- No stability. Right now there's a huge deficit of new fingerprint slots.
- The problem is the slot deficit itself — not how to “catch” them. There are no hacks, and nobody can help you here — only you: keep going in and refreshing, refreshing, refreshing. When they pop up — grab one.
- The card itself is still made in ~15 days — that part is stable.
- One type of appointment, no need to overthink it.
Residence card (TIE)
You can’t mess it up fatally — no one’s going to revoke your residency or send you home.
The form is really easy to fill out, and if there’s a mistake, they’ll fix it on the spot.
You’ve already been granted residency, so relax — this is one of the easiest steps, with zero risk of losing your permit.
You don’t need an expert, a document checker, or some kind of genius.
Believe in yourself, you’ve got this :)
DOCUMENT CHECKLIST and next steps
- Book a police appointment (cita) — booking link
- Do it in advance — in some regions there's a deficit, you can wait up to 2 months
- Prepare your documents0. APPOINTMENT CONFIRMATION — the cita (appointment)1. COMPLETED FORM – Fill out the form — this is the MI-TIE form (same Movilidad Internacional family as your MI-T / MI-F for the residence permit). You do NOT need form EX-17 — it isn't used for Law 14/2013.
It works for both entrepreneurs and digital nomads. The entrepreneur ticks their box; there is no digital-nomad checkbox in the form — nomads tick nothing.
The example below is for an entrepreneur (same for a nomad, just without the tick). DOWNLOAD and OPEN the file so the helper comments appear.3. PASSPORT AND COPY OF THE FIRST PAGE. A copy of your passport (they might not ask, might take only the first page, or all pages — up to you)4. TASA FORM AND PAYMENT RECEIPT WITH THE CODE (NRC). Tasa payment (Modelo 790 012) — €16.08 for first issue, €19.30 for renewal (bring both the tasa form and the payment receipt)5. PHOTO. 1× colour photo 32×26 on a white background (any photo booth or studio knows how to do it)6. RESIDENCE-PERMIT APPROVAL PAPER. The document granting your residence permit — Resolución de concesión
(printout of the PDF with the approval — the paper with the phrase CONCEDER or ESTIMAR)PADRÓN (not always required, see above) Padrón — Empadronamiento (you might not need it, see above!)OLD CARD. If you already had a residence card – bring your old TIE card - For each family member who wants a residence card — a separate appointment (cita) and their own full set of documents.
For children:
- birth certificate with Jurado translation: как заказать переводы
For a partner:
- nothing extra needed!
Example of how to fill the form for family members — MI-F → MI-TIE form (also not EX-17):
Same for an entrepreneur and a nomad; there's no digital-nomad checkbox — nomads tick nothing. DOWNLOAD and OPEN the file so the helper comments appear.
Steps
- Book a fingerprint appointment at the police station (yes, even for babies)
- Go in person to give your fingerprints
- Wait 2–3 weeks
- Go and personally pick up your card (no, they won’t mail it, and they won’t hand it over with a power of attorney)
- Appointment booking site — Solicitar cita para tomar huellas
POLICÍA-TOMA DE HUELLAS (EXPEDICIÓN DE TARJETA) INICIAL, RENOVACIÓN, DUPLICADO Y LEY 14/2013
- If you already have a padrón — stop reading, just book your appointment in your province (where you’re registered), bring the padrón, and you’ll get your card with no issues.
- ONLY FOR BARCELONA & MADRID PROVINCES: When you submitted your documents, did you put an address in the province of Barcelona or Madrid on the MI-T form, and now you’re planning to give fingerprints in the same province?
- You DO NOT NEED a padrón! Use the same address on the TIE form as you did for your residency application. They won’t ask for the padrón.
(There’s a small chance a clueless clerk might ask — in that case, you can either convince them or book a new appointment and try again. It’ll work out.)
- ALL PROVINCES EXCEPT BARCELONA AND MADRID: Are you giving fingerprints in a different province? Did you write an address outside of Barcelona or Madrid on your residency application?
