Last Update: December 2024
TIE in Spain

Get your TIE in Spain

TIE in Spain: If you are from the UK, the USA, or any other non-EFTA country, and you plan on becoming resident in Spain, you will need to apply for a TIE (tarjeta de identificacion de extranjeros). Here we explain what it is and how to get it.

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Who needs the TIE in Spain & what is it?

If you are from a non-EFTA country and you are planning to become resident in Spain, you first need to get the correct visa (see a list of EFTA countries here). Once you have arrived in Spain with the correct visa, you then need to apply for your TIE, which is your identity card (see a list of visa options here). The card contains your photo, your NIE number, and a lot of personal details, including your date of birth and your address.

Validity

The TIE is usually valid for the same period of time as your visa.

How to get your TIE in Spain

Getting an appointment.

This can be quite difficult as groups of people have been taking appointments and then forcing others to pay for them. If you like you can pay a gestor to get you one. However, things have apparently been improving lately, and if you don’t mind being persistent here is the process (if you have no luck, try at exactly midnight when new appointments become available, and/or try other offices near where you live):

  • Visit the sede electronica site for extranjeria here 
  • Click Acceder al procedimiento at the bottom of the page
  • Select your province at the top of the next page and hit ‘aceptar’
  • Under ‘oficina’ scroll down to your nearest office and select it
  • Then, next to ‘Tramites Cuerpo Nacional de Policia’ select ‘Policia- Toma de Huella (etc)’ and click ‘Aceptar’
  • On the next page, scroll directly to the bottom and click ‘Entrar’
  • Select the ‘pasaporte’ option then fill in your passport number and name and click ‘Aceptar’
  • Then on the next page click ‘solicitar cita’
  • Then fill in your details on the next page and click ‘Aceptar’
  • Then, if there are appointments available choose one of the options that is given to you.

 

Once you have the appointment:

  • Fill in the application form (form EX17 for students and self employed workers, MI-TIE form for digital nomads, entrepreneurs, investors, etc)
  • Request an appointment online here (try to get an appointment yourself, perhaps using the approach recommended (in Spanish) here , or pay someone to get you one). 
  • Fill out the form for paying the tasa of around 20 euros and then pay it at any bank

 

At your Appointment

Take:

  • Your completed application form (in duplicate), your proof of payment of the tasa, plus the following documents: 
  • The proof that you have an appointment
  • Passport showing the stamp from when you entered Spain.
  • A passport photo in colour, with a white background.
  • Certificado de empadronamiento no more than 3 months old
  • Copy of your visa letter of approval

Wait up to 45 days before you are called to come and get your card

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