Spain Explained

How to obtain your TIE card in Spain

Last updated on October 1st, 2020 at 04:06 pm.

As the transition period draws to a close details have been released by the Spanish government of the new identity card to validate residency for those UK nationals who live in Spain. In this article we explain what the TIE card in Spain is and what you need to do to obtain one if you are already a resident.

The TIE card in Spain is the new photo ID card that replaces the old green residency certificate or card. It is not essential at this point in time that you exchange your original residency document. However, many people are doing so as the new card can also be used as a form of ID which removes the requirement to carry your passport.

It might also be seen as advantageous to be up-to-date with the latest Spanish documentation as you cannot be sure how requirements will change in the future.

There are two types of TIE cards in Spain. For those people who have had a residency certificate for more than 5 years they will receive a TIE of 10 years duration. For those who have residency for less than five years, it must be renewed every 5 years.

How to replace your green residency document for the TIE card in Spain

The first stage in obtaining your TIE is to make an appointment online in the foreigners’ office where you live. You can do this using this link:

https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/icpco/citar?p=3&locale=es

Here you will have a series of papers to sign whilst they check your documentation. You are given a receipt to show that you have applied and this includes a phone number that you can call after 3 to 4 weeks when you will be told if your TIE is ready for collection.

Once you have confirmation that your new card can be collected then you must go to the offices of Extranjería at the following address Calle Campo de Mirra, 6, in Alicante by appointment to hand in the original residency document and to collect your new TIE card.

The documents you need to present

You will need to bring to your appointment the following documents:

  • A ‘tasa’ or proof of payment of the 12€ charge for the process – for this you need form EX23 and Tasa 790/012
  • Original passport + copy
  • Original residency document + copy
  • Recent and valid padrón + copy
  • Photo ID

People are already successfully applying for their TIE card and although there may be some holdups in access to supporting documentation e.g. the padron, the actual offices for the TIE seem to be functioning smoothly.

More information

You can obtain more information from the official state bulletin:

https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2020-7276

If you are interested to know more about the Ábaco Advisers TIE application service, in conjunction with the re-location expert David Ruiz, please contact us by email at info@abacoadvisers.com or by telephone at 0034 966 703 748.

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28 comments

Andreas

25 August, 2020 9:27 am

Hello, are you saying that even those foreigners who are not British and who have one of those green residency cards need to change theirs into this TIE? The beginning of your article sounds like that.

Oscar Paoli

26 August, 2020 8:27 am

It is not mandatory, nevertheless you have the option to do so and could be beneficial in the future.
With kind regards,
Ábaco Advisers

Hilary Anne Lightfoot

31 August, 2020 6:44 pm

please can you help us with the TIE card can we get help from you as we are not sure where to get form and where the place is to get card we heed phone number we only speak English we would be happy to do it with you we have our residency by green form hope to hear from Hilary Lightfoot

Oscar Paoli

1 September, 2020 3:36 pm

Hi Hilary,

We would recommend you to speak with our relocation adviser collaborator David Ruiz. He will go through everything with you, timing, documentation and costs. If you wish to contact him directly please send him an email at david@torreviejatranslation.com

With kind regards,

Ábaco Advisers

GRENVILLE ELLIOTT

1 September, 2020 6:28 pm

AS A CLIENT OF YOURSELVES,CAN YOU TELL ME THAT AS I GAINED RESIDENCE IN SEPTEMBER 2019, WHEN WILL I/WE (MY WIFE) BE LIABLE FOR TAX?.
I MUST ADD THAT MY WIFE IS IN THE PROCESS OF APPLYING FOR HER “.T.I.E.”,
Many thanks for your help & commments. G.H. ELIOTT.

Oscar Paoli

8 September, 2020 8:35 am

Hi Elliott,

Depending on if she was in Spain for the full 183 days during the year 2019, if this is the case she will be Tax Resident in 2020, if she has not been the 183 days then she will be Tax residents as of 2021.

With kind regards,

Ábaco Advisers

Snr. D Tomlinson

1 October, 2020 11:24 am

The payment form is 790/012

Oscar Paoli

1 October, 2020 4:06 pm

Thank you for your correction, we have now made the change.
Best regards,
Ábaco Advisers

Elizabeth Sharon Rippon

4 November, 2020 6:04 pm

Can you answer this question for me. We have a pardon which is under 5 years old. We were told that this is classed as valid provided it still has the current address as the same as it was issued. Our green residency still has our same address. We have been living in the same property for 13 years. . We are thinking of getting our TIE cards as soon as possible.
Many thanks
Sharon

Oscar Paoli

5 November, 2020 9:16 am

Hi Elizabeth,
Could you please clarify your query?
Kind regards,
Ábaco Advisers

Sharon Vydra

13 January, 2021 12:58 pm

I have been to the police station in Estepona and now I must collect my TIE card but cannot find anywhere to make an appointment. Please help

Oscar Paoli

14 January, 2021 4:15 pm

Hi Sharon,

The closest office to you according to the authorities website is the following:

Calle Valle Inclan S/N – 29680, Estepona (Málaga)

Phone number: 0034 952798530

With kind regards,

Ábaco Advisers

John sadler

5 March, 2021 1:08 pm

Hi
Because of brexit and in the process of applying for TIE, can I stay in Spain longer than the 90 day rule can my partner stay with me too?
Kind regards, john.

