# Changing name on residencia/NIE



## flaneurr (Apr 22, 2012)

I can't seem to find a straight answer to this question, so opened a new thread.

Does anyone know how easy it is to change the name on your residencia/NIE? What is the process/time involved?

As I am up for my renewal, I've been filling out the paperwork and just realised (stupid me, it took me a year) that I think they got my primer apellido and segundo apellido inverted. I'd rather fix it now before it causes increasingly more headaches down the line...

That said, would it be possible to change it at the same time as applying for the renewal? By simply telling them when I go to submit my papers? Or do I have to first change my name and then renew the residencia in two separate steps? That woudl be a pain.

Any of your advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

flaneurr said:


> I can't seem to find a straight answer to this question, so opened a new thread.
> 
> Does anyone know how easy it is to change the name on your residencia/NIE? What is the process/time involved?
> 
> ...



you actually have two surnames?

I don't know the answer , but I would simply take the official documentation with you with the correct info on it when you go to renew & see what they say then


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

I cant help, other than going to where yours was issued and requesting a new one with proof of ID. It IS a bit of a nightmare in Spain, I'm often referred to by my middle name (as my surname) whenever I have given my full name to anyone. Even my Electricity bill comes addressed to my middle name 

When we needed a new document, we simply went to the police station and they issued a new one to us


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## flaneurr (Apr 22, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> you actually have two surnames?
> 
> I don't know the answer , but I would simply take the official documentation with you with the correct info on it when you go to renew & see what they say then


Thanks to both of you for your advice. 

My middle name is my mother's maiden name, which theoretically should have translated perfectly to the Spanish system. On my residencia application, I even listed it as my segundo apellido. But alas, because on my passport it was the second out of three rows, they chose to ignore how I filled in the application and made it my primer apellido and my real surname as my segundo apellido.

Are both of you suggesting that it's as simple as filling out a form with my residencia renovacion forms and everything should ideally be changed in the system all at once... and hopefully in a few short weeks after that I'd get my new residencia and tarjeta with proper information? I hope so.. because I really do hate making that journey to the oficina de extranjeros and waiting in line.


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