Then you DO NEED a padrón → you must give fingerprints in the province where you’re registered.
(There’s a tiny, random chance they won’t ask for it — but normally, they will.)
(!) Please don’t DM asking “But do I need a padrón though?” — you’ll just get this exact message again :)
If you DO need a padrón → give your fingerprints in the province where you’re registered.
This padrón logic is based on real cases — 1,000 people have gone and tested it.
If you still have questions — you’re overcomplicating it. Everything you need is right here.
OK, here's the secret recipe (as of June 2026, still valid):
Go give your fingerprints in Reus.
Reus, Tarragona Province. Book an appointment after 15:00.
Average card processing time is about 2–3 weeks / ~15 days (as of June 2026)
Paying the tasa — Modelo 790 012
https://sede.policia.gob.es/Tasa790_012/ImpresoRellenar
For everyone (adults, children, entrepreneurs, nomads) the box depends only on whether it's a first issue or a renewal:
- Tarjetas de identidad de extranjeros (TIE) y certificados de registro de residentes comunitarios.
- First issue: [x] TIE que documenta la primera concesión de la autorización de residencia temporal, de estancia o para trabajadores transfronterizos. — 16.08€
- Renewal (renovación): [x] TIE que documenta la renovación de la autorización de residencia temporal o la prórroga de la estancia o de la autorización para trabajadores transfronterizos. — 19.30€
How to fill out and pay the tasa (How to pay Modelo 790 Tasa)
Justificante del abono de la tasa Modelo 790 Código 012 del Ministerio del Interior
- The proof of payment (receipt) must be printed in full and correctly, and under no circumstances may it be printed without the note at the bottom of the document "Copy for the administration" — “Ejemplar para la Administración”
- You can download the form from the police website here
- First block IDENTIFICACIÓN — same as the applicant form you submitted for the residence request (NIE, name, address)
- Then tick as shown in the screenshot
- City, date
- Forma de pago — cash (then print it and head to the bank or pay at an ATM, see How to pay Modelo 790 Tasa, or pay through your online banking if it supports it) or pay by card (depends on who issued the card; you can only pay for yourself).
How to grab a police appointment in 20 seconds — masterclass
Right now there really aren't many slots — a deficit. But there's no other way: keep going in and refreshing, refreshing, refreshing — they do appear.
There's no secret here other than persistence.
While I was recording this video there were no slots, and suddenly they appeared!)
A masterclass on how to check for slots in 20 seconds (and my internet was lagging a bit here).
If there were no slots, on the page with the phrase No hay citas disponibles you can boldly hit F5 a dozen times at short intervals.
- On the data-entry screen (first — NIE, second — phone) — don't rush, there must be a 3–5 second pause, or you'll be auto-banned
- avoid using backspace — it makes the anti-bot check ban you more often
- Too Many Requests — IP ban. You can just change your IP (turn on a Spanish VPN, switch to mobile data)
- Request Rejected — fingerprinting ban. Changing your IP also helps — it lets you make a few more requests.
How to check the current ready-batch (lote) number?
To find out whether your card is ready, you check the lote number at the police station. But it's often out of date there — easier to call or drop by and ask. Or search in the chats.
In general it's fairly unreliable. You can
- ask in the chats
- go and look at what's posted on the police station door AND ASK IN WORDS
- call the police, if they pick up and answer
How and where to pick up the card?
- Where to go?
Your paper will say WHERE to come to pick up the card. Most often — the same police station. In Barcelona there's an exception: you give fingerprints at one station and pick up at a special different one. - Do you need an appointment (cita)?
Your paper WILL SAY whether you need one or not. - Can someone pick it up by power of attorney? Can it be mailed?
NO! In person only!
Everyone comes in person.
The rarest exception — for small children who did NOT give fingerprints and did NOT sign — parents may be allowed to pick it up. But you must EXPLICITLY ASK about this AT THE MOMENT of giving fingerprints!
Contributors
Denis Moskalets <denya.msk@gmail.com> @denyamsk