Getting your first Spanish ID (DNI) and passport

Terms used

• Registro Civil — The Registro Civil is the civil registry where births, marriages and nationality are officially recorded.
• DNI — The DNI is the Spanish national identity card for citizens.
• TIE — The TIE is the foreigner identity card issued to non-EU residents in Spain.
• Cita previa — A cita previa is an appointment you must book in advance at many Spanish public offices.
• Empadronamiento — Empadronamiento is your registration as a resident at your town hall, which gives you proof of address.
• Tasa — A tasa is an official administrative fee paid to a public body.

Key rules

• Order: The DNI and passport cannot be issued until your nationality is inscribed in the Registro Civil.
• Oath deadline: Take the oath within 180 days of being notified of the grant.
• DNI fee: Pay the DNI fee with form 790, code 011, and bring the receipt.
• Passport: The passport application needs your DNI or, if it is not issued yet, proof of nationality.

The order you must follow

First take the oath, then get your nationality inscribed in the Registro Civil, then request the DNI, then the passport. The DNI and passport cannot be issued before the inscription, so do not book police appointments early and expect them to work.

Take the oath within 180 days of being notified that nationality was granted. The steps below start from that point.

After the oath: get the inscription

At the oath, ask the official to order the inscription of your nationality in the Registro Civil. Some offices do this themselves, but asking removes the risk that it is missed.

Then request the certificate of inscription. You can ask in person, by post or online. Keep it safe, because you need it for the DNI. A copy of the oath record can also serve as proof while you wait.

How long it takes varies a lot. It can be the same day or a few weeks, and busy offices can take longer. Ask the office for its usual time before you book anything at the police.

Request your DNI

The DNI is the Spanish national ID card. You request it at a National Police DNI and passport office, with an appointment (cita previa) booked on the police website once you hold the certificate.

Bring:

• the certificate of inscription
• the receipt for the DNI fee (tasa), paid with form 790, code 011
• your old TIE and foreign passport, which the office usually asks to see
• proof of address (empadronamiento), if your office asks for it
• a recent photo, only if the office does not take one on site

You must attend in person and give your fingerprints. Exact document lists differ by office, so check with yours when you book.

Request your passport

The passport application needs your DNI. If the DNI is not issued yet, the certificate of inscription can serve as proof of nationality. You need to pay the passport fee and bring a photo, and you must attend in person.

Many people apply for the passport on the same visit as the DNI. Ask the office when you book whether this is possible. If you are abroad, you can apply at a Spanish consulate instead.

The process, documents, checklist and questions below cover the detail of each step.

From approval to passport in order

• Read your notification and note the date you received it: as soon as you are notified of the grant

• Book your oath appointment at the Registro Civil or consulate: soon after notification, so the oath falls within 180 days of the day after you are notified

• Gather your oath documents: the notified resolution granting nationality, your valid passport, your TIE or NIE residence card, your birth certificate (legalised or apostilled and translated if requested) and proof of address such as empadronamiento: before the oath appointment

• Bring extras if your office asks: a copy of the grant, the fee receipt, the printed oath form, and for a minor the representative's ID and the family book: before the oath appointment

• Take the oath or promise in person before the Registro Civil or consular official: on the day of your appointment

• Get your nationality inscribed in the Registro Civil and collect the certificate of inscription: right after the oath; the DNI and passport cannot be issued until this is done

• Request your DNI at the police with the certificate of inscription and your other papers: once you have the certificate of inscription

• Request your passport with your DNI, or with proof of nationality: on the same visit as the DNI or after it

• If the inscription is delayed, ask the Registro Civil for an expected date and do not book the police until you have the certificate: if the certificate is not ready after your oath

Documents you need

• Certificate of inscription of your Spanish nationality, issued by the Registro Civil. You need it for the DNI, and for the passport if your DNI is not issued yet.

• Receipt for the DNI fee (tasa), paid with form 790, code 011.

• Your old TIE and foreign passport, which the police office usually asks to see.

• Proof of address (empadronamiento), which some offices ask for.

• A recent photo, only if the office does not take it on site. For the passport you also need a photo.

• Your valid DNI, needed for the passport application.

• Proof of payment of the passport fee.

Checklist

• Request the certificate of inscription, in person, by post or online, and keep it safe.

• Pay the DNI fee and bring the receipt to your appointment.

• Ask the office whether you can request your passport on the same visit as the DNI.

• Bring your DNI or certificate, the passport fee payment and a photo to the passport request.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the nationality inscription take after the oath?

The inscription can take anywhere from the same day to a few weeks, and longer in busy offices. Ask the official to make sure it is ordered, and ask for a certificate of inscription. If you leave without proof, you can request the certificate in person, by post or online from the Ministry of Justice.

Can I ask for the passport on the same day as the DNI?

Yes, you can often request the passport on the same visit as the DNI, once your nationality is inscribed. The passport needs your DNI, or the inscription certificate if the DNI is not issued yet. Check with your police office when you book the appointment.

Do I need an appointment to request the first DNI?

Yes, you need a prior appointment (cita previa) at a National Police DNI and passport office, booked on the police website. You attend in person and give your fingerprints. A photo is usually taken on site.

Can I request my first passport from abroad?

Yes, you can request your first Spanish passport at a Spanish consulate abroad as well as at a police passport office in Spain. You must attend in person with your DNI or inscription certificate, the fee payment and a photo.