Tracking your filing and getting a copy of your file

Terms used

• Carpeta Ciudadana — Carpeta Ciudadana is the central government portal where you see your open files, notifications and registry entries with the state administration.
• Cl@ve — Cl@ve is the government's electronic login system for online procedures.
• Mercurio — Mercurio is the Ministry of Inclusion's platform for checking the status of residence and nationality files.
• DEHú — DEHú is Spain's single electronic address where official notifications from the administration are delivered.

Key rules

• Right of access: You can ask for a copy of the documents in your own open file.
• Closed files: Use a transparency request, which has a one-month reply time.
• Notifications: Check DEHú regularly so you do not miss an official notice.
• Other people's files: A third party needs a legitimate interest to get a copy.

Where to check the status of your file

Start with Carpeta Ciudadana. Log in with Cl@ve or a digital certificate and you can see your open files with the state administration, your notifications, your registry entries and the personal data held about you.

Many offices also have their own tracking page on their electronic site. Look for a section called "Mis expedientes" or "Consulta del estado de tramitación". You usually enter your file number and your ID.

Residence and nationality files

If your file is about residence or nationality, use Mercurio. It shows the status of your application when you enter your ID and file number. The Policía has a similar status lookup.

Regional offices and city councils run their own tools. Not every file appears in every tool, so if yours is missing from one, try the office's own page.

Don't miss official notices

Check DEHú, the single electronic address where official notifications appear. A notice you do not open can still count against you, so look regularly.

How to get a copy of your file

You have the right to know the status of your procedure and to get copies of the documents in it. This is the right of access.

1. Write a request to the office handling your file.
2. Give your identity and your file number, if you have one.
3. Send it, often through the office's electronic register. Keep the proof of submission.

The office should reply within its usual deadlines. This route is for open files.

If your file is closed

For a closed file, use a transparency request instead. The reply time is one month.

Limits and other people

Someone else can only ask for a copy of your file if they have a legitimate interest. Documents that hold other people's data may be redacted. Data protection or confidentiality can also limit what you receive.

The timeline, documents list, checklist and questions below walk you through each step.

Timeline and deadlines

• Check your file status in the office's tracking page or in Carpeta Ciudadana: as soon as you have filed

• Send a written request for a copy of your open file to the office handling it: any time while the file is open

• Wait for the office's reply to your request for an open file: within the usual deadlines of that procedure

• Receive a reply to a request for a closed file under the transparency law: within 1 month

Documents you need

• Your file number, if you have it, issued by the office handling your procedure. It lets the office find your file and lets you use its tracking page.

• Your identity document (ID), used to log in with Cl@ve or a certificate, or to look up your file status, and to identify yourself in your written request for a copy.

• A written request for a copy of your file, sent to the office handling it, often through its electronic register.

Checklist

• Log in to Carpeta Ciudadana with Cl@ve or a certificate to see your open files and registry entries.

• Check Mercurio or the Policía status lookup with your ID and file number if your file is a residence or nationality procedure.

• Send a written request for a copy of your file to the office handling it, giving your identity and file number if you have it.

Frequently asked questions

Can I follow a file from a regional or city office in Carpeta Ciudadana?

Not always, because regional and city council files often appear only in that office's own tracking page. Look in the office's electronic site for a section like "Mis expedientes" and enter your file number and ID there.

Can I ask for a copy of my file if it is already closed?

Yes, but a closed file follows the transparency law instead of the usual right of access for open files. The office has one month to reply to that request. Files with other people's data may come back with parts redacted.

Can someone else request a copy of my file?

Yes, a third party can request it only if they have a legitimate interest in the file. Even then, the office may redact other people's personal data.