If you lose your passport or visa documents in Spain

Terms used

• Denuncia — The denuncia is the official police report you file when something is lost or stolen.
• TIE — The TIE is the residence card issued to non-EU foreigners living in Spain.
• NIE — The NIE is your permanent foreigner identification number in Spain.
• Extranjería — Extranjería is the immigration office that handles residence permits and foreigners' files.
• Cita previa — A cita previa is an appointment you must book in advance at a public office.
• Resguardo — The resguardo is a receipt that proves you applied and are legally resident while waiting for your card.
• Padrón — The padrón is the town hall register of people living in the municipality.

Key rules

• Residence status: Losing your passport does not cancel your visa or residence permit.
• NIE: Your NIE stays the same after a passport is replaced.
• Police report: It is not a legal duty, but embassies usually ask for it and insurers need it.
• Lost TIE: Replace it with a duplicate application; the resguardo proves you are a legal resident meanwhile.
• New passport number: Give it to Extranjería and every other body that holds the old one.

Your status does not disappear with the document

Losing your passport does not cancel your visa or residence permit. They are tied to your NIE and your file, not to the physical document. Your NIE does not change when you get a new passport.

Do it in this order

1. Report the loss or theft. Go in person to a Policía Nacional station or a Guardia Civil post. You are not legally required to report a lost passport, but your embassy or consulate will usually ask for the denuncia, and you need it for insurance claims. In many areas you can start the report online, but you then have to confirm it in person within a set period. Some cities, such as Madrid, Barcelona and Málaga, have tourist police offices (SATE) that take reports in English and other languages.
2. Get a new passport. Contact your embassy or consulate. Requirements vary by nationality. The step-by-step process below covers appointments, emergency travel documents and timing.
3. Replace a lost TIE if you lost that too. This is a separate duplicate application, covered below.
4. Update every body that holds the old passport number. See the last section.

If you lost your visa sticker

A visa sticker lost with the passport is not transferred to the new passport. Report the loss and get the new passport. If you already have your TIE, the TIE is your residence proof. If you needed the visa to enter and do not yet have your TIE, contact the Oficina de Extranjería in your province, or the Spanish consulate that issued the visa, to ask about your options. How a lost sticker is handled depends on the stage of your procedure and the local office.

If you lost your TIE (non-EU nationals)

A lost or stolen TIE is replaced through a duplicate application.

• File the denuncia first.
• Book a cita previa online with the Policía Nacional office that handles TIEs in your province.
• Pay the fee with modelo 790 código 012. The amount is revised yearly, so check the current figure on the form.
• Bring your passport, the police report, photos, form EX-17 and proof of address if asked. The documents list below has the full set.
• Your fingerprints are taken at the appointment.

The police give you a resguardo, which proves you are a legal resident while you wait. The new card usually arrives after some weeks. EU citizens have a different registration certificate, and it can also be updated.

Tell everyone your new passport number

Your NIE stays valid, but your NIE certificate or card may still show the old passport number. If a body needs current passport data, ask the Policía Nacional or Extranjería for a new certificate or an update.

Give the new number to:

• Extranjería or the Policía Nacional, for your residence file and TIE
• your town hall, for the padrón
• your bank, the tax agency, Seguridad Social and your employer
• health insurers, utilities and phone contracts
• the DGT, if your driving licence is linked

Most bodies want you to come in with the new passport and the old number. Some accept updates online or by email, and some need an appointment. If you have an application still pending, tell the office handling your case directly. Do this before leaving Spain with an open procedure.

Prepare for next time

The checklist below shows which copies and phone numbers to keep. If you are a newcomer, set that up now.

