Spanish ID numbers and the right orderArticle 2 of 8 · 3 min read
Foreigner number (NIE) or residence card (TIE): which goes on which form?
Explains the difference between your NIE (a number) and your TIE (a card), what the DNI and NIF are, and which one to quote on Spanish forms. For newcomers who are not Spanish citizens.
Terms used
- NIF — The NIF is the tax identification number; for foreigners it is the NIE, for Spaniards the DNI number.
Your NIE is a number. Your TIE is a card that shows that number. On almost every form, you quote the NIE.
NIE: your number for life
The NIE is your personal foreigner number. It stays the same for life, even if your status, address or card changes. You can get it before you live in Spain, for example for a visa or a purchase. It then comes on a separate paper certificate.
TIE: the card
The TIE is the physical residence card. It is for non-EU foreigners with a residence authorisation of longer than six months. The Policía Nacional issues it after you book and attend a fingerprint appointment. Do this within one month of entering Spain on your visa or, if you applied from inside Spain, within one month of the notification that your authorisation was approved. The card is renewed when it expires. The NIE printed on it does not change.
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you get a paper registration certificate instead of a card.
DNI and NIF
The DNI is the national identity card for Spanish citizens. It is not for foreigners. Its number is 8 digits plus a letter.
The NIF is the tax ID. For a foreigner it is the NIE, so you do not need a separate number: see the ID numbers you will meet.
What to quote on forms
- A box labelled NIF: enter your NIE, with its first and last letters.
- A box labelled DNI: this is for Spanish citizens. Look for another option, such as a NIE field or a document-type menu.
- Your passport number is not a replacement for the NIE where a form asks for one.
You quote the NIE printed on the TIE, not the card itself. Where a form asks for the card's support number, it is printed on the card.
Where to find your NIE
On the TIE, it is printed on the front, labelled NIE, usually beside your name. On the EU registration certificate, it is in the top section, labelled Número de identidad de extranjero (NIE). On the NIE certificate, it is on the certificate itself. Card layouts differ between versions.
How to type it
- Use capital letters.
- Use no spaces, hyphens or dots.
- Copy it exactly as printed, with the first letter, all the digits and the final letter. An example is X1234567L.
- Copy the digits exactly as printed. If a form needs 8 digits, add a zero straight after the first letter: X1234567L becomes X01234567L.
- Watch for O and 0, and for I and 1.
Each website checks the number differently, so follow the example on its screen.
If you are a UK citizen
A UK citizen who lived in Spain before 1 January 2021 holds a Withdrawal Agreement residence card, a TIE-type card that shows the NIE and works as identity. Any other UK citizen follows the non-EU rules on this page: the NIE comes with the visa and the TIE follows within one month. See are you covered by the UK Withdrawal Agreement? and moving to Spain as a British citizen after 2020. Relatives of an EU citizen: see the EU family residence card.
Quick answers on NIE and other Spanish ID numbers
Does my NIE expire?
No. Only the documents that show it expire: a TIE has to be renewed, while the EU registration certificate has no expiry date.
More in Spanish ID numbers and the right order
- The Spanish ID numbers you will meet and what each is for
- The right order for your NIE, address registration and digital ID
- How long each identity step really takes in Spain
- What your identity numbers and registrations cost, including paid help
- Where Spanish counters will ask for your foreigner number (NIE)
- Which ID to carry every day in Spain
- Arriving as a Spanish citizen who has never lived in Spain
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