TIE vs NIE — the 60-second version
The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is a tax and admin number every foreigner in Spain has. The TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) is the physical plastic card issued to non-EU residents that proves your right to live here. If you're EU, you don't get a TIE — you get a green A4 or credit-card-sized 'Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión'. If you're non-EU and staying more than 6 months, the TIE is mandatory and you have 30 days from entering Spain (or from your visa being approved in-country) to apply.
The three steps
1. Pay the tasa (form 790, código 012)
Download form 790 código 012 from the Policía Nacional site, print it, take it to any bank and pay ~€16–17. Keep the stamped copy — you can't book the cita without it.
2. Book the cita previa
Go to sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es → Cita Previa Extranjería → your province → 'POLICIA-TOMA DE HUELLAS (EXPEDICIÓN DE TARJETA) Y RENOVACIÓN DE TARJETA DE LARGA DURACIÓN'. In Madrid and Barcelona these slots vanish in minutes; check at 8:00 and 9:00 on weekday mornings, and try smaller commissariats not just the central ones.
3. Go to your appointment
Bring passport + one photocopy, EX-17 form filled in, tasa 790 paid, one recent 32x26mm carnet photo (white background), your visa approval / residencia authorisation, and padrón. They take fingerprints, keep the paperwork, and give you a receipt. The physical card is ready in 30–45 days at the same commissariat.
The paperwork checklist
- Passport (original + full-page photocopy).
- Form EX-17 completed and signed.
- Form 790 código 012 paid and stamped by the bank.
- One recent 32x26mm colour photo, white background (any photo booth in Spain).
- Padrón (empadronamiento) from the last 3 months.
- Your visa or residence authorisation resolution.
- For students: proof of enrolment. For workers: contract or alta.
How to actually get a cita in Madrid
Cita hunting in Madrid Extranjería is a sport. Real tactics that work:
- Check the portal daily between 8:00 and 10:00 — new slots drop then.
- Try every province you can reasonably travel to; Toledo, Guadalajara and Segovia are often quicker.
- Don't pay for a 'cita finder' bot — it's the same portal, and the police have started rejecting appointments booked with obviously automated tools.
- If you truly can't find one within your 30-day window, keep screenshots proving you tried, and go to the commissariat in person with your paperwork — they sometimes fit people in.
Renewals and expiry
First TIE is usually valid 1 year, renewals for 2 then 5. Start the renewal 60 days before expiry, latest 90 days after — miss that window and you're technically irregular. The renewal cita category is different from the first-time one on the portal; make sure you pick the right one.