Replacing a lost passport while in Spain: step by step

• Report the loss or theft at a Policía Nacional station or Guardia Civil post, or start the report online and confirm it in person. Some cities have tourist police offices that take reports in English.: As soon as you notice the passport is missing

• Book an appointment with your embassy or consulate through its online system: Right after the police report

• If no urgent slot appears, phone or email the consular section. Explain your travel deadline and send proof such as flight tickets. Use the embassy's 24-hour emergency line if it is out of hours.: If no urgent appointment is available

• Bring your ID, a copy of the police report and passport photos. Take proof of travel if you need to leave soon. Some offices cover Spain remotely, so you may have to travel to the nearest consulate.: On the day of the appointment

• Collect an emergency travel document. It is usually ready within a few working days, and often the same or next day in urgent cases. It is valid only for a short time or a specific journey.: A few working days after the appointment

• Wait for a full replacement passport if you do not need to travel urgently. It takes from about one week to several weeks, depending on your country.: One week to several weeks after applying

• Before leaving Spain with an open residence procedure, ask your embassy and the immigration office (Extranjería) whether you can travel and come back. A pending first application may give you no right to re-enter.: Before you travel

• Give your new passport number to every body that holds the old one: Extranjería or the police for your residence file and TIE, the town hall for your padrón, banks, the tax agency, Social Security, your employer, insurers and phone and utility companies. Tell the office handling any pending application directly.: As soon as you have the new passport

Documents you need

• Police report (denuncia) for the lost or stolen passport or TIE, issued by the Policía Nacional or Guardia Civil. Embassies usually ask for it, and you need it for the TIE duplicate and for insurance claims.

• New or valid passport, needed for the TIE duplicate application and to update your number with other bodies.

• Application form EX-17 for the TIE duplicate, if you are a non-EU national replacing a TIE.

• Payment receipt for the TIE fee, paid with modelo 790 código 012.

• Passport-style photos for the TIE duplicate.

• Proof of address, if the TIE office asks for it.

• Appointment confirmation (cita previa) for the Policía Nacional office that handles TIEs in your province.

• Receipt (resguardo) from the police after your TIE application, which proves you are a legal resident until the new card arrives.

• Updated NIE certificate, only if a body asks for it to show your current passport number. Ask the Policía Nacional or Extranjería.

Keep these copies and numbers in case you lose documents

• Scan your passport photo page, visa or entry stamp, TIE or EU registration certificate, NIE certificate, padrón certificate, rental contract or property deed, driving licence, health card or insurance policy, and Social Security number.

• Scan your bank details, tax records, employment contract and payslips, vehicle papers, diplomas, and marriage and birth certificates with apostilles and sworn translations.

• Save 112 for any emergency, 091 for the national police, 062 for the Guardia Civil and 092 for the local police.

• Save the phone numbers for your bank's card-blocking line, your phone operator, your embassy or consulate and its emergency line, your insurer, your landlord and a trusted contact at home.

• Store copies in several places: an encrypted cloud store or password manager, an encrypted USB drive at home, and a paper set of photocopies kept apart from the originals.

• Give a trusted person in Spain or at home a copy of the key scans, and keep the two-factor recovery codes off your phone.

• Carry a copy of your passport instead of the original when you can.

• Keep your originals safe, because embassies, the DGT driving licence office, notaries and registries ask for originals or certified copies. A police report can be made with only a copy.

• Register with your embassy or consulate if it offers registration. It can reach you in a crisis and ease replacement, although you still need proof of identity and nationality.

Frequently asked questions

Does losing my passport cancel my visa or residence permit?

No, losing your passport does not cancel your visa or residence permit. They are linked to your NIE and your file, not to the physical document. A visa sticker lost with the passport is not transferred to the new one, so contact the immigration office (Extranjería) in your province or the consulate that issued the visa if you still need it.

Do I need a police report to replace a lost TIE?

Yes, you need to file a police report first, then book an appointment for the duplicate card. You pay the fee with modelo 790 código 012 and bring your passport, the report, photos and form EX-17.

Does my NIE change when I get a new passport?

No, your NIE is permanent and stays valid after you replace your passport. The NIE certificate may still show the old passport number. If an office needs current passport data, ask the police or Extranjería for an update or a new certificate.

Do I have to report a lost passport to the police?

No, the law does not require you to report a lost passport, but you should. Your embassy usually asks for the report, and insurers need it for claims. File it in person at a police station, or start it online and confirm it in person.