Oscar Paoli

8 March, 2021 11:17 am

Hi John,

Applying for a TIE card means that you will be applying for Spanish residency and Spain will be considered as your permanent home. You will be able to stay in Spain for as long as you wish. You will be considered a tax resident in Spain so will have to declare and pay tax on your worldwide income. You will be excluded from the NHS in the U.K. and will have to purchase private medical cover unless you are receiving a state retirement pension and can prove you were living in Spain prior to 31/12/2020. In this case the UK government will pay for your medical cover in Spain. Your partner can stay with you by following the same process. If you partner remains a non-resident then the 90 day rule will apply.

With best regards,

Ábaco Advisers

James

31 March, 2021 2:13 pm

We have Spanish residency from 2007 (A4 green paper form this is in our property in Spain) We are stuck here in Northern Ireland unable to return to Alicante. Having read reports that people entering Spain at Alicante Airport are denied entry and returned to the UK after showing proof of residency. Where does that leave us with no paperwork just our UK passports.
Regards
James

Oscar Paoli

17 April, 2021 9:06 am

Thank your for contacting us. Unfortunately we do not deal with the application process or renewal of residence directly, but we would recommend you to speak with our relocation adviser collaborator David Ruiz. He will go through everything with you, timing, documentation and costs. If you wish to contact him directly please send him an email at david@torreviejatranslation.com

Regarding having to declare any income will depend on your residencia status.

With kind regards,

Ábaco Advisers

Goran Dzatev

1 April, 2021 12:31 pm

Hello

I would like to apply for a residence card in Spain. I lived and worked in Mallorca since March 2019. Do you provide any help in regards to the application. I am british citizen and I also have NIE number.

i am looking forward hearing from you.

Thanks
Kind regards,
Goran

Oscar Paoli

1 April, 2021 3:01 pm

Thank your for contacting us. Unfortunately we do not deal with the application process or renewal of residence directly, but we would recommend you to speak with our relocation adviser collaborator David Ruiz. He will go through everything with you, timing, documentation and costs. If you wish to contact him directly please send him an email at david@torreviejatranslation.com

Regarding having to declare any income will depend on your residencia status.

With kind regards,

Ábaco Advisers

micky

14 June, 2021 3:13 pm

Hi,
I have been told that one can be resident in Spain but doesn’t need to be
fiscal resident in Spain, as long as it can be proved that personal tax is paid in another
country and that that person owns a residence in that country?
Thank you

Oscar Paoli

15 June, 2021 11:19 am

Hi,

If you reside in Spain and under the double taxation treaty you pay Tax on your Worldwide in the Country where you actually reside, therefore if you are a Resident in Spain then you pay Tax here based on your Worldwide Income, it is not possible to choose where you want to pay Taxes.

The Tax is based on your world-wide income and includes pensions, interest, gains or losses in stocks and shares, any rental income etc, please note that any Income received from the Crown Service i.e. Armed Forces, Regional Government, Central Government, Local Government, Fire Service and Police Force, some teaching staff, is dealt with differently, however any other Income you may have is included here. Due to recent changes, pensions received from the National Health Service are no longer included in this bracket. Should you still be paying Tax on any Income except from the Crown Service, at source in the United Kingdom you should request a Form SI 1976 Number 1919 Inland Revenue Office (U.K.) from the Tax Office in Cardiff, in order to stop having any Tax deducted, and thus avoid any possible double taxation.

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any further queries.

With kind regards,

Ábaco Advisers

Rafa

8 July, 2021 1:40 pm

Hello. I’ve enjoyed reading your blogs and this was of recent news As I look forward to returning, I have learned about the need for a NIE card for non-residents. While I already have a NIE number, what guidance can you share about obtaining the card?

I look forward to your reply.

Regards

Rafa

Oscar Paoli

9 July, 2021 9:02 pm

You can only obtain the TIE card if you are permanent resident in Spain, if you are non-resident you will keep your NIE document as identification document.
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any further queries.
With kind regards,
Ábaco Advisers

Ralph Webb

29 October, 2021 11:26 am

I have just applied to replace my NIE for a TIE. I understand the process can take upto 45 days before I can collect my TIE. I will be out of the Country from December 10th until January 14th, is there a “time limit” imposed on the collection of my TIE?
Grateful for your comments.

Oscar Paoli

1 November, 2021 11:01 pm

Dear Mr. Webb,

There is no standard answer. Most immigration offices ask to return in about 40-45 days to collect the card, with or without an appointment, depending on the office, but one takes a long time to return (several months), the immigration office could return the card to Madrid.

In the specific case that you mention, we doubt that there will be any problem.

With kind regards,

Ábaco Advisers

Joy Lynn

13 February, 2022 5:46 pm

Is it true that anyone taking out residencia after December 2021 cannot be out of the country for more than 10 months in the next 5=years thanks

Oscar Paoli

14 February, 2022 11:43 am

Hi,

The rule continues to be to spend at least 180 days in Spain, each year, during those first 5 years, always taking as a reference date the date of issue that appears on the residence card. In other words, it is not a normal year from January to December, but 365 days, with day 1 being the date of issue.

Hope this is of assistance.

With kind regards,

Ábaco Advisers

Elaine Bowe

20 February, 2024 4:20 pm

The Tasa 790 12 will not let me print it out it is completed and states is ready to be printed the gentleman in the printing shop tried for me and received same message.
Where can I get a form to pay same please I have an appointment in Alicante soon.
Regards

Oscar Paoli

4 March, 2024 12:57 pm

Dear Elaine,
You can arrange this via the following link:
https://sede.policia.gob.es/Tasa790_012/ImpresoRellenar
With kind regards,
Ábaco Advisers