NIE – Identification number
(Número de Identidad de Extranjero)

TIE – Your physical card that has your identification number on it
(Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero)

Upon entry to Spain and within the first thirty days, applicants must apply* for a Foreigner Identity Card or TIE where the applicant is located. The TIE will be valid for as long as the auxiliary is enrolled in the program in Spain.

*You only need to start the TIE process within the first 30 days. Do not worry about receiving the TIE within 30 days of arriving. Getting your TIE can take 2-3 months.

Don’t worry if you have difficulties finding an appointment within the first 30 days of arriving to Spain. Your visa will remain valid until its expiration date (usually a 90 day period). Just keep trying to find an appointment. How to make an appointment is covered below.

Required Documents

• Carta de Nombramiento
• Foto de Carnet
• Passport + Copy of all Pages (including stamped page indicating your arrival to Spain)
• Empadronamiento
• Completed EX-17 Form
• Tasa 790-012

TIE Process

• Get an Appointment
• Toma de Huellas (Fingerprinting appointment)
• Recogida de Tarjeta (Pick up your card)

Required Documents

Carta de Nombramiento

Print two copies of your Carta de Nombramiento.

Foto de Carnet

The Foto de Carnet is a professional 32x26mm photo similar to a passport photo (2″x2″). You only need one picture for your TIE, but I recommend making extras just in case. You can easily get this done at any number of Photo Kiosks. These are found all throughout Spain in subway stations, bus stations, supermarkets, by police stations, and anywhere with decent foot traffic. It’s cheap and easy. Have the pictures taken. Carefully cut out the individual pictures, and bring an envelope with your picture(s) to your future TIE appointment.

Passport + Copy of all Pages

Bring your passport along with a copy of all of your passport pages (yes, all of them). They may only ask for you biodata page, visa page, and the stamped page from when you first entered Spain with your visa, but they also may ask for all pages.

If you did not receive a stamp when entering Spain (for example if you had a connecting flight in Europe prior to landing in Spain) or if your stamp is not visible, bring your flight boarding pass to prove when you legally entered Spain.

It’s a good idea to bring your boarding pass indicating your arrival date just in case, but some bureaucrats can be difficult and will not accept a boarding pass in lieu of a stamped passport (this situation is quite rare).

In this situation you can bring a declaración de entrada en territorio español. This is a form you can request at any police station to prove your entry date in Spain. However, this form can only be requested within 72 hours of arriving in Spain.

Declaración de Entrada en Territorio Español

Requirements:

• Original and copy of completed form (above)
• Passport and copy of passport ID page alongside copy of entry stamp from Schengen country.
• Copy of plane ticket. If you didn’t arrive by plane, make sure you have something that proves you entered Spain within 72 hours.

To request a Declaración de Entrada en Territorio Español, bring all of your required documents and head directly to a police comisaría that deals with fronteras (in Madrid this would be Aluche, and in Sevilla this would be Plaza de España). This must be done within 72 hours of arriving in Spain.

There is no formal way of requesting an appointment for this process, so do not be discouraged from walking up and requesting this document when arriving.

Although rare, some bureaucrats will deny your application for a TIE if your passport was stamped before your visa´s stated entry date or if you don’t have sufficient proof of entry. You would be required to leave the country and re-enter.

Empadronamiento

Whenever I’ve been asked for my Empadronamiento, I have given the Volante de Empadronamiento every time, and I have never had any issues. You can find out about the Empadronamiento process in the link below.

How to Empadronarse

The Volante de Empadronamiento is the receipt given to you when first applying for Empadronamiento. It will either be a stamped copy of your solicitud or a separate piece of paper printed with your Empadronamiento information. The official certificate takes about a month to process. If you want to be extra cautious, you can wait until you have the Certificado de Empadronamiento before attending your TIE appointment.

Completed EX-17 Form

Complete the form and sign it. Bring the original + a copy of your completed and signed form. The guide is included below.

EX-17 Form

Section 1:

Section 2:

Leave Blank

Section 3:

Section 4:

Tasa 790-012

The Tasa Modelo is a tax form you have to fill out and pay at a bank branch or ATM. This form is used to pay for your TIE appointment. I highly recommend going inside a bank branch to pay the tax form with exact cash. This way you are guaranteed to get a stamped sheet back proving your payment for the TIE appointment.

