How Spain's online offices (sede electrónica) work

Terms used

• Sede electrónica — The sede electrónica is a public administration's official online office, where filings have legal effect.
• Cl@ve — Cl@ve is the state's shared login system for public online services.
• FNMT — The FNMT is the public mint that issues the electronic certificate used to identify yourself online.
• DNIe — The DNIe is the Spanish electronic ID card with a chip for online identification.
• NIE — The NIE is the identification number given to foreigners in Spain.
• TIE — The TIE is the foreigner identity card issued to residents.
• Apoderamiento — An apoderamiento is a registered authorisation letting another person act for you before public offices.
• Gestor — A gestor is a professional who handles paperwork with public offices on your behalf.

Key rules

• Legal effect: Only the official sede gives your filing legal effect, so confirm the address and secure connection first.
• TIE: Your TIE card is not an electronic ID, so it will not log you in by itself.
• No digital ID: Without Cl@ve or a certificate, use a representative or file on paper.

What a sede electrónica is

A sede electrónica is the official online office of a Spanish public administration. The tax agency, Social Security, traffic authority and immigration offices each have one. Anything you file there has legal effect, which an ordinary information website does not give you.

Procedures that need your identity must go through the sede. So check that the address belongs to the real administration and uses a secure connection. Sedes also publish who owns them and how to complain.

Identification decides whether you can use it

Almost every online filing asks you to prove who you are. The main portals accept three methods:

• Cl@ve, in its Cl@ve PIN or Cl@ve Permanente form.
• An electronic certificate, such as the FNMT certificate for individuals.
• The DNIe, the electronic ID card. Most newcomers do not have one.

Your foreigner ID card (TIE) does not work as an electronic ID on its own. Non-residents usually rely on the FNMT certificate, or on Cl@ve registered with a NIE.

How foreigners get a digital ID

FNMT certificate. Request it online with your NIE or passport. Then prove your identity in person at an accreditation office, for example a police or tax office.

Cl@ve. Register with your NIE or TIE. You can do it in person at an office, by video call, or online if you already have a certificate. Cl@ve Permanente needs a mobile number and an email address. It often also needs a letter code or an in-person check.

Some procedures accept a one-off reference number instead. The tax agency's income tax reference is an example. These are exceptions.

If you have no digital ID yet

Without Cl@ve or a certificate, most online filings are not possible. You have three options:

• A representative. Someone with their own digital ID files for you. This needs a registered power of attorney (apoderamiento) or a representation form. A gestor or lawyer can do this.
• Paper. File at an Oficina de Asistencia en Materia de Registros, at a post office, or in person at the competent office. This usually needs an appointment.
• A limited route. A few procedures allow filing without a digital ID. Check whether yours does.

If a deadline is close, start with a representative or paper filing while you get your own ID. The choice and document lists below help you pick.

Choosing between options

How will you identify yourself on a Spanish online office?

• FNMT certificate: You have a NIE or passport and can visit an accreditation office, such as a police or tax office, to prove your identity. It suits non-residents.

• Cl@ve: You have a NIE or TIE and a mobile number and email. You can register in person, by video call, or online with a certificate.

• A representative: You cannot get a digital ID yet. A gestor, lawyer or someone with a registered power of attorney files for you with their own ID.

• Paper filing: No online route is open to you. File at a registry office or post office, or in person, usually with an appointment.

Use the first option that you can get in time: your own certificate or Cl@ve, then a representative, then paper.

Documents you need

• Your NIE or passport, needed to request an FNMT electronic certificate online before proving your identity in person at an accreditation office such as a police or tax office.

• Your NIE or foreigner ID card (TIE), needed to register for Cl@ve in person, by video call, or online with a certificate.

• A mobile number and an email address, needed for Cl@ve Permanente, which often also needs a letter code or in-person check.

• A registered power of attorney (apoderamiento) or representation form, only if someone else files for you because you have no digital ID.

Checklist

• Check that the address belongs to the official sede electrónica of the administration, with its secure connection and published owner and complaints details.

• Look at which identification methods the portal accepts: Cl@ve, an electronic certificate, or the DNIe.

• Use the sede for any procedure that needs your identity, because only it gives your filing legal effect.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my TIE card to log in to a sede electrónica?

No, the TIE card of a resident cannot be used as an electronic DNI to log in. You still need it to register for Cl@ve, and you can use an FNMT certificate or Cl@ve instead.

Can someone else file online for me if I have no digital ID?

Yes, a representative with their own digital ID can file for you if they act under a registered power of attorney (apoderamiento) or a representation form. A gestor or lawyer can do this for you.

What can I do if I cannot get a digital ID before a deadline?

You can file on paper at an Oficina de Asistencia en Materia de Registros, at a post office, or in person at the competent office, usually with an appointment. A few procedures also allow a one-off reference number, such as the one for the tax return.