The procedure in detail · Spain

NIE, TIE and document preparation in Barcelona

We work out which document your case needs: NIE, TIE, address registration, a translation or an apostille. We help you set the order of steps, the set of documents and where to apply.

Reviewed by: Francisco Romero Jiménez, abogado ICAB 33641, 21.10.2026

In brief

NIE: €9.84, decision within 5 days
fee: modelo 790, code 012; silence means refusal
TIE card: first card €16.08
apply in person within one month of the decision
Apostille: under the 1961 Hague Convention
confirms the signature and seal, does not replace a translation
Sworn translation: no fixed rate
the translator sets the price; the translation is accepted without legalisation
Empadronamiento: the certificate is free in Barcelona
online instantly, at an OAC on the day of your appointment
Electronic filing: DNV only electronically
the Supreme Court struck down the general obligation in article 197.2

Who it suits and who it doesn’t

Fits

You need an NIE for a purchase, a bank account or to start a procedure, and you don’t know which form and fee to choose
You are preparing a residence permit application and gathering documents from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus or Kazakhstan: apostilles, sworn translations, certificates
You need an appointment (cita previa), a TIE card or a certificate of registration at your address in Barcelona
The application is filed electronically and you need an electronic certificate or a representative (the UGE page says nothing about Cl@ve, so check)

Does not fit

You only need the translation itself: a sworn translator does it, and we bring them into your case
You want someone to register you in Cl@ve on your behalf: this cannot be done through a representative
You need a document that only you can obtain in person, for example identity verification at an FNMT office

What is what: NIE, TIE, permit, padrón

Document	What it is	When you need it
NIE	A personal number for foreign nationals. It identifies you but does not give the right to live or work (article 205 of the Reglamento)	Bank, taxes, transactions, residence permit applications. When a permit procedure starts, the police assign it ex officio
TIE	A card that confirms your permit and is valid for the same period (article 209)	After the decision, if the permit is granted for more than 6 months
Permit or visa	The authority’s decision that gives the right to stay	A separate document with a separate fee
Empadronamiento	Registration in the municipal register of residents	For many procedures, school, the doctor
Certificate and Cl@ve	Ways to identify yourself when filing electronically	Filing through the sede electrónica

The difference in detail: NIE, TIE and residence permit in Spain: what is the difference.

Steps: how to put the file together

Procedure and authority. We work out exactly what you are filing and where: UGE, Oficina de Extranjería, Policía or consulate.
Originals. We gather passports, certificates, civil records and proof of income.
Apostille. We get documents apostilled in the issuing country where needed.
Sworn translation. A sworn translator appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs does the translation.
Fee. We choose the right modelo 790 code and pay.
Appointment or electronic filing. We book through cita previa or prepare the electronic application.
Attendance. Signature, fingerprints (huellas), collecting the TIE card and registering in the padrón.

Where to file in Barcelona

What	Where
DNV (Ley 14/2013)	electronically only, with the UGE through the Ministry of Inclusion’s sede
General regime: no lucrativa, work, study, family reunification	Oficina de Extranjería at the Subdelegación del Gobierno: Passeig de Sant Joan 189-193 and calle Murcia 42
NIE and TIE card	Policía Nacional (comisaría) or Oficina de Extranjería
Visa	the Spanish consulate in your country of residence

We check which office handles your case and which comisarías issue the TIE when we book. See Which authorities accept residence permit documents in Barcelona: UGE, extranjería, Policía.

Cita previa

Appointments at the Oficina de Extranjería and with the Policía are booked through the cita previa system on sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es. These are two separate queues. You can book yourself or through a representative, and in the drop-down list you must choose exactly the procedure you are filing. There are no official waiting time statistics, so we don’t quote timeframes. More: Cita previa at extranjería: how to choose the right appointment.

Apostille and legalisation

An apostille is placed on public documents between countries party to the 1961 Hague Convention, and it replaces consular legalisation. It confirms the signature, the official’s position and the seal, but not the content, and it does not replace a translation. Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan are on the Spanish Ministry of Justice’s list of parties to the convention as of 11.09.2026. Documents from a country that is not a party need legalisation through the Spanish consulate.

In Russia, criminal record certificates are apostilled by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, civil registry (ZAGS) documents by the regional executive authorities, and education documents by regional bodies with delegated powers. How recent certificates must be is decided by the receiving authority, so we check this in advance. See Apostille and legalisation of documents for Spain, Do you need an apostille: how to tell whether a document needs one for Spain and Russian criminal record certificate for Spain: Gosuslugi, apostille and translation.

Sworn translation

In Spain, only a translation by a traductor-intérprete jurado appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has official status. There is no single rate: the translator sets the price (article 16 of Real Decreto 724/2020), and it depends on the language, the volume and the urgency. Such a translation is accepted without further legalisation, and the register of translators is open on the Ministry’s website. See Sworn translation for Spain: how to order it without mistakes and The cost of a sworn translation in Spain: what makes up the price.

Empadronamiento in Barcelona

The Ajuntament issues the registration certificate free of charge once you are already on the padrón. Online you can download it immediately; to log in you need idCAT, an FNMT certificate, Cl@ve PIN or DNIe. At an OAC the document is issued on the day of your appointment. By phone on 010, the certificate arrives by post within 7 working days. The volant de residència confirms your registration and can be obtained from age 16; the volant de convivència shows who you live with and is issued from 18. Which document you need and how recent it must be is decided by the receiving authority. See Empadronamiento in Barcelona: registering at your address and Volante de empadronamiento in Barcelona: how to get the registration certificate.

