--- title: Get Your Spanish TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) After Residence Authorization country: spain service: "tarjeta-identidad-extranjero" category: identification difficulty: moderate estimated_time: "Application appointment is typically completed in one visit; production and pickup vary by province because the Policía Nacional does not publish a fixed processing-time service standard" cost_range: Fee paid via tasa modelo 790 código 012 — current amount published by the Spanish authorities at sede.policia.gob.es last_verified: 2026-05-10 canonical: https://publicservices.guide/spain/tarjeta-identidad-extranjero/ status: current confidence: low tags: - tie - "tarjeta-identidad-extranjero" - "residence-card" - "policia-nacional" - extranjeria - "cita-previa" - huellas sources: - https://www.policia.es/_es/extranjeria_extranjeros.php - https://www.policia.es/_es/extranjeria_portada.php - https://extranjeros.inclusion.gob.es/ - https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2024/11/19/1155/con - https://icp.administracionelectronica.gob.es/icpplus/index.html --- # Get Your Spanish TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) After Residence Authorization **Country:** 🇪🇸 Spain **Last verified:** 2026-05-10 **Estimated time:** Application appointment is typically completed in one visit; production and pickup vary by province because the Policía Nacional does not publish a fixed processing-time service standard **Cost:** Fee paid via tasa modelo 790 código 012 — current amount published by the Spanish authorities at sede.policia.gob.es ## Required documents - **Official application form (modelo oficial)** *(Solicitud de tarjeta de identidad de extranjero — modelo oficial)* - Required: Original and copy - Common identifier: EX-17 (Solicitud de tarjeta de identidad de extranjero) - _Note:_ The Policía Nacional page refers to the form as 'modelo oficial'. EX-17 is the conventional form code used in practice. - **Passport or travel document** *(Pasaporte o título de viaje)* - Required: Original, with the entry stamp or border-control mark from your point of entry into Spain - _Note:_ If you do not have an entry stamp, you may instead submit a declaración de entrada filed personally at any Comisaría de Policía or Oficina de Extranjeros within 72 hours of arrival. - **Recent passport-size colour photograph** *(Fotografía reciente, en color, fondo blanco, tamaño carné)* - Required: One recent colour photo on a white background, passport / carné size - **Visa, where applicable** *(Visado, en su caso)* - Required: Original visa, where the residence authorization was preceded by a Spanish visa - **Resolution granting your authorization** *(Resolución de concesión de la autorización)* - Required: The administrative resolution granting the residence authorization that justifies issuing the TIE - _Note:_ Specific cases include Visados SME, transboundary-worker authorizations, Ley 14/2013 entrepreneur authorizations, and authorizations granted on judicial review. - **Proof of fee payment** *(Justificante del abono de la tasa modelo 790 código 012)* - Required: Original bank-stamped or online-paid justificante for the tasa modelo 790 código 012 - _Note:_ Pay the fee in advance and bring the proof to the appointment — the Comisaría or Oficina de Extranjeros will not start the trámite without it. - **Social Security registration (where applicable)** *(Afiliación o alta en la Seguridad Social, en su caso)* - Required: Where the underlying authorization (for example a work permit) requires Seguridad Social registration ## Steps ### 1. Confirm you need a TIE - TIE is mandatory for non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals who hold a residence authorization or recognized right to stay in Spain for more than six months - Per the Policía Nacional: 'Todos los extranjeros a los que se haya expedido un visado o una autorización para permanecer en España por un período superior a seis meses tienen el derecho y la obligación de obtener la tarjeta de identidad de extranjero' - EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens are not in scope — they are issued a Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión via form EX-18 instead - Stays of 90 days or less, and any estancia not exceeding six months, do not require a TIE > **Tip:** If you only need the foreigner identification number — for example to sign a contract or open a bank account — that is the NIE, not the TIE. See the separate NIE guide. The NIE number is permanent and is what appears printed on every TIE card. _Links:_ - [Policía Nacional — Ciudadanos extranjeros (TIE procedure)](https://www.policia.es/_es/extranjeria_extranjeros.php) ### 2. Have your residence authorization in hand - The TIE is issued only after the residence authorization itself has been granted by the Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones, working