Renewing a Spanish TIE: residence approval vs new card
Renewing a Spanish TIE can involve two separate procedures. If you hold a temporary residence or study authorisation, you may need to renew or extend that permission first and then apply for a new physical card. If you already have long-term residence, you normally renew the card without applying again for temporary residence.
The route depends on the status shown on your current card. This guide explains Spanish TIE renewal requirements, how the residence decision and police appointment fit together, what to bring, and how to prepare the printed TIE photo.
Table of contents
- What does it mean to renew a TIE in Spain?
- Which TIE renewal route applies to you?
- When should you renew your Spanish TIE?
- Step 1: Renew your residence or stay authorisation if required
- Step 2: Book the TIE fingerprint appointment
- What documents do you need for a renewed TIE?
- How much does Spanish TIE renewal cost?
- Spanish TIE renewal photo requirements
- Get your Spanish TIE renewal photo online with Visafoto
- What happens at the fingerprint appointment and card collection?
- Can you travel while TIE renewal is pending?
- Spanish TIE renewal checklist
- Frequently asked questions about Spanish TIE renewal
What does it mean to renew a TIE in Spain?
The Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE) is the physical card that identifies you and documents your right to stay in Spain. It is not the same thing as the underlying residence or stay authorisation. Nor is it the same as your Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE), the identification number printed on the card. For an explanation of first-time applications, see our guide to getting a TIE in Spain.
| Procedure | What it deals with | Who handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal or extension of an authorisation | Your permission to reside or stay in Spain | The immigration authority (Extranjería), under the rules for your particular status |
| Renewal or issue of a TIE | The physical document showing that status | The National Police, usually at an in-person appointment |
For many temporary residents, a favourable decision on the authorisation comes before the new card. Long-term residents follow a different path: their residence status is indefinite, but the card must be renewed periodically. The current Spanish immigration regulation sets out these distinct procedures.
Which TIE renewal route applies to you?
Temporary residence or a stay for studies
Check the exact category of your authorisation. A work-based permit, non-lucrative residence, family-based permission and stay for studies do not all have the same renewal requirements. If your category requires renewal or extension, submit that application with its supporting evidence first. Once the new authorisation takes effect, request a TIE if a card is required for your renewed status.
Do not treat a police fingerprint appointment as a substitute for renewing your underlying permission. The police issue the card; they do not decide a separate immigration renewal application at that appointment.
National or EU long-term residence
If you already hold residencia de larga duración or residencia de larga duración-UE, you generally apply to renew the TIE itself rather than repeating a temporary-residence renewal. Under the current regulation, the first long-term card renewal is due after five years. Subsequent cards are renewed every five years until the holder turns 30, and every ten years once they have turned 30. Check the expiry date printed on your own card and the procedure applicable to your status.
An expired long-term TIE does not, by itself, extinguish the underlying long-term residence authorisation. It does mean you need to deal with the expired document, and late renewal can have consequences.
A lost card or a change of status
A stolen, lost or damaged TIE calls for a duplicate, not a renewal. If you have been granted a different residence category, you may need a new card reflecting that change. Follow the procedure named in your decision and appointment instructions rather than selecting a renewal simply because you previously held a TIE.
When should you renew your Spanish TIE?
There is no deadline that fits every residence category. First identify whether you are renewing an authorisation, a card, or both. Then check the official instructions for that procedure.
For example, an application to renew a temporary residence and employee-work authorisation is normally filed during the two months before the authorisation expires. It can also be filed within three months after expiry, but late filing may lead to a sanction. Filing within the prescribed period extends the previous authorisation's validity until the application is decided. Following a favourable decision in this category, the holder must personally request the new TIE within one month of notification.
For national and EU long-term residence, the card-renewal application is made during the two months before the card expires. The regulation also allows an application within three months after expiry, although late filing may have consequences. These are card deadlines, not instructions to reapply for a temporary permit.
If your current card expires while a properly filed authorisation renewal is pending, retain the filing receipt and your expired card. The receipt can help show that you applied, but it is not a newly issued TIE and does not by itself settle international travel requirements.
Step 1: Renew your residence or stay authorisation if required
Start with the name of the status on your decision or TIE. Find the matching renewal or extension procedure and check its form, filing period, supporting documents and fee. Requirements may depend on factors such as your employment, family circumstances or study programme. Do not use another applicant's document list as a universal checklist.
Some immigration applications can be submitted online through the Mercurio system, while others may use an immigration office or another channel specified for the category. Keep the submission confirmation and any later notification. If the authority requests additional documents, respond by the deadline stated in that request.
The approval of this first stage renews or extends the relevant permission. It does not automatically put a replacement card in your hands. If a new TIE is required, continue to the police card procedure. If your renewal is refused, do not proceed as though the permission had been approved; read the decision and the available remedies for your case.
Step 2: Book the TIE fingerprint appointment
Once the necessary authorisation has been approved, book the TIE appointment in the province where you live. Long-term residents renewing only their card can proceed to the card procedure without waiting for a new temporary-residence decision.
Use the official cita previa de extranjería appointment system. For a general-regime TIE, the National Police identifies the procedure as "POLICÍA - TOMA DE HUELLA (EXPEDICIÓN DE TARJETA), RENOVACIÓN DE TARJETA DE LARGA DURACIÓN Y DUPLICADO". The displayed wording can vary by province or by case, so confirm that the selected office and procedure match your own application. Save the appointment confirmation.
You must attend the card appointment in person so the police can check your identity and take the required fingerprints. If no slot appears, keep checking the official system and retain evidence of your timely authorisation application or approval. An unavailable appointment does not change the rules for your underlying permit.
What documents do you need for a renewed TIE?
