NIE and TIE in Spain: differences, requirements and how to apply

The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is a personal, unique and exclusive number that Spain's National Police assigns to foreigners who have dealings with Spain. The TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) is the physical card you must get if you arrive with a visa or permit to stay longer than six months. You request the NIE with form EX-15 and the TIE with form EX-17, both through the National Police, and both are paid with fee form 790 code 012.

What the NIE is in Spain

The NIE is a number, not a card. The current immigration regulation, approved by Royal Decree 1155/2024, defines it as a personal, unique and exclusive sequential number used to identify you. It is the reference Spanish authorities use for you in any procedure you carry out.

There are two ways to get one. If you start an immigration procedure or arrive with a visa for more than 90 days, the Police assigns it automatically and you do not apply separately. If you will not live in Spain but have economic, professional or social interests there, you apply yourself. Two conditions apply: you cannot be in Spain irregularly, and you have to state why you need the number.

One point worth getting straight early: official consular information says the NIE does not allow you to reside in Spain and does not prove residence. Holding the number does not make you a resident.

What the TIE is and who has to get one

The TIE is the document that identifies you and proves your legal status in Spain. It is personal and non-transferable, and it lasts as long as the permit behind it: when the permit expires, so does the card.

You need one if you hold a visa or a stay or residence permit for more than six months. The regulation frames it as both a right and a duty, and sets the deadline: apply in person within one month of entering Spain or of the date your permit takes effect. The starting point varies by permit type. For some it is entry on the visa, for others it is registration with Social Security, and for renewals it is notification of the decision. Check your visa or decision letter and write down your date on the day you land.

NIE and TIE in Spain side by side

How to apply for the NIE with form EX-15

1. Download form EX-15 from the National Police e-office and fill it in. State your reason clearly: the Police requires you to explain why you need the number.
2. Generate fee form 790 code 012 on the Police e-office, choosing NIE assignment at the applicant's request, and pay it at a bank, savings bank or credit cooperative. You do not need an account with that institution.
3. Book an appointment through the immigration appointment system on the Public Administrations e-office, choosing your province and procedure.
4. Bring the EX-15, the payment receipt and your valid passport with a copy of the data page, which is what consulates ask for on this same procedure.
5. Wait for the decision. The official procedure sheet sets a maximum of five days, and if there is no answer by then the application is considered rejected.

You can also start from home: the Police processes NIE applications through Spanish consular offices. Each consulate publishes its document list, the fee and payment method, and some send the number by email.

How to apply for the TIE with form EX-17

1. Work out your one-month deadline from the date that applies to your case and put it in your calendar.
2. Book an appointment in the same immigration appointment system. At Police offices the procedure is listed as fingerprinting (card issuance).
3. Fill in form EX-17 and pay fee 790 code 012 under the exact concept for your case: first grant, renewal and long-term residence cost different amounts.
4. Go in person to the immigration office or police station where you live, with the EX-17 and the payment receipt.

The Police general procedure sheet only lists the EX-17 and the fee receipt. Guides the Police itself publishes for specific cases add a valid passport with a copy and a photo meeting Spanish ID card requirements. Bring them even if your sheet does not mention them, along with your visa or decision letter. Each office may ask for additional documents and the rules can change, so check the official sheet the week of your appointment.

If you lose the card, the replacement does not count as a renewal: it keeps whatever validity the original had left.

If you hold another EU country's passport

If you arrive with an Italian passport or one from another EU country, your document is different: if you will live in Spain for more than three months, you request the EU citizen registration certificate with form EX-18, within three months of arrival, at the immigration office of your province or the relevant police station. It is issued on the spot and shows your foreigner identity number.

The 790 code 012 fee and money during the process

These are the amounts in the National Police fee table, checked in November 2026:

• NIE assignment at the applicant's request: 9.84 euros.
• Certificates or reports at the applicant's request: 7.31 euros.
• TIE for a first temporary residence permit: 16.08 euros.
• TIE for a temporary residence renewal or stay extension: 19.30 euros.
• TIE for long-term residence: 21.87 euros.
• EU citizen registration certificate: 12.00 euros.

Other cases carry their own amount, so check the table before paying. You pay at the institution before the appointment and keep the receipt. Save one copy on your phone and one on paper.

The real money pressure in those first weeks is not the fee. It is rent, the deposit and living until the first salary arrives. If family is sending you money in the meantime, BNKA is one of the payment tools you can use to send and receive money from Argentina, Peru or Colombia. You see the terms of each operation in the app before you confirm. More practical guides for your first months are on the BNKA blog.

Common mistakes with the NIE and TIE

• Assuming the NIE lets you live in Spain. It does not: it is a number, and residence comes from the permit.
• Missing the one-month TIE deadline. Look for a slot as soon as you arrive or are notified, not in the last week of your deadline.
• Paying the fee under the wrong concept. First grant and renewal have different amounts.
• Showing up without the payment receipt or without copies. Bring everything printed.
• Applying for a general-regime TIE with an EU passport, when what applies is the registration certificate.
• Buying an appointment from a third party. Book only through the official e-office. Our guides on settling in Spain cover the most common traps.

Official sources

• National Police: NIE assignment (EX-15)
• National Police: initial or renewal residence card (EX-17)
• National Police: fee amounts
• National Police: form 790 code 012
• National Police: EU citizen registration certificate (EX-18)
• Public Administrations e-office: immigration appointments
• Official State Gazette (BOE): Royal Decree 1155/2024, immigration regulation

Worth stating plainly: BNKA is a technology platform. Financial services are provided by regulated partner institutions, and the terms in force for any given operation live in the app and in the terms and conditions.

This is not financial, legal, tax, or investment advice.