through the Delegación or Subdelegación del Gobierno and the Oficinas de Extranjería - Without the resolution of grant ('la resolución gubernativa previa de concesión de la correspondiente autorización administrativa'), the Policía Nacional cannot expedite a TIE - Keep the resolution document — you will present it at the appointment > **Tip:** Visa-class differences flow through to the TIE class. The TIE itself is the same physical card; the back records the underlying authorization category (work, studies, family reunification, residencia de larga duración, and so on). ### 3. Pay the tasa modelo 790 código 012 in advance - Complete the autoliquidación for tasa modelo 790 código 012 — the same form code is used for NIE and TIE procedures - Pay at a participating bank, or online through the Sede Electrónica de la Dirección General de la Policía at sede.policia.gob.es - Keep the bank-stamped or printable justificante del abono — the Comisaría requires it at the appointment > **Tip:** Fee amounts are set by ministerial order separately from Real Decreto 1155/2024 — they are revised periodically. Confirm the current figure at sede.policia.gob.es or with your local Oficina de Extranjeros before paying. Familia numerosa applicants should ask whether the reduced fee applies before completing the form. ### 4. Book the cita previa online *(Cita previa)* - Open the citizen-appointment system at icp.administracionelectronica.gob.es - Select the province where you have your domicile, then the TIE expedition procedure (régimen general; or régimen comunitario for non-EU family members of EU citizens) - Pick a slot at the Comisaría de Policía or Oficina de Extranjeros that handles TIE in your province - Save the cita previa confirmation — print or screenshot the date, time, location, and reference > **Tip:** Spain's administration runs almost entirely on cita previa — there is no walk-in option for TIE. If no slots are visible, refresh during the morning when provinces commonly release new appointments. _Links:_ - [Citizen-appointment portal — Administración Electrónica](https://icp.administracionelectronica.gob.es/icpplus/index.html) - [Sede de Administraciones Públicas — extranjería procedures](https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/procedimientos/index/categoria/34) ### 5. Attend the appointment in person and give fingerprints *(Huellas dactilares — poner huella)* - Go in person to the Unidad de Documentación de Policía Nacional at the Oficina de Extranjeros or Comisaría you booked — minors must be accompanied by their legal representative with valid identity documentation - Bring the original passport AND a photocopy of the photo page; the Unidad de Documentación checks the original against the copy on the spot, hands the original back, and keeps the copy in the file — without both, the appointment cannot proceed - Hand in the modelo oficial application (original and copy), the recent colour photo, the visa where applicable, the resolution granting your authorization, and the justificante del abono - Fingerprints — huellas dactilares — are taken at the desk; this biometric capture is the operative purpose of the appointment > **Tip:** The cotejo-de-copias step is universal across Spanish extranjería trámites — bring an original and a photocopy of every document on your checklist, not just the passport. Originals leave with you; copies stay with the file. _Useful phrases:_ - "Vengo a la cita para la expedición de la TIE." — I am here for the appointment to issue the TIE. — use when Arriving at the Unidad de Documentación counter - "Aquí tiene mi justificante del abono de la tasa." — Here is my proof of fee payment. — use when Handing the justificante to the officer ### 6. Collect your TIE in person at the same office - The card is produced centrally and shipped back to the same Comisaría or Oficina de Extranjeros where you gave fingerprints - Pickup is location-bound — per the Policía Nacional FAQ, you cannot pick up in a different province from where you applied - At pickup, you accredit that you are the destinatario and that the fee was paid: 'acreditar... ser el destinatario del documento y haber realizado el pago de las tasas legalmente establecidas' - Production and pickup readiness depend on the local Comisaría — there is no published nationwide service standard, so check with your office at booking > **Tip:** Once issued, you are obligated to carry the TIE and present it on request by authority — Article 13.1 of Ley Orgánica 4/2015. When the underlying authorization expires or otherwise ends, the card must be surrendered at the Comisaría or Oficina de Extranjeros. ## FAQ ### Is the TIE the same thing as the NIE? No. The NIE — Número de Identidad de Extranjero — is the personal identification number assigned to every foreigner who relates administratively to Spain. It is permanent and does not expire. The TIE — Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero — is the physical card issued only after a residence authorization for over six months has been granted, and the card itself has an expiry date that mirrors the underlying authorization. Your NIE number is printed on the front of every TIE card you receive. See the separate NIE guide for how to obtain or use the number on its own. ### When do I have to apply for the TIE? Within one month of entering Spain on the relevant visa, or within one month of the residence authorization being granted, whichever applies — per the Policía Nacional: 'que deberán solicitar personalmente en el plazo de un mes desde su entrada en España o desde que se conceda la correspondiente autorización, respectivamente.' Late applications can be classified as an infracción leve under Article 52 of Ley Orgánica 4/2000. ### How long is the TIE card valid? The same period as the residence authorization that justified issuing it — per the Policía Nacional: 'La Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero tendrá idéntico período de vigencia que la autorización o el reconocimiento del derecho que justifique su expedición.' When the authorization expires or otherwise ends, the card loses validity. Specific durations for residencia inicial, residencia renovada, and residencia de larga duración are set in Real Decreto 1155/2024 — the underlying-authorization guides cover them. ### What do I do if I lose, damage, or have my TIE stolen? Apply for a duplicate — modelo oficial application, photo, fee, current passport, and either a denuncia for the loss or theft or the inutilizada card if you still have it. Per Real Decreto 1155/2024 Article 209, as cited by the Policía Nacional: 'el extravío, destrucción o inutilización de la tarjeta de identidad de extranjero... llevarán consigo la expedición de nueva tarjeta, a instancia del interesado, que no se considerará renovación y tendrá vigencia por el tiempo que le falte para caducar a la que sustituya.' The replacement card carries the residual validity of the lost card — it is not a renewal. ### Where do I book the cita previa? Use the citizen-appointment system at https://icp.administracionelectronica.gob.es/icpplus/index.html. Select the province where you have your domicile, then the TIE-specific procedure under régimen general (or régimen comunitario for non-EU family members of EU citizens). The exact menu wording varies by province; both the Policía Nacional FAQ and the appointment portal confirm this is the canonical entry point. ### Where do I file the application and pick up the card? At the Unidad de Documentación de Policía Nacional, located inside the Oficina de Extranjeros or Comisaría de Policía of the province where you have fixed your domicile. Per the Policía Nacional: 'La solicitud de tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero se presentará personalmente por el extranjero ante la Unidad de Documentación de Policía Nacional, situada en la Oficina de Extranjeros o Comisaría de Policía de la provincia donde tenga fijado su domicilio.' Pickup is location-bound — you collect the card at the same office where your fingerprints were taken. ### Is there a fee exemption for familia numerosa? A reduced-fee regime for familia numerosa exists for the tasa modelo 790 código 012 — the Policía Nacional FAQ lists this explicitly under '¿TENGO QUE PAGAR LA TASA SI SOY FAMILIA NUMEROSA?' Specific conditions and reductions are set by ministerial order; confirm the current amount and whether your category qualifies at your local Oficina de Extranjeros before paying. ## Local tips - TIE is the card; NIE is the number. The NIE is assigned once and does not expire. The TIE expires with the underlying authorization. Both share the same fee form — tasa modelo 790 código 012 — but they are different procedures. - Apply within one month of either entering Spain on the relevant visa or being granted the residence authorization, whichever applies. Late beyond three months risks an infracción leve under Article 52 of Ley Orgánica 4/2000. - Cita previa is mandatory for the appointment. The portal is icp.administracionelectronica.gob.es — pick your province, then the TIE-specific procedure under régimen general or régimen comunitario. - Bring originals plus photocopies. The Unidad de Documentación performs cotejo de copias at the counter — originals are returned, copies are kept. No copy means re-booking. - Pay the fee first, then attend the appointment. The justificante del abono is required at the desk; without it the trámite cannot start. - Pickup is location-bound. The card returns to the same Comisaría or Oficina de Extranjeros where you gave fingerprints — you cannot pick it up in a different province. - Carry the TIE on you once issued. Article 13.1 of Ley Orgánica 4/2015 obliges foreigners to present documentation acreditando their regular situation on demand. ## Sources - [Dirección