Fake gestors, paid appointments and lookalike government websites

Terms used

• Cita previa — The cita previa is the free appointment you must book before most visits to Spanish public offices.
• Gestor — A gestor is a registered professional who handles official paperwork for you, for a fee.
• Modelo 790 — The modelo 790 is the form used to pay official fees for foreigners' procedures at a bank or online.
• NIE — The NIE is the identification number Spain gives to foreigners.
• TIE — The TIE is the physical residence card issued to foreigners.
• Ejerciente — Ejerciente means the professional is currently registered and allowed to practise.
• Colegiado — A colegiado number is a professional's membership number in their official association.

Key rules

• Cita previa: The cita previa appointment itself is free, and official fees are paid at a bank or online, never to a private intermediary to get an appointment.
• Web addresses: Official Spanish government sites end in .gob.es.
• Gestor or lawyer: Verify the person's registration and colegiado number before handing over any paperwork.
• Representation: If someone acts for you, sign an authorisation naming them and the procedure.

The bottom line

The cita previa is free. Nobody legitimate sells appointment slots or official forms. Use official sites only, pay only the official fee, and check any gestor or lawyer before you hand over your papers.

Do you need help at all?

No. You can apply for an NIE or a residence permit yourself, in person or online. A gestor or lawyer is optional. Some steps, such as fingerprinting for the TIE, must be done in person anyway.

If you do hire someone, sign an authorisation that names them and the procedure.

How the appointment scam works

It usually starts with a search ad or social-media post promising a guaranteed or fast slot. Official appointments are scarce, so the offer is tempting.

You pay a fee by transfer, card or Bizum. It is often tens of euros and sometimes hundreds. Then the seller sends a fake or unusable booking, asks for more money, or vanishes. Some sites also collect your passport and personal data for identity fraud.

Some real gestores use bulk-booking tools. Even then, the appointment itself is free. You pay them for their work, not for the slot.

How to spot a lookalike website

• The address does not end in .gob.es. Official sites do. Be wary of .com or .org addresses and names like "cita-previa" or "nie-spain".
• It charges for the appointment or for forms that are free, or adds a service fee on top of the official fee.
• It has no link to the official site and no clear company name or tax number.
• It pushes urgency, promises guaranteed slots, or copies government crests.

Search ads often appear above the real site. Type the official address yourself, or follow links from .gob.es pages. The resource below lists the official sites. Portal addresses change, so start from the official .gob.es pages.

What you really pay

The official fee is paid with modelo 790 at a bank or online, never to a middleman to get an appointment. Fees vary by procedure and are updated by law. Check the current amount on the police or Extranjería pages before you pay.

Check a gestor or lawyer first

A gestor should be registered with their provincial Colegio Oficial de Gestores Administrativos. A lawyer should be in the Censo de Letrados or on their provincial bar association's list. Check the name, the colegiado number and that they are currently practising (ejerciente). If the online search fails, call the provincial colegio.

Never send passport copies to someone you have not verified. The checklist and warnings below cover the steps and the red flags.

If you already paid

Stop paying. Keep every receipt and message. Book through the official site instead, since the real appointment costs nothing. Report the seller to the police and to your town hall's consumer office. Ask your bank whether it can reverse a card payment.

Checklist

• Decide whether you need help: you can apply for an NIE or residence permit yourself, so hire a gestor or lawyer only if you want to.

• Look up any gestor in their provincial Colegio Oficial de Gestores Administrativos, or any lawyer in the Censo de Letrados, before you hand over documents.

• Check the name, the colegiado number and that the person is currently registered (ejerciente).

• Pay the official fee with modelo 790 at a bank or online, and pay nobody else for the appointment.

• If you use a representative, sign an authorisation that names them and the procedure.

What to watch out for

• Paying for a free appointment: Ads and social posts promise guaranteed or fast cita previa slots for tens or even hundreds of euros. Many buyers get a fake booking, a request for more money, or nothing. Book only on the official .gob.es site, where the appointment is free. Do not pay anyone for a slot.

• Lookalike websites: Paid copies of official sites often use .com or .org addresses, names like cita-previa or nie-spain, government-style crests, urgency and service fees on top of the official fee. Search ads can rank above the real site. Type the official address yourself or follow links from .gob.es pages. Leave any site that has no clear company identity or charges for free forms.

• Handing over your passport details: Some fake sites collect passports and personal data to use in identity fraud. Share documents only with official sites or a gestor or lawyer you have checked in their professional register. If you already sent data, report it to the police.

Official sites for appointments and residence, and fake lookalikes

Official sites and signs of a copycat

• Ministry of Territorial Policy online office: Book the free cita previa for NIE, TIE fingerprinting, asylum and certificates at the official website, under 'Extranjería' and then 'Cita previa'.

• National Police online office: Use the official website for police-run steps such as TIE issue, EX forms and NIE.

• Ministry of Inclusion and Social Security portal: Send residence applications by electronic means through this ministry's portal. Filings also go through the Registro Electrónico Común, the shared government filing register.

• Ministry of Justice online office: Use the official website for criminal-record and nationality matters only.

• Your consulate or your region: Consulates use their own booking systems, and some regions, such as Catalonia, run their own appointment systems. Reach them from the official .gob.es pages or your consulate's own site.

• Agencia Tributaria (Spain's tax agency) or a bank: Pay official fees here, never to a private site. The appointment itself is free.

• Any site offering appointments or forms: Treat it as a paid lookalike if the address does not end in .gob.es, or uses words like 'cita-previa' or 'nie-spain' or ends in .com or .org.

• Any site offering appointments or forms: Walk away if it charges for the appointment or for free forms, adds service fees on top of the official tasa (the fee), or has no link to the official sede.

• Any site offering appointments or forms: Be wary of sites with no clear company name or tax number, urgency or guaranteed-appointment promises, or a crest that imitates government branding.

• Search engine results: Skip the ads at the top, which often rank above the real site.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a gestor or lawyer to get an NIE or residence permit?

No, you do not need a gestor or lawyer to get an NIE or residence permit, because you can apply yourself, in person or online. If someone represents you, they need your signed authorisation or an electronic representation.

How much should the official NIE and TIE fees be?

The NIE assignment fee was about 10 euros in 2025, and the TIE card issue or renewal fee about 16 euros. Residence authorisations cost roughly 10 to 100 euros or more, depending on the type.

How do I check that a gestor or lawyer is really registered?

Search for the person's name and colegiado number in the register of their professional body. Gestores are listed with their provincial Colegio Oficial de Gestores Administrativos, and lawyers in the Censo de Letrados of the Spanish bar council.

What happens after I pay for a fake appointment?

Usually the seller sends an unusable booking, asks for more money or disappears. Some sites also keep your passport and personal data for identity fraud. Stop paying, keep your payment proof, and book again on the official site.

References

1. sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es
2. sede.policia.gob.es
3. sede.mjusticia.gob.es