Every foreigner in Spain gets a NIE, a number assigned by the Policía Nacional, but how you get it depends on your passport. Non-EU residents receive it on the TIE, a photo card that needs a fingerprint appointment; EU, EEA and Swiss citizens staying more than three months get a registration certificate on the spot; and buyers or heirs who will not live here ask for the number alone. All three are booked free on the Sede electrónica de las Administraciones Públicas, province of Madrid, and paid with the 790 code 012 fee: €16.08, €12.00 and €9.84 respectively. Madrid’s listed office is the Brigada Provincial de Extranjería y Fronteras, at Avenida del Padre Piquer 18.
How do I book a NIE or TIE appointment in Madrid? On the Sede electrónica de las Administraciones Públicas: choose Madrid, then the police procedure for your case (NIE assignment, EU registration certificate or fingerprints for the TIE) and any office with a free slot. Booking is free. Pay the 790 code 012 fee first, €16.08 for a first TIE, and bring form EX17, EX18 or EX15.
The order things happen when you move to Madrid
| Step | What you do | Why it comes here |
|---|---|---|
| Visa | Get your visa or residence permit (non-EU) | The TIE documents a permit you already have |
| Flat | Arrive and find a flat or room | You need an address for the padrón |
| Padrón | Register on the padrón at the city council | Your health card and the youth travel pass ask for it |
| Fingerprints | Book and attend the fingerprint appointment within one month | Real Decreto 1155/2024 sets the deadline |
| Collection | Book a second appointment to collect the TIE | The card is never handed over on fingerprint day |
EU citizens skip the visa, fingerprint and collection steps: they book the registration certificate within three months of arriving and walk out with it. The padrón step is covered in our guide to padrón registration in Madrid, and if you are still choosing where to live, start with the best areas to stay in Madrid and how the rental deposit works.
Which appointment matches your situation
If you are a student or worker from outside the EU with a visa, book fingerprints for a first TIE with form EX17. If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen staying over three months, book the registration certificate with form EX18. A non-EU partner of an EU citizen books the family member card, form EX19, and someone buying or inheriting without moving here books NIE assignment, form EX15.
Americans, Britons arriving after Brexit and most Latin Americans moving for study or work are in the first row. Renewing a TIE costs €19.30 and a long-term resident card €21.87, and anyone with a stay of more than six months needs the card, not just the number.
How to book the appointment
- Open the immigration appointment page of the Sede electrónica de las Administraciones Públicas and pick Madrid.
- Choose the police procedure from the table above.
- Accept any office that offers a slot; it does not have to be the one nearest your flat.
- Enter your name exactly as on your passport and save the confirmation.
Finding a free slot is the slow part in Madrid. Booking is free: the Policía Nacional has broken up groups that captured appointments with bots and sold them for €15 to €200, so a slot offered for money on a messaging app or social network is not one to trust.
What to bring
- First TIE: form EX17, your passport with the visa or approval letter, proof of the paid fee and a recent colour passport photo.
- EU certificate: form EX18, a valid passport or national ID card, the paid fee, and proof of work, enrolment or enough money plus health insurance. Real Decreto 240/2007 rules out a fixed income figure; it is assessed case by case.
- Family member card: form EX19, passport, apostilled and translated marriage or birth certificates, your partner’s ID or EU certificate and three photos.
- NIE only: form EX15, passport and a copy, the paid fee and the document that explains why you need it, such as a deposit contract or an inheritance paper.
The fee that the Policía Nacional sets is filled in on its website and paid at any bank, with no account needed. Arrive with it paid: it is the first thing checked.
Fingerprints, collection and the one-month deadline
You give fingerprints in person at the first appointment. Under Real Decreto 1155/2024 that must happen within one month of entering Spain on a study or residence visa, or within one month of your Social Security registration if you hold a residence and work permit. The card is collected at a separate appointment booked on the same site, using the TIE collection procedure. Keep the fingerprint receipt with your passport until then.
While you wait, travel costs little: under-26s can load the Abono Joven youth pass, and Madrid’s transport zones tell you which monthly pass covers your new address.
FAQ about NIE and TIE appointments in Madrid
Is the NIE the same as the TIE?
No. The NIE is your foreigner identity number and never changes. The TIE is the photo card that non-EU residents carry, with the NIE printed on it. EU citizens get a registration certificate instead of a TIE.
How much does a NIE cost in Madrid?
The 790 code 012 fee published by the Policía Nacional is €16.08 for a first TIE, €12.00 for the EU registration certificate and €9.84 for a NIE for non-residents. You pay it at a bank before the appointment.
How long do I have to apply for my TIE?
One month from arriving in Spain on a study or residence visa, or one month from your Social Security registration on a residence and work permit, under Real Decreto 1155/2024. You apply in person and give fingerprints.
Can I get a NIE before moving to Madrid?
Yes. A NIE for non-residents can be requested at a Spanish consulate with form EX15. It gives you the number for buying property or signing contracts, but it is not a residence permit.
Do I need the padrón before the TIE appointment?
The TIE fingerprint appointment documents a visa or permit you already hold, so book it within your one-month deadline even if your padrón is not done yet. The padrón is what your health card and the Abono Joven youth pass ask for.
Should I pay someone for a NIE appointment?
No. Appointments are free, and the Policía Nacional has broken up groups that grabbed slots with bots and resold them for €15 to €200. Only a slot you book yourself on the official site is safe.
Pick the right procedure first; the slot hunt is long enough without booking it twice.