First week
Time
30 min at the office · weeks for the cita
Cost
€9.84 (tasa 790-012) · €16+ for TIE
Difficulty
Hard
EU vs non-EU
EU/EEA: As an EU/EEA citizen you get your NIE printed on the green "certificado de registro". One trip to the Oficina de Extranjería once you land a cita.
Non-EU: Non-EU citizens get the NIE as part of the TIE residence card application. Apply within 30 days of arriving on your visa. The fingerprint cita is the bottleneck.
What to bring
Passport (plus a copy of every page you've used)
EX-15 form (EU) or EX-17/EX-23 (TIE)
Tasa 790 fee, paid at any bank before your appointment
Proof of why you need it (job offer, lease, school enrolment)
Not needed: The padrón. You can get the NIE first, though some offices like to see it
Your options
Oficina de Extranjería (DIY)
The official route. Free-ish, slow
€9.84 to 16
Book the cita previa on the sede electrónica. Slots drop in the morning; check daily at 8:30 and refresh. Wrong-office slots are sometimes transferable.
Gestoría / relocation agency
They chase the cita for you
€100 to 250
A gestoría handles the forms and hunts appointments. Worth it if your visa clock is ticking and the portal shows nothing for weeks.
Spanish consulate (before you move)
Get the NIE from home
~€10
Consulates issue NIE numbers abroad, usually in 2 to 5 weeks. Handy for signing a lease remotely. But non-EU still need the TIE after arrival.
Prices checked June 2026
Do it
- 1
Book the cita previa
sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es → your province → "Policía – Certificado de registro" (EU) or "Toma de huellas (TIE)" (non-EU). Keep trying; slots vanish in minutes.
- 2
Pay the tasa 790 at a bank
Download the form, take it to any bank branch or pay by card at some ATMs. Bring the stamped proof, no payment, no NIE.
- 3
Show up with originals and copies
Passport, forms, fee receipt, photos, and your proof of purpose. The clerk keeps the copies; bring two of everything anyway.
- 4
Collect your certificate or card
EU citizens walk out with the green certificate. TIE cards are ready for pickup in 30 to 45 days, same office, new cita.
Words you'll hear
NIENEE-eh
Your foreigner ID number. Needed for the bank, the lease, the job, everything. Yours for life.
TIE
The physical residence card non-EU citizens carry; the NIE number is printed on it.
Cita previaSEE-ta PREH-vya
The online appointment every office requires. On an island with one Extranjería office, slots vanish fast — check daily.
Common questions
Can I get the NIE before I move?
Yes. Spanish consulates issue NIE numbers remotely. If you know you're coming, requesting it from home removes the worst queue from your landing month.
No citas anywhere, what now?
Check at 8am and around midnight, try the Comisarías in Inca or Manacor for the TIE fingerprinting step, and if weeks pass, a gestor with slot-hunting tools (€50 to 150) is a legitimate purchase.
Does the NIE expire?
The number is yours for life. Cards and certificates renew; the NIE printed on them never changes.
Read more
NIE and TIE in Palma, step by step
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