For a routine card renewal, prepare the following before your appointment:
- The completed and signed TIE application form, normally EX-17.
- Your valid passport, travel document or other accepted identification document.
- One recent printed colour photo in the required TIE format.
- Proof that you have paid the appropriate card-issue fee, Modelo 790 Código 012.
- A recent volante or certificado de empadronamiento if your address has changed. It must have been issued less than three months earlier.
Bring your current or expired TIE, appointment confirmation and the favourable renewal decision or other status evidence if your appointment instructions request them. The office may require documents specific to your case, so read the confirmation carefully. Originals are checked at the appointment. Minors must attend with the required parent or legal representative and identification documents. The Spanish Ministry of the Interior's TIE guidance sets out the general card-renewal documents.
How much does Spanish TIE renewal cost?
The fee for renewing an authorisation, where one applies, is separate from the fee for issuing the physical TIE. Do not pay a residence-renewal fee and assume it covers the card appointment.
| Stage | Fee form | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal of an authorisation | Depends on the immigration category. An employee-work renewal, for example, can involve 790 Código 052 for the applicant and 790 Código 062 for the employer. | Follow the fee instructions for your specific authorisation. |
| Issue or renewal of the physical TIE | 790 Código 012 | Select the option corresponding to your card category, such as a renewed temporary card or a long-term residence card. |
The amount payable depends on the option selected and can change. Check the amount generated by the official National Police 790 Código 012 form and keep the payment receipt for the appointment.
Spanish TIE renewal photo requirements
Bring one recent, printed colour photo measuring 32 × 26 mm. The image must show your current appearance, with your face towards the camera and a plain, uniform white background. Use a clear, well-lit image without shadows or objects that obscure your face. The police need a printed photograph for the card appointment, not merely a photo stored on your phone.
The National Police's TIE photo guidance specifies the 32 × 26 mm TIE photo size and the front-facing colour image against a smooth white background. It also says the photo must still faithfully represent your appearance. Do not assume that a photo prepared for another Spanish document or a larger visa-photo format is the correct size for the TIE.
Get your Spanish TIE renewal photo online with Visafoto
You can prepare the photo before the police appointment without visiting a photo studio. Take a picture with a phone or camera and upload it to Visafoto. The starting background does not have to be white: Visafoto can replace it, improve the lighting and image quality, and adjust the crop and framing. Select Spain and the TIE 32 × 26 mm photo format so the result is prepared for this card rather than a generic passport-photo size.
Download the printable photo template and print it on suitable photo paper. Check that the finished print is sharp and measures 32 × 26 mm before taking it to the appointment. Visafoto also checks the prepared image, and support is available if you need help with the result. If the authority rejects a photo purchased from Visafoto, you can request a 100% refund.
What happens at the fingerprint appointment and card collection?
At the appointment, the police check your identity and documents, take your fingerprints and process the application for the new card. Keep the receipt or collection instructions they give you. The time until collection varies by office; the receipt or local office will tell you when and how to collect your TIE.
Bring the documents the office specifies for collection, usually including the receipt and identity document. Your old card may need to be handed over when the replacement is issued. Do not make travel plans on the assumption that the new card will be ready on a particular date.
Can you travel while TIE renewal is pending?
Do not assume that an expired TIE plus a renewal receipt will be enough to re-enter Spain after an overseas trip. Your circumstances and the documents you hold matter, as do the rules for any country through which you travel.
Spain may issue an autorización de regreso (return authorisation) to an eligible person whose residence or stay permission is being renewed or extended, provided they can show that the renewal process was started within the legal period. It is not automatic. Under the current regulation, this authorisation is valid for re-entry through authorised Spanish border crossings, not as a general entry document for other Schengen countries. Check whether you qualify and obtain it before travelling if you will need it.
Spanish TIE renewal checklist
- Identify whether you must renew an authorisation first or only the physical card.
- Check the filing deadline and documents for your exact residence category.
- Keep your authorisation-renewal receipt and favourable decision, where applicable.
- Book the correct police appointment in your province.
- Prepare EX-17, valid identification, the correct 790 Código 012 payment receipt and one 32 × 26 mm printed photo.
- Bring updated empadronamiento if your address has changed, plus any additional documents requested for your case.
- Keep the fingerprint-appointment receipt until you collect the new TIE.
Frequently asked questions about Spanish TIE renewal
Can I get a new TIE before my residence renewal is approved?
If your status requires a renewed authorisation, the favourable decision normally comes before the new TIE application. Renewing the plastic card cannot replace a required decision on your right to reside or stay in Spain. Long-term residents renewing only the card are a different case.
Do long-term residents need to renew their residence permission?
National and EU long-term residence authorisations are indefinite, but their TIE cards must be renewed. The first card renewal is after five years; later intervals depend on the holder's age under the current regulation. Check your own card and any change in your circumstances.
Can I renew a Spanish TIE entirely online?
Some underlying authorisation renewals can be filed online, but the TIE card procedure requires an in-person appointment for identity and fingerprint checks. An online residence application is not the same as receiving a new card.
Does my NIE change when I receive a renewed TIE?
Ordinarily, no. The NIE is your foreigner identification number; the TIE is the physical card on which it appears. Check the details printed on the replacement card when you collect it.
What if my TIE expires while my residence application is pending?
Keep your application receipt and expired card. For procedures in which a timely renewal extends the previous authorisation pending a decision, the legal permission and the physical card's expiry date must still be understood separately. If you need to travel, check whether a return authorisation is necessary before leaving Spain.
How long will the new TIE take after fingerprints?
There is no single collection date for every police office. Follow the collection instructions on the receipt from your fingerprint appointment, and allow extra time if you have a planned trip.
Last updated: 30 September 2026.