NIE and TIE in Spain: what they are, first application and renewal

The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero, the foreigner identity number) is a personal, unique and exclusive number that the Spanish authorities assign to a foreign national in order to identify them. It is assigned for life: it does not expire and it does not change, even if your situation or your card changes. Someone who does not even live in Spain can hold one, when they deal with the country for economic, professional or social reasons.

The TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero, the foreigner identity card) is a physical document that proves your legal residence status in Spain. It carries your photograph, your personal details, your NIE number and the type of permit you hold. Unlike the number, the card has an expiry date and is renewed periodically together with your residence permit.

The easy way to remember it: the NIE identifies you and the TIE proves that you reside here legally. That is why you first obtain the number and then, when a residence permit is granted, it is documented with the card.

One frequent case is worth clarifying: citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland do not get a TIE, but a Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión (EU citizen registration certificate, the well-known green certificate), which also includes their NIE. The TIE is the document for third-country nationals.

You need a NIE whenever you are going to carry out an act in Spain that matters to the authorities without residing here: buying or selling a property, accepting an inheritance, setting up or holding a stake in a company, entering into certain banking transactions or paying tax on income, among other situations.

The application is made on official form EX-15 together with payment of the tasa (official fee) modelo 790 código 012. According to the electronic office of the Policía Nacional (the Spanish national police), the decision on the NIE assignment procedure at the applicant's request is expected within a maximum of 5 days from filing.

It can be handled inside Spain (the Dirección General de la Policía, the Oficinas de Extranjería or immigration offices, and police stations) or from abroad through the relevant Spanish consular office. You do not have to appear in person: you may act through a duly authorised representative.

At Managora we prepare the form, calculate and pay the tasa and file the application for you. You can see the current amount on the procedure page for the NIE for non-residents.

When you are granted a residence permit (for work, studies, arraigo (residence through established ties in Spain), family reunification, non-lucrative residence or another type), that decision entitles you to reside here, but you still need to document it with the physical card. That is where the first TIE comes in.

The deadline is short: from the notification of the grant you have, as a general rule, 1 month to apply in person for the Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero at the police station or Oficina de Extranjería (immigration office) of your place of residence. Letting that deadline pass can complicate the procedure, so it is best to book an appointment as soon as possible.

The application is filed with form EX-17, proof of payment of the tasa modelo 790 código 012, your valid passport, a recent passport-size photograph and the decision granting the permit.

Managora gathers and checks all of that documentation, pays the tasa and arranges your appointment, so that all you have to do is turn up to give your fingerprints. You can check the current amount on the procedure page for the first TIE.

Issuing the TIE requires the holder to appear in person to give fingerprints and sign. It is a biometric requirement that cannot be met through a representative: that is why giving fingerprints is, in practice, the only step you carry out in person.

The appointment is booked at the electronic office of the Policía Nacional for the card issue procedure (toma de huellas, the fingerprinting appointment). On the day you must bring your passport, the decision granting the permit, form EX-17, proof that the tasa has already been paid and the photograph.

Once your fingerprints have been taken, the card is produced and collected later at the same office. Production times depend on each police station and on the volume of applications, so it is worth booking the collection appointment when they tell you to.

Managora takes care of arranging the appointment and of having all your documentation ready, so that appearing in person is the only step that depends on you.

The TIE expires because it is tied to the validity of your residence permit. Renewing the card actually means renewing the permit and documenting it again with a new card.

The renewal deadline is the most delicate point. The application can be filed during the 60 calendar days before the expiry date of the permit. It can also be filed within the 3 months after that date, although this second option may lead to a penalty procedure. Filing on time keeps the permit valid until the renewal is decided.

Once the renewal is granted, the card process starts again: new fingerprints and issue of a TIE with the new dates. Your NIE, by contrast, stays the same: the number is never renewed and never changes.

Managora keeps track of your expiry date, prepares the renewal of the permit and processes the new card. You can see the current amount on the procedure page for the TIE renewal.

If your TIE has already expired, do not let it slide: you can still file the renewal within the 3 months after expiry. The sooner you act, the lower the risk that a penalty procedure is started for filing out of time.

The most common mistake is confusing the number with the card. Having a NIE does not mean having residence: the NIE identifies you, but it is the TIE that proves you reside here legally. In the same way, the card expiring does not mean you lose your number.

Other frequent slips: applying for the first TIE outside the 1 month window following the grant, forgetting to book the fingerprint appointment, or turning up without having paid the tasa or without the original decision. Any of these can force you to repeat the appointment.

If you have any doubt about your situation or your deadlines, Managora reviews your file, tells you exactly which procedure applies to you and files it for you, so that the only trip you make is to give your fingerprints.