NIE Renewal in Barcelona – Your How-To Guide

If you are already residing in Spain, or are planning to move to Spain soon, it’s important to have all your paperwork in order. This means you may get a job and have access to public services. In this article we will explain how to renew your NIE in Barcelona, also referred to as the tarjeta de residencia.

The NIE, número de identidad extranjero or foreign identity number, is one of those administrative procedures that you will need to go through to be able to work in Spain and pay your taxes as a legal resident. And after a while, you need to renew it. You should keep in mind that the NIE number that appears on your card will always stay the same.

The number on the NIE consists of a unique code, starting with a letter and then followed by seven digits. There is also a verification code on the card. The NIE serves a distinct purpose: every person who holds a NIE can be identified as a foreigner associated with Spain on an economic, social and professional level. 

How to Renew Your NIE in Barcelona

A while ago you could only obtain a NIE and go through the bureaucratic process in person by taking all the applicant’s documentation with you to a physical office. Nowadays the process can be done 100% online. If you still want to carry out the process in person, you need an appointment with the Immigration Agency in Barcelona (la Agencia de Extranjería).

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If you would rather do the procedure online, you can click on this link, although you will need a digital certificate to complete the procedure. If you don’t have a digital certificate yet, you can ask a gestoria or legal service for administrative support.

As already mentioned, the NIE must be renewed from time to time (and the length of this time depends on your situation), but the number never changes. Once the personal identification number is attributed to you, it always remains the same. To keep it valid, however, it must be renewed before it expires.

Necessary NIE documents

NIE renewal requirements

In order to renew your NIE you must comply with the following requirements:

• You are not a citizen of the European Union, Switzerland or the EEA.
• You must have a valid passport. If it has expired, you must renew it.
• You cannot have a criminal record in Spain. Any problems with the Spanish police or justice system, or any registered crimes will have to be resolved before you start the renewal process.
• You are the holder of the residency permit that needs to be renewed. You can renew it from 60 days before until 90 days after the expiration date.
• You must have health insurance in Spain. If you have a job, you have been provided with a social security number.
• You must pay applicable fees.

Necessary documents to renew your NIE

In order to ‘renew’ your NIE in Barcelona, or in any other Spanish city, you will first need to collect every NIE related document indicated below:

• A completed EX15 form, which is the original application form. Don’t forget the address.
• A valid passport or other document that proves the applicant’s nationality. You need to have both the original and a copy. If it has expired, you need to submit both the original and the new ID (and have copies of both).
• A written statement with the reason for renewal, issued by someone with the necessary authority (for example: a notary, a new employer, an insurance agent, a bank manager).
• A passport-sized photograph with a white background.
• Your affiliation number or proof of registration with the Social Security (la Seguridad Social).
• Proof of payment of the fee.

Where can I renew my NIE?

Physically

The document is issued by the DGP, or Dirección General de la Policía, but the Administración General del Estado is responsible for granting the number.

It can be renewed in person at the Immigration Offices, Oficina de Extranjeros, or at the Sede de Extranjería. In order to renew your NIE in Barcelona, you must visit the office closest to your current address.

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There are two offices in Barcelona to complete the procedure: EU citizens should visit the Rambla de Guipúscoa office, and non-EU citizens need to go to the office at Passeig de Sant Joan. Before showing up there spontaneously, you must have an appointment (a cita previa) for the NIE. Follow these steps to arrange an appointment:

1. Check the available provinces and select Barcelona.
2. Select Certificados E.U. with Trámites disponibles para la provincia Seleccionada. Then click on Aceptar.
3. You will then see a warning telling you En la siguiente página le mostraremos los documentos necesarios (The next page will show required documents). Click on Aceptar.
4. Select Pasaporte and enter your passport number. Then click on Aceptar.
5. Click on Solicitar cita (request appointment). Then you will see the address you need to visit.
6. If the date and time shown are not convenient, you can change those at this time.
7. Confirm your appointment by checking the box that says: Deseo correo electrónico para recibir los datos de mi cita. Then print your appointment and take the confirmation with you.

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On the day of the appointment you take all the required documentation with you. Then you wait for the administrative agent to review those documents. If your application is approved, they will tell you how long it will take to receive it in your physical or digital mailbox.

There is a waiting list for a cita previa, and it may take several months before you get an appointment. You can visit the Registro Público Oficial with all the previously mentioned documents without having an appointment, if you can’t wait that long. The administrative agent will put a stamp on your application and send it to the Immigration Office. This shortens the waiting time and starts the procedure as well. You will receive your documents when everything is processed.

By mail

Once you have prepared all the required documents, you can also ask for a renewal of the NIE by sending it by mail (the Correos).

The process is the same as with going to the Immigration Office or the Registro Público Oficial. Take all the documents you have collected and prepared, and take them with you (including two copies of the EX15 form) in an open envelope to the Correos office closest to you.

They will provide your documents with a stamp, and you will keep a copy of the stamped application form. The Correos will then send your envelope directly to the NIE office.

If you prefer sending your documents by mail, we advise you to use the option correo certificado con acuse de recibo. This is more effective and secure.

Online NIE renewal

Online 

To formalize the NIE renewal procedure online, you must follow the steps below:

• You need a computer with access to the internet, and you need to be able to print your proof of the application.
• You need to be in the possession of a digital certificate that is recognized by any of the official certification entities, or you need an electronic ID card.
• Are you part of an administrative agency or law firm? Then, as long as you are registered with the corresponding council, you are able to use the agency’s access.
• Once you have chosen the desired option, you should fill in the form and attach required documentation.
• You will, in the end, be asked to sign a form and the documentation with the previously mentioned digital certificate. For this you need to have installed the AutoSignature software.
• Then you will receive an electronic document (PDF) that is proof of your procedure.
• To complete the procedure you must also attach proof of payment of the fee. You can pay by visiting the Ministerio de Hacienda y Administraciones Públicas, or by paying through your own bank. Then download proof of payment and add this to the procedure.

With all the information above, you are now ready to complete the process of renewing your NIE in Barcelona. Have you gone through the procedure before? How did it go?