Living, working, or doing business in Spain means your personal data is protected by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), one of the world’s strictest privacy laws.
This guide explains your rights under GDPR in Spain, especially as a foreigner, and what you can do if your data privacy is violated.
📜 What is GDPR?
GDPR is an EU-wide regulation that ensures your personal information is collected, processed, and stored responsibly and transparently by companies and public bodies in Spain and across Europe.
Personal data includes your:
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🧑💼 Name, address, ID numbers
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📧 Email, phone numbers
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💳 Financial and health information
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🌐 Online identifiers like IP addresses and cookies
🔑 Your Key GDPR Rights in Spain
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🔍 Right to Access: Request copies of your personal data.
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✍️ Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate data.
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🗑️ Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”): Delete data under certain conditions.
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🚫 Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how your data is used.
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🔄 Right to Data Portability: Transfer your data to another provider.
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❌ Right to Object: Stop data use for marketing or profiling.
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🤖 Rights Related to Automated Decisions: Request human review of automated decisions.
🌍 How These Rights Apply to Foreigners
Spain’s GDPR protections apply to everyone within Spain’s jurisdiction, regardless of nationality or residency status. This means tourists, residents, and remote workers have the same rights.
You can exercise your GDPR rights by contacting any organization handling your data in Spain.
📝 How to Exercise Your GDPR Rights
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🕵️♂️ Identify the data controller (company or public body).
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✉️ Submit a written request specifying your rights (e.g., access, erasure).
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⏳ The controller must respond within one month.
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🚨 If denied or ignored, file a complaint with the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) or seek legal advice.
⚖️ Penalties for GDPR Violations
Companies breaking GDPR rules in Spain face fines up to €20 million or 4% of global turnover, ensuring strong enforcement.
🛡️ Need Help with GDPR in Spain?
Borderless Lawyers helps foreigners:
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📚 Understand GDPR rights
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📨 Submit requests and complaints
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⚖️ Represent clients in disputes over data privacy
📌 Summary
| 🔒 GDPR Right | 📋 Description |
|---|---|
| 🔍 Access | Obtain copies of your data |
| ✍️ Rectification | Correct errors |
| 🗑️ Erasure | Delete data when appropriate |
| 🚫 Restrict Processing | Limit use of your data |
| 🔄 Data Portability | Transfer data to another service |
| ❌ Object | Stop marketing uses |
| 🤖 Automated Decision Review | Request human intervention |
📞 Contact Borderless Lawyers Today
Protect your data privacy in Spain — book a consultation with Borderless Lawyers, experts in GDPR and data protection for foreigners.