Are you a UK resident on non-EU origin, planning to stay in the Spain for more than six months? Then, it is imperative that you secure a Spanish TIE Card after applying for Long Stay Spain Visa. Also called as the Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero, this document is key to helping you secure legal residency in Spain.
The TIE residence document gives you the right to live, work and access the services provided in Spain. These include healthcare and the banking as well!
Intending to move to the Spain for reuniting with your family, employment, study or relocation purposes?
After successfully completing the Spain Schengen Visa Appointment, you will receive this resident document. It will give you the right to be a legally residing foreigner in Spain.
But, how to apply, and what documents are required?
Navigating the entire process of TIE card might seem daunting. That is why, this guide is expertly curated to ensure that you successfully obtain TIE Card of Spain. In addition to this, if you need support for the Spain visa appointments for a Long Stay visa, you will get more details about it at the end of this guide.
The Spanish TIE Card, which many call as the Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero is an official identification document.
It is issued to the foreign nationals who are authorized to legally live and reside in the Spain for more than six months.
The TIE Card of Spain serves as the proof of the legal residency. It includes various details of the holder such as:
The TIE card is biometric in nature and you cannot transfer it. This card is very important and essential for the non-EU citizens who want to:
Important Fact: This TIE Card of Spain is not a visa. Instead it is more of a residence document that you will receive after successfully securing a Spain Long Stay Visa.
Read blog: How to Apply for a Spanish TIE Card: Are you Eligible?
One important thing that you must understand is the time duration within which you need to secure your TIE Card.
After you arrive in the Spain, thanks to your Long Stay Visa, you must apply for the TIE card residence document immediately. Within 30 days, you must secure your Spanish TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) card.
This deadline is applicable to all the non-EU nationals who hold a visa or authorization to stay in the Spain for more than six months.
What happens if you miss the one-month deadline to apply for Spain TIE Card?
Well, the authorities may still be lenient and grant you the TIE Card. But, it is recommended apply as soon as you arrive in the Spain. This way, you avoid any sort of complications later!
Did you know? Recent data suggests that around 700,00 people have secured their Spanish TIE card till now!
Here are the type of visitors or applicants who will need to apply for a Spanish TIE Card:
1). Long Term Spain Visa Holders – This is one of the major requirements for non-EU nationals who intend to stay in the Spain for more than 6 months. If you belong to a country that is not a part of the EU and have a long-term visa, you are required to apply for TIE Card in Spain. So, let’s stay you are legally residing in the UK, but you are a third-world country citizen who got approval for Long Stay Spain Visa. Your reason for the long stay could be for employment, reunification with the family study or any other purpose.
2). UK Citizens* – If you are a legal citizen of the UK but you move to the Spain after Brexit.
3). Long Term Residents – You are an applicant who holds a Spain Residence Permit. Or, you are trying to have your temporary stay converted into a long-term residence in the Spain.
4). Renewing Residence Card – If you intend to renew the Spanish Residence Card that you currently have. You do this by changing your legal status.
Interesting Fact – The workforce in Spain is growing at a fast pace, post 2022. About half a million international professionals have joined employment positions, requiring the need for Spanish TIE Card.
1). Book Your Spain TIE Card Appointment
After you reach the Spain, the first thing that you must do is securing an appointment or the cita previa. You must do this within the 30 days after your arrival.
You can secure the appointment in two ways:
Make sure to choose the right province while applying for the appointment. In addition to this, you must choose the correct service. It will have the name:
“Policía – Toma de Huellas (Expedición de Tarjeta)”
In simple terms, this is process that involves police taking your fingerprints during the appointment. This is a crucial step that will eventually lead to successful acquisition of Spain TIE Card.
2). Collect all the required documents for TIE Spain Identity Card
These are the important documents that you must gather. Make sure to have the original as well as the copies:
You may be requested some additional documents like:
But, this will depend on the type of visa that you have or applied for.
You must carry all the required documents to the immigration office, including the copies. The immigration office or the police will not make copies for you.
Note – If the officials request, you may need to get the documents translated into the Spanish officially.
3). Attend the Spanish TIE Card Appointment
The next step is to simple attend the appointment for the Spain TIE Card. Make sure to bring all the requested documents when you come for the appointment.
During the appointment, the relevant authority or office will carry out the following:
After the process is complete, you will receive a receipt or the resguardo. This will confirm your Spain TIE Card application.
