Immigration procedures: NIE, TIE and appointment booking
We bring together the guides for the procedures surrounding any immigration file: the NIE, the foreigner's identity card (TIE), fingerprinting, appointment booking, registration on the padrón and the fees. We explain what each one is for, how to request it and in what order. Practical tips so you don't get lost between offices and deadlines.
- Criminal record certificate with apostille and sworn translation for immigration
Almost every immigration procedure requires your criminal record certificate from your country of origin, and submitting it as is is not enough: it must be legalised or apostilled and accompanied by a sworn translation into Spanish. We explain step by step how to do it correctly and avoid having your file refused over a badly legalised document.
- How to renew your TIE: deadlines and what happens if it expires
Is your card's expiry date approaching? We walk you through, step by step, how to renew your TIE: when to file the application, what documents you need, how much the fee costs and what happens if your card has already expired. Everything updated to the new Immigration Regulation (RD 1155/2024), in plain language and with no fine print.
- How to get an immigration appointment step by step
No appointment, no procedure. We explain how to get an immigration appointment (cita previa) on the electronic portal, which procedures require it and what to do when there are no slots available.
- Difference between NIE and TIE: what they are, what they are for and how to apply
NIE and TIE are not the same thing, even though they are confused every day. Discover what each one is, how they differ and how to obtain them depending on your situation in Spain.