In short: the TIE (Foreigner Identity Card), often called the Spanish residency card, is the physical card that proves your residence authorisation in Spain and contains your NIE. You obtain it after your residence has been granted, and you must apply in person within one month (art. 209, RD 1155/2024).
In person or by representative?In person, mandatory. Art. 209.1 requires you to apply "in person". The EX-17 form itself says it can only be filed in person at the National Police, not online or at public registries. The TIE contains your facial image and two fingerprints, which are taken from the age of 6 (Regulation (EC) 1030/2002, arts. 4a and 4b). The card is handed to the person concerned, who shows that they are its intended recipient and have paid the fee (art. 209.11). We have found no rule that expressly covers collection by someone else; art. 209.3 puts the steps to obtain and receive the card on the holder, so plan to go yourself. Someone else can help you book the appointment or pay the fee.
Important: the TIE is not the NIE. The NIE is only a number; the TIE is the card that documents your legal status and carries that number (see glossary). Everyone with a visa or authorisation to stay in Spain for more than six months has the right and the duty to obtain the TIE (art. 209.1). The TIE has the same validity period as the authorisation that justifies it and loses validity when that authorisation expires (art. 209.7). It is not issued together with your residence decision: first the authorisation is granted, and then you process the card. To do so you book a prior appointment, attend the fingerprinting and, when the card is ready, collect it.
✈️ With the TIE you can travel in Europe. With your valid TIE and valid passport you can move around the rest of the Schengen area up to 90 days in any 180 (short stays, not for working or residing outside Spain). Always carry both documents; the resguardo or a TIE "in process" does not count. Rules, limits and pitfalls: Travelling in Schengen with your residence.
Documents (check the exact list at your appointment/office; it may vary by authorisation type):
Grant decision (resolución) of your residence authorisation (or the document proving the right).
Form EX-17 — "Application for the Foreigner Identity Card (TIE)" (official form, inclusion.gob.es); what each EX form is for and where to download it: Spanish immigration EX forms.
Fee modelo 790, code 012 paid (the amount varies by card type). Which fee applies and how to pay it: tasa 790 012 and 052.
Valid passport or travel document (original and copy).
One recent passport-size photo, white background.
Where applicable, proof of padrón registration and the documents specific to your authorisation type.
Steps to obtain the TIE after residence is granted (art. 209, RD 1155/2024; fingerprints: Regulation (EC) 1030/2002).
Book a prior appointment for "fingerprinting / TIE issuance" at the Public Administration e-office (icpplus).
Attend the appointment in person: you submit the EX-17 and the documents, and your fingerprints are taken (Regulation (EC) 1030/2002, art. 4b).
Collect the card when it is ready: it is handed to the person concerned, who shows they are its intended recipient (art. 209.11).
Official source: art. 209, RD 1155/2024 (BOE-A-2024-24099) and application forms — Ministry of Inclusion (inclusion.gob.es). (The Policía Nacional e-office, owner of the TIE appointment and fingerprinting, is temporarily unavailable; the appointment is handled at the Public Administration e-office.)
Informational only; check the official source and a professional for your specific case.
Frequently asked questions
What is the TIE and what does the acronym stand for?
TIE stands for “Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero” (Foreigner Identity Card). Under art. 209.2 of RD 1155/2024, it is “the document intended to identify the foreign national for the purpose of proving their legal status in Spain”: the physical card that documents your residence authorisation and has your NIE printed on it. It is personal and non-transferable (art. 209.3) and has the same validity period as the authorisation that justifies it (art. 209.7). It is not issued by the same decision that grants your residence: you apply for it separately.
What requirements and documents do I need to get my TIE card in Spain for the first time?
To apply for the TIE for the first time you need: the grant decision (resolución de concesión) of your residence authorisation, form EX-17 (“Solicitud de Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero”), the fee modelo 790 code 012 paid, a valid passport or travel document (original and copy), a recent passport-size photo with a white background and, where applicable, proof of padrón registration. You apply in person (with a prior appointment for fingerprinting) within one month of the grant. The exact list may vary by authorisation type, so check it at your office.
How is the TIE different from the NIE?
The NIE is only an identification number; the TIE is the physical card that proves your residence authorisation and contains your NIE. Having an NIE does not give you the card: the TIE is obtained separately, once your residence has been granted, by applying in person within one month (art. 209, RD 1155/2024). In short: the card is the TIE, the number is the NIE.
Can I send a representative to get my TIE, or do I have to go in person?
You have to go in person. Art. 209.1 of RD 1155/2024 says the TIE must be applied for in person, and the EX-17 form states that it can only be filed in person at the National Police. The TIE contains two fingerprints, which are taken from the age of 6 (Regulation (EC) 1030/2002, art. 4b). The card is handed to the person concerned, who shows that they are its intended recipient (art. 209.11). We have found no rule that expressly covers collection by someone else, and art. 209.3 puts the steps to obtain and receive the card on the holder, so plan to go yourself. Someone else can help you with the prior appointment or paying the fee.
How long do I have to get my TIE after my authorisation is granted?
One month. Under art. 209.1 of RD 1155/2024, anyone issued a visa or an authorisation to stay in Spain for more than 6 months has the right and the duty to obtain the TIE and must apply for it in person within one month of entering Spain or of the authorisation being granted or taking effect (where applicable, from your Social Security registration, the “alta”). Failing to do so triggers the penalty regime of Organic Law 4/2000 (Ley Orgánica 4/2000).
Can I travel around Europe with my TIE?
Yes: with a valid TIE and a valid passport you can travel in the rest of the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, for short stays (tourism, family, business), not to work or live in another country. You always need both documents, as the TIE does not replace your passport, and the resguardo (receipt) or a TIE “in process” does not count. See [Travelling in Schengen with your residence](viajar-schengen-con-residencia.md).
