TIE card

Hi Matt,

Are you a first-time applicant?  If so, it will be easiest to appoint a gestor to do this on your behalf - the fee will be around €100. 

If you already have residency, you can do the exchange to a TIE yourself, using my guide:

https://www.costablancaforum.com/area/formentera-del-segura-spain-54/residency-in-formentera-del-segura-padron-residencia-passport-advice-23/guide-to-exchanging-residencia-for-a-tie-card-form-ex-23-117366/ 

Whichever application and method you choose, you currently have to go to Alicante.

Kind regards, 

Kim

Hi Kim,

Many thanks for the concise and very helpful reply. I've been trying to arrange and appointment several times since yesterday morning but indeed it keeps saying that there are none available and that they will inform us shortly of new ones. It's the first time I've applied for a TIE but I've been living here since 2006, I've had my NIE since then also and am married to a spanish lady and I speak spanish. I also have the document "Residencial Fiscal en España".

Thanks again,

regards,

Matt

Hi Kim again,

I forgot to ask  - which office should I be contacting? 

Foreign office, Calle Campo de Mirra, 6,

or...

British Consulate Alicante, Edificio Espacio, Rambla Méndez Núñez 28-32, 6ª planta, 03002 Alacant, Alicante,

or...

Foreigners' Office, Calle de la Ebanistería, 4, 03008 Alacant, Alicante

Hi Matt,

When you say you have your "NIE", I assume you mean the green 'Residencia' card?  You're not obliged to swap this for a TIE, unless you want to, the Spanish government has already confirmed that the green residency card continues to be valid.

For your fingerprint appointment (application form EX-23), you go to Calle Campo de Mirra, 6, and when the card is ready, you collect it from Calle de la Ebanistería, 4.

The procedure I've described is for a UK citizen applying for residency.  I know that, as the spouse of a Spanish citizen, there's a quicker route to obtaining Spanish citizenship (if you don't mind giving up your British citizenship), but I wonder whether this also gives you a short-cut to obtaining residency?  Just a thought.  

Kind regards,

Kim

Hi,

I've attached an example of a NIE-Número de Identidad de Extranjero (it's not actually mine, just an example for you to see what I mean) and it's just a part of it - when I received mine back in 2006 they had changed from it being a card to an A4 paper document. I presume then in my case my situation won't have changed with the implementation of Brexit from 1st January 2021 and that I can apply for the TIE if I want to but it's not obligatory?

Kin regards,

Matt

Hi Matt,

Yes, that's a Residency certificate, albeit as you say, the old style.  Just to confuse matters, the Spanish call it the "NIE", even though I'm sure you know that the NIE document is a white A4 document 😄

If you're a UK citizen with either format of the green residency certificate, you're not currently obliged to exchange it for a TIE.

Kind regards,

Kim

Hi Kim,

Do I also need the EX-18 form and if so what is it? (I've also heard about an EX-15 and EX-17 form as well...)

Thanks,

Matt

Hi Matt,

No, as you already have a green Residency certificate (for which you would have applied using Form EX-18), you need to use Form EX-23 to swap your Residency for a TIE.  You can download the form from the guide I posted in my earlier message to you.  Here's the guide again:

https://www.costablancaforum.com/area/formentera-del-segura-spain-54/residency-in-formentera-del-segura-padron-residencia-passport-advice-23/guide-to-exchanging-residencia-for-a-tie-card-form-ex-23-117366/ 

Kind regards,

Kim

Hi Kim,

So how much will it cost when I go there? (I have the appointment tomorrow morning).

Thanks,

Matt