If you have a local Spanish bank account, use your bank branch. If you do not have a local Spanish bank account, you can still use a physical bank branch without issue. I’ve had great luck with Caja Rural in the past. Just go up with your Tasa Modelo filled out, your ID (Passport), and your exact payment. To fill out the form, use the following link.

Tasa Modelo 790-012

After filling out the form, download the form and print it out. Make sure to sign it! Bring the form with exact cash to a bank branch and pay the fee there. Make sure you receive a stamped form in return. This is your proof that you paid the Tasa. Bring it to your TIE appointment.

TIE Process

Get an Appointment

Getting an appointment is the most difficult part of this process. There are often no openings available, so DON’T BE PICKY! Make sure to constantly check for openings because the Oficina Extranjería periodically adds more availabilities.

When I first did this process, it took me 2 months of constantly looking to find an available appointment. This was during 2020, so there was a huge backlog from the quarantine and shutdown, but it still remains difficult to find an appointment for many people. To make an appointment and check if there are availabilities, first access the Cita Previa link below.

https://icp.administracionelectronica.gob.es/icpco/index

Step 1:
Choose the province THAT YOU LIVE IN.

Step 2:
Provincia – The same as your previously selected choice.
Oficina – Cualquier oficina
TRÁMITES CUERPO NACIONAL DE POLICÍA – Select this tab.
Do NOT select “TRÁMITES OFICINAS DE EXTRANJERÍA”.

“POLICIA TOMA DE HUELLA (EXPEDICÓN DE TARJETA)…“
temporary/short term residency

Step 3 and beyond: The following page has information about requirements for your TIE appointment. It also has information about renewals as well. Not all of the information is applicable for first time applicants!

After clicking accept and moving on to the next page, you will need to enter your information.

Add your personal information further down in the page.

Hit accept and continue through the online forms. Add your contact information and continue.

In the next page, you can choose your appointment date and time.

Once you choose an appointment, PRINT OUT the confirmation page and bring it to your TIE appointment.

Toma de Huellas

Bring all of your required documents and your appointment confirmation to your appointment. I always bring a pen with me to bureaucratic appointments in case I forgot to sign something. I also recommend carrying an organized folder with paperclips. Don’t be an unorganized mess!

• Carta de Nombramiento + extra copy
• Foto de Carnet + extras (just to be safe)
• Passport + Copy of all Pages (including stamped page indicating your arrival to Spain). If you do not have a visible stamp on your passport from your arrival, bring proof of your arrival (airline boarding pass, train ticket/information)
• Empadronamiento + copy
• Completed and signed EX-17 Form + copy
• Tasa 790-012 dutifully paid
• Appointment confirmation

Bring your phone in case you need google translate. Go to the correct office chosen in your appointment. Wait in line for “Toma de Huellas”. Hand over all the required documents when it’s your turn. Afterwards, they will take your fingerprints. Some great phrases to know:

• Tengo una cita para _______ a las _______
  (I have an appointment for _____ at ______)
• Dedo indice (index finger)
• Girar (turn)
• Poner (put)
• Izquierda (left)
• Derecho (right)

Even if you don’t know these expressions, the police officer will usually indicate which finger you need to place and how. After taking your fingerprints, you will be told to return to pick up your card in about 40 days (listen carefully to when you can return). They will also give you a document (a Resguardo) that you need to bring to your next appointment to pick up your card. Don’t lose it!

Recogida de Tarjeta

Make an appointment for about 40 days (or however long the officer told you) after your initial TIE appointment. Make sure it is at the same office as before!

https://icp.administracionelectronica.gob.es/icpco/index

The appointment process is nearly identical to how you made the Toma de Huellas appointment, so follow the same steps and finish making your appointment.

Bring the following documents to your appointment: your passport, the document given to you in the Toma de Huellas TIE appointment, and your appointment confirmation.

Wait in the Recogida de TIE line. offer your papers when it’s your turn. scan your fingerprints, and accept your first TIE!

Congratulations!

If you found the website useful, feel free to Support the Page. Every little bit helps.

Back to Navigation