Important Step – Make sure to keep the receipt secure. This actually acts as a proof of your residency status, temporarily, till you get the physical card.
4). Collect Your TIE Spain Foreigner Identity Card
After successfully completing the Spain TIE Card appointment, you will need to wait for about 30 to 45 days. During this time, your TIE card will be processed by the authorities. After successfully processing it, they will send a notification to you.
After receiving this, you will need to head over to the nearest police station. Here, you can collect the physical card. Before visiting the police station, have your passport and the receipt handy that was given to you during the appointment.
Important Task – Check the TIE card, for any errors/mistakes. Only after verifying this, sign to accept it.
The validity duration of a TIE Card of Spain usually depends on the type of Long Stay Visa or Residence Permit you hold:
Another thing that you must keep in mind is the renewal of the Spain TIE Card.
You already know that applying for Spain TIE card within 30 days of arrival in Spain is preferable.
Similarly, the authorities have laid down a time duration before which you must renew your TIE Card in Spain.
So, you must apply for renewing your TIE Card, 60 days before it expires. If you are wondering about the process, then it is pretty much the same. You secure the appointment, collect the documents, submit them during the appointment and get your card!
Here are some of the most common mistakes that you must avoid to ensure a hassle-free Spain TIE Card acquisition experience:
1). Do not miss the 30-day application deadline – It is better to apply for the TIE Card, 30 days after you arrive in Spain. If you do not, then, you may be subject to fines or the other issues.
2). Do not submit incomplete/incorrect paperwork – Always double check the documents that you collect before applying for the TIE card. Furnishing outdated documents or missing paperwork will lead to delays in your TIE Card processing.
3). Spain Visa is Sufficient? – Not exactly! You will still need to secure a TIE Spain Residence Card while holding the Long Term Spain Visa. This will help prove that you are legally residing in the Spain for longer durations (more than 6 months).
4). Skipping Empadronamiento – One of the important steps in the TIE Card process is registering with the local town hall. Its address should match the one that you provide in the application. New applicants may overlook it, but it is crucial for your TIE process.
5). Missing the Card Collection Appointment – After completing the appointment, you can collect the TIE Card in the next 30 to 46 days. For this, you need to visit the nearest police station to collect the physical card. If you don’t you will not be able to secure your Spain TIE Card.
The TIE Card in Spain comes with a lot of benefits, some of which include the following:
Overall, having a national ID, like Spain TIE Card elevates your status to a legal resident and gives a host of benefits that you can enjoy in Spain!
One of the crucial steps that you will need to do in order to apply for Spain Long Stay visa is getting an appointment on time.
But, this becomes a daunting task, especially during peak tourist seasons or the holiday season. This is when thousands of applicants try to book the appointment.
However, there are only limited Spain Schengen visa appointment slots. This often leads to delays in securing an appointment which results in delaying your visit to Spain.
This is where Schengen Travel Guide, trusted Spain Visa Agents in UK come into the picture. We have a team of experts with 12+ years of experience in helping applicants with lightning-fast appointment scheduling.
Whether it is the holiday season or peak tourist season, our experts will book a Spain visa appointment for you anytime!
If you want an expedited Spain visa appointment, duly fill the online application form and submit it. Our experts will connect with you and book an appointment for you, as per your travel needs to ensure maximum convenience!
At first glance, securing your Spanish TIE card might seem like a complicated task, filled with different tasks. However, after understanding it, step-by-step, you will realize that it is pretty easy.
Now, you just simply need to follow the steps and secure your TIE card in no time. If you intend to move to the Spain for employment, studies, family reunification purposes etc., it is imperative that you have the Spanish Foreigner identity card. This will enable you to secure your residency in the Spain legally. After having it, you can avail a wide range of services in the Spain and ensure a comfortable stay for yourself and your dear ones if they are staying with you!
No, you can only obtain the Spain TIE Card after you arrive in the Spain with a Long Stay Spain Visa. So, a long-stay visa gives you the eligibility to enter the Spain for stays longer than 6 months and the TIE Card gives you the right to legally live in the Spain as a resident.
Yes, you can easily travel within the Spain as long as you have the receipt that you received after successfully completing the appointment. However, if you want to travel the Schengen region, you will need to wait till you get the physical TIE card.
No, if the applicant holds a Spain Tourist Visa, they are not eligible to apply for the TIE Card. You will need to travel to the Spain with a Long Stay visa after which you become eligible to apply for the TIE Card in Spain.
