanish, English and Russian.
Today the firm is led by Cristina Bocanegra and brings together administrative agents, lawyers, tax advisers and employment advisers. If you need more than a single procedure, the relevant department deals with it, so you do not have to look for another professional.
44
years in Marbella
+40.000
clients served
1984
First National Award for Administrative Agents
3
languages: Spanish, English and Russian
Bocanegra Lawyers in the media
Featured in: DecoMarbella, a feature on Gestoría Bocanegra · Quién es quién en Málaga 2024, among Málaga’s leading law firms · RTV Marbella, the new chapter of Bocanegra Lawyers.
Administrative services
The paperwork we handle for you
Tell us which procedure you need and which country you come from. At the initial consultation we tell you which documents are required and how much it costs, with a fixed quote.
NIE and certificates for foreign nationals
For people arriving in Spain or already living here who need to identify themselves to the authorities. We apply for your NIE, EU registration certificate and town hall registration (empadronamiento) and residence certificates, and help you obtain a digital certificate and Cl@ve so you can carry out procedures online.
- NIE for residents and non-residents
- EU citizen registration certificate
- Digital certificate, Cl@ve and electronic notifications
- Empadronamiento and residence certificates
Residence card, renewals and citizenship
For foreign nationals who need to manage the document proving their residence: appointment booking, fingerprinting, collection and renewal of the card (TIE). Permit, arraigo, family reunification and citizenship applications are handled by our immigration department.
- Appointment, fingerprinting and TIE collection
- Renewals and expiry monitoring
- Changes of address and personal details
- Coordination with the immigration lawyer where the case requires it
Social Security and domestic employees
For residents who need a Social Security number, who employ a domestic worker or who want access to public healthcare. We prepare the contract, handle registration and deregistration and manage the payslips; for businesses with staff, there is our employment advisory service.
- Social Security number and registrations
- Domestic employees: contract, registration and payslips
- Health card and employment history reports
- Coordination with immigration if the employee is a foreign national
Tax Agency, town hall and notifications
For residents and non-resident owners who need someone in Marbella to take care of their paperwork. We receive electronic notifications, file documents with the Tax Agency, the town hall and Social Security, and handle empadronamiento, licences and fees.
- Representation before the Tax Agency and electronic notifications
- Simple submissions and appeals to the authorities
- Empadronamiento, licences and responsible declarations
- Local taxes and charges (IBI, refuse collection, plusvalía)
Income tax returns and non-resident taxes are handled by our tax advisory team; if Hacienda has sent you a notice, our tax lawyer will help you.
Self-employed foreign nationals and their businesses
If you want to set up or run a business in Spain (self-employed registration, company, accounting, payroll), our business advisory team will help you, coordinating your registration with your residence permit.
- Self-employed (autónomo) registration and company formation
- Bookkeeping and periodic tax returns
- Company payroll and Social Security
Find out more on our business advisory in Marbella for companies and SMEs page.
Who our administrative services are for
Newly arrived foreign nationals
Who need an NIE, empadronamiento, Social Security and a health card.
British and EU residents
Who want to regularise their documents or renew their certificate.
Non-resident owners
Who need someone in Marbella to receive their notifications and file their documents.
Foreign retirees
With pension procedures, life certificates and healthcare.
Families with domestic staff
Registration, contract and payslips, with your obligations as an employer explained.
Foreign entrepreneurs
Who want to register as self-employed or set up a company in Spain and need to get it right with the Tax Agency and Social Security.
Why handle your paperwork with Bocanegra
Administrative services in Marbella for foreign nationals, in person or online
Chartered administrative agent
Ricardo Bocanegra can represent you before the authorities as a chartered administrative agent.
Four decades serving foreign nationals
The first administrative agency in Andalusia dedicated to them, since 1982.
If you need a lawyer, one is on hand
Immigration, inheritance, tax or property, all at the same firm.
We speak your language
Spanish, English and Russian, and experience with the circumstances of each nationality.
One dedicated contact
Someone who knows your case, not a generic inbox.
Fixed written quote
You know the cost before we start.