General de la Policía — Ministerio del Interior](https://www.policia.es/_es/extranjeria_extranjeros.php) — accessed 2026-05-10 — _T1_ — Eligibility scope: 'Todos los extranjeros a los que se haya expedido un visado o una autorización para permanecer en España por un período superior a seis meses tienen el derecho y la obligación de obtener la tarjeta de identidad de extranjero, que deberán solicitar personalmente en el plazo de un mes desde su entrada en España o desde que se conceda la correspondiente autorización, respectivamente.' Documents for the initial application include the modelo oficial application form (original and copy), passport or travel document with entry stamp, recent colour photo on a white background passport size, visa where applicable, the resolution granting the authorization, and the justificante del abono de la tasa. Originals are presented and returned after cotejo de copias: 'Deberán presentarse los documentos originales, que serán devueltos una vez cotejadas las copias.' Validity rule: 'La Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero tendrá idéntico período de vigencia que la autorización o el reconocimiento del derecho que justifique su expedición, perdiendo su validez cuando se produzca la de la citada autorización.' Loss / damage / duplicate rule cited from Real Decreto 1155/2024 Article 209: 'el extravío, destrucción o inutilización de la tarjeta de identidad de extranjero, ya sean de carácter personal, laboral o familiar, llevarán consigo la expedición de nueva tarjeta, a instancia del interesado, que no se considerará renovación y tendrá vigencia por el tiempo que le falte para caducar a la que sustituya.' Filing location: 'La solicitud de tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero se presentará personalmente por el extranjero ante la Unidad de Documentación de Policía Nacional, situada en la Oficina de Extranjeros o Comisaría de Policía de la provincia donde tenga fijado su domicilio.' Fee form: tasa modelo 790 código 012 (form code shared with NIE expedition; refund procedure for amounts paid in error confirmed in the FAQ). Familia numerosa fee policy referenced in FAQ '¿TENGO QUE PAGAR LA TASA SI SOY FAMILIA NUMEROSA?'. - [Dirección General de la Policía — Ministerio del Interior](https://www.policia.es/_es/extranjeria_portada.php) — accessed 2026-05-10 — _T1_ — Extranjería portal navigation. Confirms that foreigner-documentation procedures (NIE assignment, TIE expedition, autorizaciones de regreso) are administered by the Dirección General de la Policía through its División de Documentación, with cita-previa booking via the citizen-appointment system at icp.administracionelectronica.gob.es and the Sede Electrónica de la Dirección General de la Policía as the destination for online fee payment and procedural management. - [Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones](https://extranjeros.inclusion.gob.es/) — accessed 2026-05-10 — _T1_ — Migration authority chain: residence authorizations are granted by the Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones — Secretaría de Estado de Migraciones, operating through the Delegaciones and Subdelegaciones del Gobierno and the Oficinas de Extranjería. The TIE is the physical card materializing that grant; the card itself is expedited by the Policía Nacional under coordination with Migraciones. - [Boletín Oficial del Estado — Real Decreto 1155/2024](https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2024/11/19/1155/con) — accessed 2026-05-10 — _T1_ — Real Decreto 1155/2024, de 19 de noviembre, aprobando el Reglamento de la Ley Orgánica 4/2000, sobre derechos y libertades de los extranjeros en España y su integración social. Article 209 governs the loss, destruction, or rendering-unusable of the TIE — the new card is not a renewal and carries the residual validity of the card it replaces. Disposición adicional duodécima confirms that fees for foreigner-documentation procedures are set by ministerial order separately from the Reglamento itself; the Reglamento does not publish fee amounts. - [Citizen-appointment portal — Sistema de Cita Previa de Extranjería (Administración General del Estado)](https://icp.administracionelectronica.gob.es/icpplus/index.html) — accessed 2026-05-10 — _T1_ — Citizen-appointment system used for TIE expedition appointments. Province-by-province booking; the user selects province first, then the TIE-specific procedure (régimen general or régimen comunitario). The Policía Nacional FAQ '¿DÓNDE SE OBTIENE CITA PREVIA PARA LA EXPEDICIÓN DE TIES?' confirms this portal as the canonical entry point. Alternative path: sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/procedimientos/index/categoria/34 for the broader extranjería procedure catalogue. --- Verification pending — see the canonical page for the latest trust state. Canonical: https://publicservices.guide/spain/tarjeta-identidad-extranjero/