Step by Step Guide for British Nationals and Non EU Nationals that need to apply for a TIE as part of moving to Spain

The TIE - Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero in Spain is the residency card that any permanent resident will need. The application for the TIE has to be made in person at the Provincial Foreigners Office, or National Police station in the area that you are living so in the case of Marbella this is on Avenida Duque de Lerma just a few minutes from La Canada shopping centre but you may apply in Estepona or Fuengirola for example.  Note that each individual (that includes children) will need separate appointments.  Here we detail the steps from obtaining the initial visa through to completing your TIE application.

**IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A SPANISH RESIDENCY AND WANT TO EXCHANGE IT FOR A TIE READ THIS ARTICLE INSTEAD!
 

Step 1 : Apply for your visa

Your visa can be applied for at the Spanish Consulate in your country.  If you are from a EU Member state then jump to Step 2!

Once you have your visa application approved you will have to:
1. Enter Spain within 3 months that your visa was issued
2. Apply for your TIE within 30 days of entering
 

Step 2 : Apply for your townhall registration

Once in Spain get your "Certificado de Empadronamiento" from your local townhall

With this official document, your life as a resident becomes much easier! Consider it official proof of residency and address, something that comes in handy when dealing with other government offices (such as the office that handles the Spanish Residency Card process).

Get an appointment for "padron" here in advance https://citaprevia.marbella.es/

Take the following:

• 2 x Copy of passport and original
• 2 x copy of your visa and entry stamp into Spain
• Proof of address - rental contract for at least 6 months or your title deeds if you have bought a house
• Proof of rent payment if renting

You will be called by name and the appointment will be fast but be prepared to wait a little while as appointments don't always run on time.
 

Step 3 : Make an appointment for your TIE

You can do this before you get your Certificado de Empadronamiento and don’t be alarmed if there are no available TIE appointments for 4 or more weeks. Even though you technically need to apply for your Spanish residency card within 30 days of arriving in Spain, it seems that this rule is ignored a little. In reality, it has to be ignored since it’s common to wait over a month to get an appointment! So, if the available appointments are 1 or more months away, don’t worry, just book the earliest one you can.

Here’s how to book your TIE appointment:

• Visit this government website
• Choose Malaga province from the drop-down list
• On the next page, choose “Policia – Toma de Huellas (Expedicion de tarjeta) Y Renovacion de Tarjeta de Larga Duracion“
• *IF YOU ARE BRITISH choose " POLICIA - Exp Tarjeta asociada con el retirada....(Brexit)"
• Click “Entrar” on the next page
• Fill out the form with your NIE number (it’s on your visa), your name and country of nationality (Leave the “Fecha de Caducidad de su tarjeta actual” blank.)
• On the next page, fill out your telephone number and email address and choose “Solicitar cita”
• A drop-down menu will appear with the office locations you can choose from
• Choose a day/time that works for you and confirm your appointment

*Important: Be sure to save the confirmation that appears on your screen as you will absolutely need to take this confirmation paper to your appointment!
*Important: The available appointments change all the time. Keep checking. When I went on the site the first time, the earliest appointment was 4 weeks away. But then I checked one day later and suddenly appointments were available later that same week.
*Important: You need a separate appointment for each person if you are applying as a couple or family.

Step 4: Gather your Documents

Here is a list of everything you need for the TIE appointment:

1. Passport – Take the original and 2 photocopies of your passport details page, your visa and the entry stamp you received at immigration when entering Spain, or whichever country in the Schengen zone that you entered first.
2. 2 x recent passport photos (headshots)
3. Appointment confirmation – Two copies of your appointment confirmation document that you saved after making the appointment.
4. Resolution letter (only if a visa was required)– This Carta de Resolucion is a simple document that confirms that you did indeed apply for and receive visa. Yes, even though you have the visa in your passport, you might still need this document. Luckily, it’s very easy to obtain. Visit this official website, fill out the form with your NIE number (it’s on your visa), the date you initially applied for your visa and your year of birth. Click “Consultar” and you’ll be taken to a screen with the details of your visa. Print out two copies of this confirmation.
5. Proof of address – Even though you now have the Certificado de Empadronamiento, we advise to still take an official apartment rental contract (original and photocopy) as extra insurance if you are not a house owner
6. Application form – Fill out the TIE application form (Form Modelo EX17 if you are not British or Form EX23 if you are British) and bring two copies with you.
7. Tax payment form - Form 790 – Codigo 012 – This is the form that helps you pay the fee for your TIE card. You need to fill out the form online, download it, print it out, sign it and then take it to a bank and then take a copy of the stamped paper to the appointment.

When filling out Form 790-012:
– Fill out the entire first section (Identificacion).
– In the Autoliquidacion section, check the circle next to “TIE que documenta la primera concesión de la autorización de residencia temporal, de estancia o para trabajadores transfronterizos“. Do not do anything else in this section.
– Under “Localidad”, enter the city in Spain where you are living.
– Under “Ingreso”, choose “En efectivo” (paying in cash).
– Download the completed form (all 3 pages) by clicking on the blue button at the bottom.
You’ll now need to print out the form, sign it and take it to the bank (in Spain) to pay the fee.  Most Spanish banks only allow payments for taxes first thing in the morning eg. 9-11am so don't leave this until last minute as it could be frustrating to find a bank at the right time of day!
The current fee for the TIE is 15,74 Euros. You simply pay that amount, the banker stamps your form and you’re good to go.

*My Guide Marbella tip! Get a Spanish mobile phone number! This is important as they might not accept a foreign phone number on the forms and in the government registration system.

It is not impossible to complete this procedure without knowing the Spanish language but it is most certainly a challenge even with our clear instructions!  We would advise gaining the help of a Spanish speaking friend, lawyer or what is known as a "gestor" here to assist.  You can find several recommendations here or feel free to reach out to us at the My Guide Marbella office!