What is the TIE and when do I need it after arriving in Spain?
The TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) is your physical residence card in Spain, and you must APPLY for it within 30 days of entering the country. The sequence after landing: register your address at the town hall (empadronamiento), book a 'cita previa' at the Foreigners' Office or police station, pay the roughly €16-€25 card fee via form modelo 790 at a bank, then attend the appointment with your documents for fingerprints. The card itself arrives a few weeks later.
The 30-day rule, precisely
The 30 days count from your date of entry into Spain (keep your passport entry stamp as evidence) and the deadline is on applying, not on holding the card. Appointment availability is the notorious bottleneck in big cities, so book the cita previa in your first days, not your first weeks.
Step by step
- Empadronamiento: register your address at the local ayuntamiento (free or a few euros); the certificate is required for the TIE
- Book the cita previa online for 'toma de huellas' (fingerprints)
- Pay the TIE fee, about €16-€25, using modelo 790 codigo 012 at any bank; keep the receipt
- Attend with passport + visa, padron certificate, photos, the paid 790 receipt and form EX-17
- Collect the card a few weeks later (some offices need a second cita for collection)
Streamline the whole process
Visado puts every step in the right order for your course date and walks you through them one at a time. Nothing missed, nothing late.
Start my free planFrequently asked
What happens if I miss the 30-day TIE deadline?
You risk complications with your residence status. If you're close to the limit, having the cita previa booked (even for a later date) is what matters, because the deadline is on applying.
How much does the TIE cost?
Roughly €16-€25, paid in euros at a bank with form modelo 790 codigo 012. Confirm the current tasa when you arrive.
Do I need the padron before the TIE?
Yes. The empadronamiento certificate proves your Spanish address and is part of the TIE application, so do it first.