Who to contact to correct a mistake in your identity records

Terms used

• Cita previa — A cita previa is an appointment you must book before visiting most Spanish public offices.
• Padrón — The padrón is the register of residents kept by your town hall.
• Cl@ve — Cl@ve is the state system that lets you prove your identity online with Spanish administrations.
• Certificado de empadronamiento — The certificado de empadronamiento is an official certificate from your town hall proving you are registered at an address.
• Apostille — An Apostille is a stamp that legalises a public document from one country for use in another.
• Registro Civil — The Registro Civil is the office that records births, marriages, deaths and name changes.

Key rules

• Passport first: If your passport is wrong, fix it through your consulate before anything else.
• Fix the source: Correct the record at the body that owns it, then update the records that copy from it.
• Padrón fee: Correcting your padrón is free.
• Foreign certificates: Foreign civil certificates usually need an Apostille or consular legalisation, plus a sworn translation.

Fix the record at its owner

You can't fix one record by correcting another. Fix the source first, then the records that copy from it. Start with your passport, because other offices check against it.

Correct your NIE or TIE

Go to the Oficina de Extranjería or police station that issued it. Book a cita previa. Bring a written request describing the error, the original document, your passport and proof of the correct data.

If your TIE has to be reissued, you may need a duplicate through Modelo EX-17. A fee is paid through Modelo 790 código 012. If the administration made the mistake, no fee is usually charged. Forms and fees differ by office and case, so ask at your appointment.

A wrong name follows your passport. A wrong birth date or place is fixed at the same office. If the passport itself is wrong, get it corrected through your consulate first.

Correct your padrón

Ask your ayuntamiento for a modification of your padrón data, in person or through its online office. Bring a document showing the correct data: passport, NIE or TIE. For a name error, some offices also want the passport or a civil registry certificate. The change is free and takes a few days to a few weeks. Then ask for an updated certificado de empadronamiento.

Non-EU foreigners without permanent residence authorisation must renew their padrón registration every two years.

Update Cl@ve

You can't edit identity data in Cl@ve. It refreshes from the police and tax records once those are corrected. After that, update your registration in person at a registration office or by video-identification, or register again. Your phone number and email are different: you can change them in the Cl@ve app or website, or at an office.

When you need civil registry certificates

You need a certificate when the correction needs legal proof. This covers a mismatch in name, surname order, birth date or place, or parentage between your passport and Spanish records. It also covers name changes and changes to marriage or sex registration.

• Born abroad: the birth or marriage certificate must be legalised with an Apostille or by your consulate. It also needs a sworn translation into Spanish, unless it is a multilingual EU form.
• Born in Spain: ask the Registro Civil for the certificate.

Which documents are required depends on the authority and your country of origin. Ask when you book your appointment.

If you are moving with a family or have other records to update, the checklist and documents list below cover the practical steps.

Documents you need

• Your TIE or NIE certificate, the original document that contains the error.

• Your passport, showing the correct name and birth details.

• A written request describing the error, or the relevant EX form, such as Modelo EX-17 if a new TIE is needed.

• A birth or marriage certificate from your home country, legalised with an Apostille or by your consulate, when the passport itself is wrong or the correction needs legal proof.

• A sworn translation (traductor jurado) of that foreign certificate into Spanish, unless it is a multilingual EU form.

• A certificate from the Registro Civil if you were born in Spain and the correction involves your name, birth details or parentage.

• Proof of payment through Modelo 790 código 012 if the TIE has to be reissued and the mistake was not the administration's.

Checklist

• Book a cita previa at the Oficina de Extranjería or police station in your province that issued your NIE or TIE.

• Ask whether a duplicate TIE through Modelo EX-17 is needed and whether any fee applies.

• Ask for an updated certificado de empadronamiento once the padrón change is processed.

Requirements vary by office and municipality, so confirm the details when you book your appointment.

Frequently asked questions

Why did my Cl@ve still show the old data after I fixed my NIE?

Because Cl@ve copies your identity data rather than letting you edit it, and the copy can lag behind. If it still differs after your records are corrected, update your Cl@ve registration in person at a registration office, or by video-identification.

Can I change my phone or email in Cl@ve without going to an office?

Yes, Change them in the Cl@ve app or website using a strong authentication method, or go to an office if you cannot.

When do I need a civil registry certificate to fix a mistake?

You need one when the correction must be legally grounded, such as a mismatch in name, surname order, birth date or place, or parentage. A foreign certificate normally needs an Apostille or consular legalisation and a sworn translation into Spanish, unless it is a multilingual EU form. If you were born in Spain, request it from the Registro Civil.