Lost or stolen TIE: how to replace it in Spain

What to do in the first 24 hours if you lose your TIE in Spain?

The card documents your permit but is not itself the permit: the TIE is issued for the same period as the permit and serves to prove your legal status (article 209 RD 1155/2024) [1]. Losing the plastic card does not cancel the permit, but without it you will find it hard to prove your status. What to do:

1. Check where the card might have been left, and find a copy of both sides, your NIE number and the permit expiry date. You will need these details for the application.
2. If it was stolen, report it to the police (denuncia) and keep a copy. The text of Real Decreto 1155/2024 and form EX-17 do not list it as a required document, but the report records the date and circumstances, and the consulate in Casablanca requires it in its instructions for loss abroad [1][3][6].
3. Book an appointment. Where you can book and how many slots are available depend on the province; more: cita previa at extranjería and TIE and huellas in Barcelona.
4. Pay the fee on modelo 790, código 012: the payment form is generated on the police website, and payment is accepted by partner banks [2]. How to pay: how to pay the 790 fee online.
5. Submit the application in person with form EX-17 in duplicate (original and copy) and proof of payment [2][3].

How to replace a TIE: the official procedure

If your permit is about to expire and the duplicate application falls within the renewal period, article 209.9 says the procedures are handled together [1]. How exactly this works at your police station will depend on the appointment and the instructions given when you apply. For permits under Ley 14/2013, which include the DNV, the Ministry of the Interior has a separate form, MI-TIE, with the same duplicate option; its version is dated 2018. Ask which form your police station will accept when you book [7].

How much does a duplicate TIE cost?

The police website lists the fees in a table: the first TIE for a temporary residence permit costs €16.08, a TIE on renewal €19.30, and a long-term resident TIE €21.87 [5]. There is no separate line for a duplicate after theft or loss. How much you pay for a duplicate specifically has to be checked at the police station or on the 790-012 payment form when you book; we have not found an official explanation and will not guess an amount. More on the card’s price: how much a TIE card costs; on form 790: tasas 790.

Can you leave Spain without a TIE?

If the loss happened while you are in Spain and you need to leave before you receive the duplicate, the law provides for the autorización de regreso. Under article 5 RD 1155/2024, the holder of a valid TIE can obtain it if the card has been stolen, lost, destroyed or damaged, provided they prove they have applied for a duplicate. It is valid for no more than 90 days; during that period the number of entries and exits is unlimited. Entry is only permitted through Spanish border crossings. It is applied for in person on form EX-13, with payment on modelo 790, código 012. If travel is necessary, the application is processed as a priority [1][4].

A detail that is easy to miss: if no decision is issued in time, the autorización de regreso is deemed refused (desestimatorio) [4]. So do not buy tickets until you have the document. More: autorización de regreso.

If the card is lost abroad, the procedure depends on the consulate. For example, the consulate in Casablanca, in its instructions of January 2025, describes a visa for loss or theft of a TIE: a document showing the police report, a passport, proof of residence and details of how long you have been away; the consulate warns that the central authorities must be consulted and the wait may take several weeks [6]. The rules may differ for your country.

What proves your status while you wait for the new card?

Under article 209 RD 1155/2024, the TIE is the document that identifies a foreign national and proves their legal status; until you have it, your status rests on the permit decision and on proof that you have applied for a duplicate [1]. Form EX-17 is submitted in duplicate and has space for a registration stamp [3]. Ask for your stamped copy back: it is your proof that the application has been submitted. For the autorización de regreso, the law expressly requires proof that a duplicate application has been submitted, so keep the copy of the application and the payment receipt together [1].

Official sources do not say how long a new card takes to produce: it depends on the police station and the province. If you need to prove your status to an employer, bank or landlord, rely on the original permit decision and the copy of your application; whether they accept them is up to the other party.

How not to lose your TIE again

Under article 209.3 RD 1155/2024, the card is personal and non-transferable, and the holder is responsible for keeping it safe [1]. In practice, this means: keep a separate scan of both sides, the permit decision in electronic form and your NIE number, and do not leave the card in a rented flat, with third parties or in belongings you put into storage. You need the scan for the duplicate application and to prove the validity period, but it does not replace the card when you have to show it. Do not hand the original to intermediaries: if you need help booking an appointment, copies are enough.

Common mistakes when replacing a TIE

• Waiting too long. Until you have the duplicate, any document check or trip becomes harder. Do not put off applying.
• Trying to apply online. Form EX-17 only allows submission in person [3].
• Paying the wrong fee. The application requires código 012 [2].
• Buying tickets before getting the autorización de regreso. If the authority does not reply, it is deemed to have refused [4].
• Not getting a theft report. It records the circumstances, and the consulate in Casablanca requires it in its instructions for loss abroad [6].
• Not checking the permit’s expiry date. If the permit is about to expire, the procedure may turn into a renewal [1].

When you need an individual review

An individual assessment is needed if your permit expires in the coming months, you have a renewal or change of grounds under way, you are abroad, you have no documents proving your status, or the card belongs to a child or to a family with several permits. In such cases the procedure and documents may differ, and a mistake costs you an appointment and time. Questions about taxes and payments are best discussed with a gestor, and questions about status with a lawyer.

How we can help

The ReloVictory team helps you work out which form and fee you need, put together the set of documents and choose an appointment. Fees and translations are paid separately; the first 15 minutes of a consultation are free. Service description: documents; book a consultation. If your permit is nearing its end, see the renewal route card; a general overview of procedures in Barcelona is on the page Residence permit in Barcelona. We are not responsible for how long the authorities take to reply.

Frequently asked questions

Related articles

ReloVictory · Sources reviewed 02.10.2026 · Not a substitute for individual legal advice.