Applying for the TIE.
What to bring, and what to do if there are no appointments.
The Foreigner Identity Card is your physical document. Here is the whole procedure, without drama: what to bring, what they no longer ask for, and how to handle the appointment backlog. Your residence does not depend on the card — the full path is in your first-year guide.
Apply for the TIE
The Foreigner’s Identity Card is your physical document. The regulations set a one-month deadline from the date of notification to apply for it at the police station or immigration office in your place of residence, after making an appointment to have your fingerprints taken. The authorities know how backed up the appointments are and, in practice, are not strict about that month: you will not lose your authorization for being late. Book the appointment as soon as you can and, just in case, keep some proof of your attempts.
What to Bring
- Form EX-17, completed and signed.
- Original passport, registration card, or travel document, valid and in good condition.
- A recent color photograph, white background, passport-size.
- Proof of payment of Form 790 fee, code 012.
- Copy of the award decision.
- If you’ve had a TIE before: your previous one or the report filed for loss or theft.
Two things they no longer ask of you (and one they still do)
Instruction 7/2026 of the Secretariat of State for Security, effective as of July 1, 2026, standardized the criteria for the TIE under this regularization process:
- Residency Registration: Generally, it is not required. The address you previously provided will be used. You will only be asked to provide it (if it is less than three months old) if you object to electronic verification or if the government is unable to obtain the information.
- Expired passport: It is accepted on an exceptional basis if you can prove that you have tried to renew it (consular appointment, emails from the consulate, receipts). Keep all of this evidence.
- D.A. 20 only: You must also submit proof of withdrawal of the application for international protection or of the pending appeal.
Even so, keeping your registration certificate up to date costs nothing and saves you a second trip.
What if I can’t get an appointment within the month?
The shortage of appointments for fingerprinting is currently the biggest bottleneck in the process. Nothing bad happens: your authorization does not depend on the card, and in practice the delay is not penalised. To keep the wait short and calm:
- Check the appointment system daily and at different times; slots become available in batches.
- Just in case, keep a screenshot of your attempts: it is rarely needed, but it costs nothing.
- Check availability in other districts within your province.
- Never buy a date. Selling appointments is illegal, and a case related to that practice is a serious problem, not a shortcut.
In the meantime, you remain a legal resident and can work as usual.
Two frequent questions
Can I leave Spain before I have the TIE?
It is strongly discouraged: without the card you have no document guaranteeing your return. Wait until you have it and your passport is valid; then you can leave and come back normally, always making sure absences do not break the continuity of your residence.
I come through A.P. 20. What happens to my asylum application?
The grant requires withdrawing your international-protection application or pending appeal, and that withdrawal must be evidenced with the corresponding receipt when applying for the TIE.
Who signs this guide
José Antonio Rodes López
Lawyer · Admitted to the Alicante Bar Association (ICALI), no. 5,502
More than twenty years supporting people and families who move to Spain and build their lives here. Founder of Overys Migrant Mobility, a firm specialising in immigration and international mobility.
Shall we prepare it together?
Every file has its dates and its nuances. Message us on WhatsApp and we’ll tell you where you stand and what to prepare now; or book a consultation and we’ll go through it in depth.