Paying official fees (tasas) correctly

Terms used

• Modelo 790 — Modelo 790 is the Spanish payment form used for many foreigner fees, with a code for each procedure.
• NRC — The NRC is the reference number on an electronic payment receipt that proves your payment.
• NIE — The NIE is the identification number Spanish authorities give to foreigners.
• TIE — The TIE is the residence card issued to foreigners living in Spain.
• Modelo 052 — Modelo 052 is a payment form for other administrative fees.

Key rules

• Wrong code: A payment with the wrong form or code counts as unpaid for your procedure.
• Proof: The bank-stamped copy or the online receipt with the NRC must match your name, NIE or passport, and code.
• Refunds: A refund is only possible for a payment made in error or twice, claimed within 4 years.

The right form and code decide whether your fee counts

A fee paid on the wrong form or with the wrong code is treated as unpaid. Before you pay, find the exact form and code for your procedure. The amount also depends on the procedure.

Common examples:

• Residence and work authorisations (initial, renewals, modifications): modelo 790, code 052. The sub-code depends on the type of authorisation. Code 12 is common for most of them.
• TIE card (issue or renewal) and NIE certificate: these use different codes from the residence authorisation and from each other. Do not reuse a receipt from one procedure for another.
• Nationality: modelo 790 code 026 for the exam fee. The DELE or CCSE exams are paid separately to Instituto Cervantes.
• Other administrative fees: modelo 052.

Forms and codes get revised, so check the current form for your procedure on the Policía Nacional or Ministry of Inclusion website before you pay.

How to pay

1. Generate the form with the fee payment service on the Policía Nacional or Ministry of Inclusion website. Fill in your name, NIE or passport, and the procedure code.
2. Pay either at a collaborating bank with the printed form, or online by card or account debit.
3. Check that the details on the receipt match your application.

Banks differ. Some do not take cash and some want you to be a customer. Online options also vary, so check what is available when you pay.

What proof to keep

If you pay at a bank, you need the copy for the administration, stamped and validated by the bank. If you pay online, the receipt shows an NRC, the amount and the date. The printed PDF is normally enough, with no bank stamp. Keep your own copy as well.

If you paid the wrong fee

Expect a correction request. You usually get 10 working days to pay the correct fee. If you do not, the file is archived. Pay the correct fee first, then claim back the wrong payment as an undue payment. Send a written request to the body that collected it, with proof of payment (NRC), your IBAN and the reason. Sometimes the administration accepts the first payment, but do not count on it.

Refunds

A rejected or archived filing does not bring the fee back. A refund is only possible for a payment made in error or twice, claimed within 4 years.

The checklist, documents and warnings below cover the steps in more detail.

Timeline and deadlines

• Pay the fee with the right form and code for your procedure: before you file

• Answer the correction request by paying the correct fee if you used the wrong form or code: within 10 working days of the notice

• Claim back the wrong payment as an undue payment: after paying the correct fee

Check the period written in your notice, as that is the one that applies.

Documents you need

• The payment copy of the fee form (the copy for the administration), stamped and validated by the bank, if you paid in person at a bank.

• The online payment receipt showing the NRC, the amount and the date, if you paid online. The printed PDF is usually accepted without a bank stamp.

• Your own copy of the proof of payment, kept in case you need to claim a refund of a payment made in error or twice.

Checklist

• Find the form and code for your procedure, such as modelo 790 code 052 for residence authorisations.

• Check that the code matches your procedure, because the TIE card and the NIE certificate use different codes.

• Check that your name, NIE or passport and the code on the receipt match your application.

• Keep a copy of the proof of payment with the NRC.

• If you paid twice or in error, send a written refund request to the body that collected the fee.

What to watch out for

• A wrong form or code counts as unpaid: A fee paid under the wrong form or code is usually treated as not paying the right fee. If you do not fix it when the office asks, the file can be archived as withdrawn. Pay the correct fee as soon as you get a correction request, then claim back the wrong payment as an undue payment.

• A rejected filing does not bring the fee back: The fee pays for the administrative service, so it is not refunded just because your filing is rejected or archived. Check the form and code before paying.

Frequently asked questions

Does an online fee payment need a bank stamp?

No, an online fee payment does not usually need a bank stamp, because the printed PDF showing the NRC is normally accepted. The NRC is the reference number the payment gives you. Keep your own copy as well.

What happens if I pay with the wrong form or code?

A payment under the wrong form or code usually counts as not paying the right fee for your procedure. The office normally sends a correction request, and you then pay the correct fee and claim back the wrong payment as an undue payment from the body that received it.

Do I pay the nationality exam fee and the DELE or CCSE together?

No, the nationality fee is paid separately from the DELE and CCSE exams. The DELE and CCSE are paid to Instituto Cervantes, while the nationality fee uses its own form with code 026.