Carrying and showing your residence card (TIE) in daily life

Key rules

• Original card: Keep your original card with you, because the police can ask for it and a photocopy is not enough to prove your status.
• Copies: A photocopy or scan is fine for most landlords and routine uses.
• Your card stays with you: Private parties have no right to take or hold your card.
• Bank: Take the original TIE and passport in person when opening an account.

Carry the original

Keep your original TIE with you. The police can ask for it, and a photocopy will not prove your status. If you are stopped without it, you will usually be told to bring your papers to a police station within a set time. A fine is possible but rare when you show valid papers afterwards.

If your card is lost or stolen, report it to the police and request a replacement.

EU citizens follow a separate identity rule, so this page does not apply to them.

Who may ask to see it

The police (Policía Nacional, Guardia Civil and local police) can ask for your TIE or passport to identify you. You must show it.

Public offices such as the Tax Agency, Social Security and your town hall can ask for it when a procedure needs it.

Private parties can ask only for what they need for a legitimate purpose:

• Your employer must check your work authorisation.
• A notary needs it to identify you.
• A bank must verify your identity under anti-money-laundering rules.
• A landlord needs it for the lease.
• A hotel must record its guests' details.

When a copy is enough

For routine uses, a photocopy or scan is fine. Keep a few at home.

• Landlords usually accept a copy. Many also ask to see the original, so bring it.
• Banks nearly always want the original TIE and passport in person when you open an account, and they keep a copy. Some banks offer online sign-up with a video identity check. This varies by bank and branch, so ask before you go.

Limits on private parties

Under data protection rules, a private party should not keep a copy without a legal basis. Ask why they need it. Nobody except the police and public authorities can take your card or hold it, so never leave the card itself with anyone. If a business insists, you can complain to the data protection authority (AEPD).

The documents, checklist, warnings and quick answers below cover the rest, including hotels, flights and travel.

Documents you need

• Your original residence card (TIE), issued by the police. Keep it with you, because the police can ask for it and a photocopy is not enough to prove your status.

• Your passport, which the police can also ask for to identify you.

• A photocopy or scan of your TIE, enough for most landlords and routine uses. Many landlords still want to see the original.

• Your original TIE and passport, taken in person when you open a bank account. The bank keeps a copy, and a photocopy alone is usually refused.

Checklist

• Carry your original TIE whenever you go out, and keep a photocopy for routine uses.

• Show the card to the police (Policía Nacional, Guardia Civil or local police) when they ask for identification.

• Show the card to your employer, notary, bank, landlord or hotel only for what they need, such as work authorisation, a lease or guest registration.

• Hand over a photocopy to a landlord, and bring the original so they can check it.

• Take the original TIE and passport to the bank in person when opening an account.

• Ask any private party who wants to keep a copy why they need it, and refuse to leave the card itself with them.

• Report a loss or theft to the police and request a replacement.

What to watch out for

• A photocopy will not prove your status to the police: If the police stop you and you only have a photocopy, it is not enough. Not holding or showing your papers is a minor administrative offence. You will usually be told to present them at a police station within a set time, and a fine is possible but rare when you show valid papers afterwards. Carry the original card, and if you are asked to go to a police station, bring it within the time given.

• A bank may refuse a photocopy: Banks must verify your identity, so a photocopy alone is usually rejected when you open an account.

• Private parties cannot keep your card: Landlords, banks, hotels and employers have no right to take or hold your card, and they should not keep copies without a legal reason. Show the card and take it back straight away. If a private party insists on keeping copies, take the dispute to the data protection agency (AEPD).

Quick answers about using your residence card (TIE)

Can I give my landlord a photocopy of my TIE?

Yes, landlords usually accept a photocopy or scan of your TIE, though many also ask to see the original to check it. Keep copies for routine uses and the original for formal procedures.

Can I use my TIE as ID for hotels and domestic flights?

Yes, your TIE is a valid identity document for hotels and domestic flights in Spain, as long as the card has not expired. Some hotels and airlines also ask for your passport, so bring it if you have it.

Can I travel abroad with only my TIE?

No, your TIE is not a travel document on its own, so you need your passport for Schengen and other trips. Bring the TIE too, because you need it to re-enter Spain.

How do I get an official certificate of my residence status?

There is no single standard certificate for non-EU nationals, but you can ask for a certificate of your residence data from the foreigners' office or the Policía Nacional. Book an appointment (cita previa) or apply online with a digital certificate. EU citizens use their own registration certificate, and the fee depends on the document.