Electronic filing

Applications under Ley 14/2013, including the DNV, are accepted only by the UGE and only electronically; you need an electronic certificate. Under the general regime, if you are in Spain, electronic filing counts the same as filing in person. Someone else can file on your behalf if they are a representative with a notarial proxy or apud acta, or a registered collaborator. Article 197.2, which required individuals to file some applications electronically, was struck down by the Supreme Court in judgments of 8 and 29 July 2026. Electronic filing still applies to procedures where the law expressly requires it, so we check the filing format before booking. See What the sede electrónica is and how to file documents there, Certificado digital and a representative: filing safely and How to get Cl@ve: registration methods and identification levels.

Fees and timeframes

What	Amount or timeframe	Basis
NIE on application	€9.84, decision within 5 days, silence means refusal	form 790-012, article 205
TIE card	first card €16.08, on renewal €19.30; apply within one month	form 790-012, article 209
Permits at the Oficina de Extranjería	the amount depends on the procedure, code 052	Order PJC/617/2025
Application to the UGE	€73.26, decision within 20 days, silence means approval	code 038, Ley 14/2013
Autorización de regreso	up to 90 days on renewal or TIE replacement	article 5 of the Reglamento

Code 012 is paid at a bank with the printed form; you don’t need to open an account. Code 052 can be paid online through the AEAT payment gateway. With electronic filing you pay at the moment of filing; with ordinary filing, within 10 working days. See Tasas 790: how not to mix up government fees, How to pay the modelo 790 fee online: codes 012, 052 and 038, How much an NIE costs and How much a TIE card costs: the 790-012 fee by card type.

Common mistakes

Paying the wrong modelo 790 code, or applying for an NIE separately when the procedure will assign one anyway.
Apostilling the wrong document or bringing a certificate that is too old to be accepted.
Having documents translated by a translator who is not sworn.
Missing the one-month window for the TIE card after the decision.
Choosing the wrong procedure or the wrong queue in cita previa.
Leaving Spain during a renewal without an autorización de regreso.
Mixing up the volant de residència and the volant de convivència.

How we work and what is paid separately

Case handling: from €182 incl. IVA. All prices.

First consultation: 15 minutes free. Full individual consultation: €121 for 45 minutes. After that we price the work individually and draw up an estimate, which you sign before we start. Government fees and translations are paid separately and appear as separate lines in the estimate. Advance payment: 50% before work begins and 50% before filing.

We handle your case until the authority’s decision. Corrections in response to requests and refiling are included in the price; an appeal is not. If you miss an appointment, the appointment has to be paid for again. We do not promise approval and are not responsible for the authorities’ timeframes: the decision is made by a government body. The legal side is handled by the team’s lawyer; tax and administrative matters by a tax and administrative specialist (graduada social). We file wherever the law allows a representative; where filing must be in person, we prepare the file and accompany you.

We book appointments with government offices, coordinate translations and apostilles, prepare the filing and accompany you to the appointment. Book a consultation

Frequently asked questions

How is an NIE different from a TIE?

The NIE is a number that identifies a foreign national. The TIE is a card that confirms a residence permit. The number does not give the right to live in Spain; the permit is granted by a separate decision.

Can you get an NIE without a residence permit?

Yes. It is requested by people with economic, professional or social interests in Spain, provided they are not in the country illegally and have explained the reason. You need form EX-15 and the payment receipt.

How much does an NIE cost and how long does it take?

The fee is €9.84 on form 790-012. The decision is made within 5 days of the application being entered in the register; silence means refusal. There is no official data on how long you wait for an appointment.

Do Russian documents need an apostille?

Yes, official documents do: Russia and Spain are both parties to the Hague Convention. The receiving authority sets the requirements for each document and how recent it must be.

Is any translation accepted?

Spanish authorities require a translation by a sworn translator appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Some bodies accept other options, so check the requirements of the specific authority.

What should you do if you lose your TIE?

You apply for a duplicate in person with form EX-17 and a receipt for code 012. The permit period does not change. To travel abroad you can get an autorización de regreso. Which fee line applies is confirmed when you book.

How do you get a registration certificate in Barcelona?

Online with idCAT, an FNMT certificate, Cl@ve PIN or DNIe; at an OAC with an appointment; or by phone on 010. The certificate is free, but you must already be on the padrón.

Do you need an electronic certificate to file?

For the UGE and the DNV, yes. Under the general regime you can file in person or electronically. The UGE page mentions an electronic certificate; it says nothing about Cl@ve, so we confirm the identification method before filing.

How long is the wait for a cita previa?

There are no official statistics, and we don’t quote numbers. We look for an appointment for the right procedure and queue and accompany you to it.

Sources

Sources reviewed on 03.10.2026. This material is for information only and does not replace an individual consultation. DNV figures updated on 01.10.2026.

How does this apply to your situation?

Choose your first step with a short quiz or discuss your questions with the ReloVictory team.

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Where to start preparing

For the first review, prepare a short description of your situation, your current status and the timing you have in mind. First we clarify the basis and the order of steps, then we agree on the scope of support and the documents needed.

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Deadlines, mandatory payments and requirements are checked for each specific procedure. Approval is not guaranteed.

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