Registering for your online login (Cl@ve) as a foreigner

Terms used

• Cl@ve — Cl@ve is the Spanish government's online login for dealing with tax, Social Security and other public services.
• NIE — The NIE is the identification number Spain gives to foreigners.
• TIE — The TIE is the residence card for foreigners, showing your NIE.
• Cita previa — A cita previa is an appointment you book in advance to be seen at a public office.

Key rules

• What you need: Every channel needs your NIE or TIE on record, plus a mobile number and an email address.
• Matching details: Your name, birth date and card details must match your foreigner records exactly, or registration is rejected.
• Paper NIE: The green paper NIE has no support number, so it often fails online and needs an in-person visit with your passport.
• Fallback: If online registration fails, register in person with an appointment, or get an FNMT certificate instead.

The short answer

You can register for Cl@ve online (with an electronic certificate or by video call) or in person at a registration office. Either way you need your NIE or TIE, an identity document, a mobile number and an email address. The list of documents below shows exactly what to bring.

Pick your channel

1. Online with an electronic certificate. If you already have one, you show no document. This is the quickest route.
2. Online by video call. An agent checks your document on camera. Use your TIE, or your passport together with your NIE. It works for many foreigners, but it can reject you. Try it first, because it saves a trip.
3. In person. This is the safest route if you have no certificate or the video check fails. Take your TIE, or your passport with your NIE certificate.

Some people also register through the Cl@ve app. Which routes are open to foreigners has changed over time, so check which one accepts your document on the Cl@ve site.

Get your details ready

You need a mobile number and an email address. The mobile number receives the SMS code you use to log in. Foreign numbers are accepted in many cases if you write them with the international prefix, but some channels refuse them. If yours is refused, see the section on having no Spanish phone below.

Your name spelling, birth date and phone number must match your foreigner records. Your NIE or TIE number and its validity date must match your card. A mismatch is the most common reason for failure.

Registering in person

Offices that register you include tax agency offices, Social Security offices, and government registration offices, such as those in the government delegations and sub-delegations. Some regional and local bodies, and a few post or consular offices, take part too. Search by postcode on the Cl@ve site to find one near you.

Most offices need an appointment (cita previa), so book before you go. Bring your documents and your phone, because some offices ask for your number and email on the spot.

If registration fails

The usual causes are:

• Your NIE or TIE number, support number or validity date does not match the records.
• Your mobile number or email is not on file.
• You are not yet in the tax or Social Security database with a valid ID.
• You only have the paper NIE, which has no support number.
• The video check rejects your document.

What to do:

• Go in person with your passport and NIE or TIE.
• Once registered, use the Cl@ve app with the PIN code you receive by SMS.
• If nothing works, get an FNMT electronic certificate instead.

Next steps

Use the checklist below to follow the steps in order. If you have no Spanish phone or no smartphone, read the section below on that case.

What to bring to verify your identity for a login (Cl@ve)

What to bring to verify your identity

• For in-person Cl@ve registration, bring your TIE (residence card), or your passport together with your NIE certificate (the green paper), or at least your passport.

• If you have a NIE but no TIE yet, bring a valid passport plus your NIE document to a registration office. Online and video registration usually need a TIE or an existing certificate, so NIE plus passport alone often fails there.

• A mobile number and an email address. Both are needed to register, and some offices ask for them on the spot.

• If you pre-registered online, bring the request code (código de solicitud). It arrives by email or SMS and is valid for around 30 days, after which you must start again.

• For the FNMT certificate, bring the application code you received by email, plus your original TIE, or your green EU registration certificate with your NIE certificate.

• For the FNMT certificate, also bring a valid passport or EU national ID. Many offices accept the NIE paper with a passport, but bring both documents to be safe.

• Print your certificate application confirmation if you can. It helps but is not usually required.

Offices differ on which papers they accept and on the request code's validity, so confirm with the office or channel you choose before you go.

Checklist

• Get a mobile number and an email address ready, writing the number with its international prefix if it is foreign.

• Choose a channel: online with an electronic certificate, video identification, or in person.

• Start the video call with your TIE, or your passport together with your NIE, if you choose video.

• Book an appointment (cita previa) at a tax agency, Social Security or registration office if you choose in person.

• Go in person with your passport and NIE or TIE if the video check rejects your document.

• Once you are registered, install the Cl@ve app on your mobile and link it to your account.

What to watch out for

• Video check may reject you: The video or photo check can reject your document, ask for a Spanish-style document or need a Spanish mobile number. Register in person with your passport and NIE or TIE, or get an FNMT certificate instead.

• Details that don't match: Registration fails if your NIE/TIE number, the support number (IDESP) on the TIE, the validity date, your phone or email don't match the records. Check each detail against your card and records before you start.

• Paper NIE has no support number: A NIE on paper has no support number, so online registration often fails. Go to a tax agency, Social Security or registration office with an appointment, bringing your passport and NIE.

What if you have no Spanish phone or smartphone?

You do not need a Spanish phone to get into Cl@ve. You have four routes, and the first two are the easiest to start.

Register with a foreign number

When you register at an office, you give a mobile number and an email address. The number can be a foreign one, written with its international prefix, because the system only uses it to send you SMS codes. Some channels do not accept foreign numbers, so if one refuses yours, register in person instead. Use a number you will keep, because the codes for Cl@ve Permanente go to that phone. You can change the number later at an office or with a certificate.

To register in person, take your passport or your NIE or foreign ID card to a registration point. These include Agencia Tributaria offices, Seguridad Social offices and some town halls. Most work by cita previa, so book first.

Use your own country's eID

If you are a citizen of an EU or EEA country with a national electronic ID, you may be able to skip registration. On the Cl@ve login screen, choose the EU option. You are sent to your own country's login, such as the German eID, Italian SPID or CIE, Portuguese Chave Móvel Digital or Belgian itsme.

Not every service accepts it, and some ask you to link it to your NIE. The list of accepted countries and services changes, so check it on the Cl@ve site before you rely on it.

Get a digital certificate

An electronic certificate (the FNMT certificado digital de persona física) needs no Spanish number. Follow these steps:

1. Request it online.
2. Prove your identity in person at an accreditation office, such as an Agencia Tributaria or Seguridad Social office or a town hall.
3. Install it on your computer.

You need a NIE first. The electronic DNI works in a similar way, with a card reader or an NFC phone.

Ask for help

If the online steps are not working, go to a person:

• Tax and Social Security offices: they register Cl@ve, usually by cita previa. The tax office also offers phone or video-call registration in some cases.
• Town halls and registration assistance offices: many help you use online public services, and some can register Cl@ve.
• The 060 phone line: it gives general guidance on digital procedures.
• Local digital help points: many regions and councils run them, and libraries and social services often help too. Names and opening times differ by town, so ask your town hall.
• A representative or gestor: you can authorise one to handle a procedure for you. This works well for a one-off task.

Office rules and appointment requirements vary, so check with the office before you go.

Frequently asked questions

Which offices can register me in person?

Tax agency (AEAT) offices, Social Security offices (CAISS) and government registration offices, such as those in Delegaciones and Subdelegaciones del Gobierno, handle it. Some regional and local bodies, Correos or consular offices take part too. Search by postcode on the Cl@ve site, and book an appointment (cita previa), as most offices need one.

Can I use a foreign mobile number?

Often yes, if you write it with the international prefix.

What if I only have the green NIE paper?

A paper NIE has no support number, so online checks often fail. Go in person with your passport and the NIE paper, or use an FNMT certificate instead.

What if the video registration rejects me?

Some people are rejected because of the document or phone number, then go in person. You can also ask for the FNMT certificate as an alternative.