Shall we talk about your paperwork?
Ask for a no-obligation quote or message us on WhatsApp and we will reply within 24 working hours. We tell you which documents you need and how much it costs before we start.
Ricardo Bocanegra, your administrative agent in Marbella
Lawyer · Chartered Administrative Agent
Ricardo Bocanegra Sánchez
- Chartered administrative agent no. 155, Málaga Association
- Law degree from the University of Seville
- First administrative agency in Andalusia dedicated to foreign nationals
- Speaks English and Russian
Lawyer · Managing Partner
- NYU Law School in New York and ICADE in Madrid
- Member of the Madrid Bar Association
- Mediator listed on the Register of Mediators
How we handle your paperwork
From the initial consultation to the decision, in four steps.
Initial consultation
You tell us what you need and your situation (nationality, type of residency, documents you already have).
Fixed quote
We tell you in writing what the procedure includes, which documents are needed and how much it costs.
Processing
We file everything with the authorities and, wherever possible, without you having to travel.
Follow-up
We let you know about every decision, appointment or deadline, and you collect the result at our office or we send it to you.
From Gestoría Bocanegra to Bocanegra Lawyers
1982
Gestoría Bocanegra is founded
Ricardo Bocanegra opens the administrative agency in Marbella, just as the Costa del Sol was filling up with foreign residents who needed someone to handle their paperwork.
Over the years
Lawyers and advisers join the firm
The administrative agency adds lawyers, tax advisers and employment advisers so that clients’ residency, taxes, business and property can all be handled in one place.
Today
Bocanegra Lawyers, the same team
The firm is renamed Bocanegra Lawyers, led by Cristina Bocanegra. The office, the team and the way we work remain the same: if you were a client of the administrative agency, you are still at home with us.
Marbella and Madrid
Where we see you
At our office on Avenida Ricardo Soriano in Marbella, at our Madrid office or online, in Spanish, English and Russian.
Client reviews of our administrative services
Frequently asked questions about our administrative services
Is Bocanegra Lawyers the former Gestoría Bocanegra?
Yes. It is the same firm that Ricardo Bocanegra founded in Marbella in 1982 as Gestoría Bocanegra, on Avenida Ricardo Soriano. It changed its name when lawyers and tax advisers joined, but it still does everything the administrative agency always did.
What is a chartered administrative agent (gestor administrativo) and how is it different from a lawyer?
A chartered administrative agent is a registered professional who represents individuals and businesses in their dealings with the authorities. A lawyer advises and defends clients on legal matters, especially before the courts. At Bocanegra you have both, and we refer you to whichever is appropriate.
What paperwork can an administrative agency handle for a foreign national?
Anything done with the authorities: NIE, EU registration certificate, residence card appointments and processing, empadronamiento, Social Security, and submissions to the Tax Agency or the town hall. Residency, arraigo and citizenship applications are handled by our immigration department.
Can I complete the paperwork if I live outside Spain?
In many cases, yes. With a power of attorney or your digital certificate we act on your behalf, receive your notifications and file your documents. At the initial consultation we tell you which procedures require you to attend in person.
Do you register domestic employees?
Yes. We prepare the contract, register the employee with Social Security, handle the monthly payslips and explain your obligations as an employer. If the employee is a foreign national and needs a work permit, we coordinate it with our immigration team.
How much does it cost?
It depends on the procedure and your case. We give you a fixed written quote before we start, with no obligation.
Do you work with clients outside Marbella?
Yes. We work with clients across the Costa del Sol and the province of Málaga, and many procedures can be handled online.
Administrative services in Marbella: where to find us
We are a law firm and administrative services agency in Marbella with more than 44 years’ experience with international clients.
We are open Monday to Thursday, 9:00–18:00, and on Fridays, 9:00–15:00.
Content reviewed and verified by
Founder of Bocanegra Lawyers. Chartered administrative agent no. 155 with the Official Association of Administrative Agents of Málaga and law graduate from the University of Seville. He has reviewed the information on this page: services, team and procedures.
Last reviewed: October 2026