TIE Fingerprint Appointment in Alicante (Toma de Huellas)

Who needs this appointment

• Non-EU citizens with a visa or residence authorisation for more than six months (non-lucrative, work, digital nomad, student, family reunification and so on) — both for a first card and when a renewal is approved.
• Not EU/EEA/Swiss citizens. They don't get a TIE; they register and receive the green certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión (form EX-18), which is a different appointment.
• Family members of EU citizens use a separate card (form EX-19), and UK nationals covered by the Withdrawal Agreement have their own card procedure. Check which one applies before booking.

The TIE does not create your right to live here — it documents an authorisation you already have. Its validity matches that authorisation.

Step 1: pay the tasa 790 código 012

Generate the form on the Policía Nacional's online Tasa 790-012 generator, choosing the option that matches your card (initial TIE for temporary residence, renewal, long-term residence, etc.). The amount depends on the card type and is printed on the form, so check the current tasa there rather than trusting a figure from a forum. Pay it at a bank before the appointment — you don't need an account at that bank.

Bring the stamped original. The official information sheet says the copy marked "Ejemplar para la Administración" must be printed in full; printouts that cut off the bottom of the page are not accepted.

Step 2: book the cita previa

1. Go to the immigration appointment site: sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es → Cita previa extranjería.
2. Choose the province Alicante.
3. Under the police procedures (Trámites Cuerpo Nacional de Policía), pick the fingerprinting option — POLICÍA-TOMA DE HUELLAS (EXPEDICIÓN DE TARJETA)…. The wording of this option has been updated over time (it currently also mentions renewals and duplicates), so look for "TOMA DE HUELLAS". Do not pick NIE assignment or the EU certificate.
4. Enter your NIE, name and nationality, then pick an office and slot from what's offered.
5. Save or print the confirmation with the appointment code.

The appointment must be in the province where you live. If you live in Torrevieja, Benidorm or Elche, that means an office in Alicante province — the system shows only the offices that have slots for this procedure at that moment.

Where it happens in Alicante province

The Policía Nacional's official office directory lists, for Alicante province, the Brigada Provincial de Extranjería y Fronteras at C/ Campo de Mirra 6, Alicante, for residence cards (tarjetas de residencia), and foreigners' services (régimen comunitario y no comunitario) at the comisarías of Torrevieja (C/ Arquitecto Larramendi 3), Elche, Benidorm, Orihuela, Alcoy and Elda. Which of these offers fingerprint slots on a given day is decided by the booking system, so treat the office list in the cita previa as the source of truth and go to exactly the address on your confirmation.

What to bring

• Form EX-17, filled in and signed (download the current version from the Ministry of Inclusion's immigration forms page).
• Tasa 790 código 012, paid, original.
• Passport (or travel document), valid, plus a copy.
• Your visa or the resolution granting or renewing your authorisation.
• A recent passport-style colour photo.
• The appointment confirmation.
• For renewals or replacements, your previous TIE if you have it.

Not on the official list, but worth carrying: a recent volante de empadronamiento (see our padrón in Torrevieja article). Your address shows on the card, and having proof of it in the province avoids a second trip if the officer asks.

At the appointment and collecting the card

The officer checks your documents, takes your fingerprints and, if all is in order, gives you a receipt (resguardo). Keep it safe — it is what you'll need to collect the card. There is no official, published timeframe for the card to be ready; ask at the counter how and when collection works at your office and follow what's written on your resguardo. Collection is in person.

Tip: your resguardo shows a batch number (lote). The private website form24.es tracks the latest lote reported per police office, including Alicante province, and gives an estimate of when your card may be ready. It is unofficial and not run by the Policía Nacional, and some features are paid. Treat it as a rough guide and rely on your office for confirmation.

When no appointments show up

• Try again at different times of day and on different days; slots for this procedure are released periodically and go quickly.
• Accept any office in the province rather than holding out for the nearest one.
• Keep everything (paid tasa, EX-17, copies) ready so you can book the moment a slot appears.
• Book only through the official site. Booking for this procedure is free; be wary of anyone selling appointments.
• If your one-month window is about to run out, keep evidence of your attempts and ask the immigration office or a lawyer for guidance.

Common mistakes

• Booking NIE assignment or the EU certificate instead of fingerprinting.
• Paying the wrong 790-012 option for your card type.
• Bringing a partial printout of the tasa without the "Ejemplar para la Administración".
• Booking in another province — the appointment must match where you live.

Checked October 2026 · Not legal advice. Appointment options, offices, forms and fees change. Always confirm with the Policía Nacional and the cita previa system before your appointment.