# ID cards in Spain?



## Chica (Mar 23, 2009)

Una pregunta por favor.

With the new residency certificate, they no longer provide ID cards. Or that's what we have been told. After having my bag stolen  along with ALL my ID hubby is a little nervous with the prospect of taking his only ID, his passport, out with him when he needs to use his credit/debit card, especially with the replacement cost of over €200 

Does anyone know if you can request an ID card at whatever cost and how to go about getting one please. 

Thanks in anticipation.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Chica said:


> Una pregunta por favor.
> 
> With the new residency certificate, they no longer provide ID cards. Or that's what we have been told. After having my bag stolen  along with ALL my ID hubby is a little nervous with the prospect of taking his only ID, his passport, out with him when he needs to use his credit/debit card, especially with the replacement cost of over €200
> 
> ...


We came out after the ID cards were abolished so we´ve never had one, they sounded like a good idea tho. 

However, I use my drivers licence as ID when I use my credit/debit card, no problem!

Jo xx


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## Chica (Mar 23, 2009)

Unfortunately, he doesn't drive. He cooks...but doesn't drive. Isn't it usually the other way around


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Chica said:


> Unfortunately, he doesn't drive. He cooks...but doesn't drive. Isn't it usually the other way around



oh!! lol!! which would I prefer? a driver or a cook?????... hhhhmmm, I think the cook as long as he tidies up after himself!!

Looks like its the passport then we he wants to have a spend!! or maybe use the cashpoint and cash??!

Jo xx


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## Chica (Mar 23, 2009)

Yeh. That's they way we handle it at the mo. Just wondered if we could request an ID card.


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

Chica said:


> Yeh. That's they way we handle it at the mo. Just wondered if we could request an ID card.


Chica, Are you talking about the NIE cards? If so, pop to your Oficina de Extranjeros to obtain a replacement card.


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## Chica (Mar 23, 2009)

No. Not NIE cards Tallulla. Well, I don't think so 
I was really talking about the ID residency cards you used to get before the paper certificates came into being. He has the NIE cert, the Residency cert and the SS card, none of which has a photo. But then again, he is lucky. I have none as they were slolen accept for my NIE copy. I don't even have a copy of my passport cos it was in my bag to photocopy. So, with that in mind, he doesn't want to lose his passport too. I think we will have to try and see if the shops will accept a photocopy as proof of ID. I have seen it done before but never tried it ourselves.


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

Chica said:


> No. Not NIE cards Tallulla. Well, I don't think so
> I was really talking about the ID residency cards you used to get before the paper certificates came into being. He has the NIE cert, the Residency cert and the SS card, none of which has a photo. But then again, he is lucky. I have none as they were slolen accept for my NIE copy. I don't even have a copy of my passport cos it was in my bag to photocopy. So, with that in mind, he doesn't want to lose his passport too. I think we will have to try and see if the shops will accept a photocopy as proof of ID. I have seen it done before but never tried it ourselves.


The NIE I think is what you're referring to - the only other personal id documentation process we've been through is : empadronamiento (registering with your ayuntamiento for which you don't have a special card), driving licence converted to "Permiso de Conduccion", and "Libro de Familia" - again with the local ayuntamiento. 

The NIE one is the little credit card sized one with your photo on the front (saying Extranjeros Espana - detailing your name, regimen comunitario, nationality, d.o.b.,address, gender, valid until date and your signature ; on the back it will have a copy of your fingerprint and "observaciones" - mine says "residente".

Tallulah.xx


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## Chica (Mar 23, 2009)

Tallulah said:


> The NIE I think is what you're referring to - the only other personal id documentation process we've been through is : empadronamiento (registering with your ayuntamiento for which you don't have a special card), driving licence converted to "Permiso de Conduccion", and "Libro de Familia" - again with the local ayuntamiento.
> 
> The NIE one is the little credit card sized one with your photo on the front (saying Extranjeros Espana - detailing your name, regimen comunitario, nationality, d.o.b.,address, gender, valid until date and your signature ; on the back it will have a copy of your fingerprint and "observaciones" - mine says "residente".
> 
> Tallulah.xx


That's the one! They don't issue them anymore do they? Can you request one?


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

Chica said:


> That's the one! They don't issue them anymore do they? Can you request one?


Yes they issue them. You have to have one if your registered as resident here. Yes you can request them, as I said just go to your "Oficina de Extranjeros" - obviously there'll be some paperwork involved and possibly a cost (I don't know as I've not had to replace my one yet!!!), explain what happened and they'll issue a replacement.


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## Caz.I (Mar 21, 2009)

Chica said:


> No. Not NIE cards Tallulla. Well, I don't think so
> I was really talking about the ID residency cards you used to get before the paper certificates came into being. He has the NIE cert, the Residency cert and the SS card, none of which has a photo. But then again, he is lucky. I have none as they were slolen accept for my NIE copy. I don't even have a copy of my passport cos it was in my bag to photocopy. So, with that in mind, he doesn't want to lose his passport too. I think we will have to try and see if the shops will accept a photocopy as proof of ID. I have seen it done before but never tried it ourselves.


As far as I am aware, you can only get these ID cards now if you are Spanish or from certain countries outside the EU and have Spanish residency. It is so annoying though. I have the same problem. I have heard that some people make an ID card size copy of their passport and get it laminated and use that, though I am sure it would not be accepted by the likes of banks, and the Guardia Civil. I was reading today that in Manchester they are about to start a pilot scheme for ID cards and they will cost about 30 pounds. It is supposedly going to come into force for all UK citizens from 2012 (bit of a long time to wait though!), and dont know if that would mean those of us in Spain with British passports, would be entitled to one too.


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## Chica (Mar 23, 2009)

Oh thanks Tallulah. I had been informed that they stopped doing them. Just the piece of paper instead. Must have been misinformed then.


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## Chica (Mar 23, 2009)

Caz.I said:


> As far as I am aware, you can only get these ID cards now if you are Spanish or from certain countries outside the EU and have Spanish residency. It is so annoying though. I have the same problem. I have heard that some people make an ID card size copy of their passport and get it laminated and use that, though I am sure it would not be accepted by the likes of banks, and the Guardia Civil. I was reading today that in Manchester they are about to start a pilot scheme for ID cards and they will cost about 30 pounds. It is supposedly going to come into force for all UK citizens from 2012 (bit of a long time to wait though!), and dont know if that would mean those of us in Spain with British passports, would be entitled to one too.


 Aaaah so. It was correct then. Yes I heard about Manchester. I have no problem with ID cards...nothing to hide and as they say it may eliminate all the other blurb they have on you. OK, so he can't get one then. We will try the laminating thing then. 

Thanks for the info.


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

Chica said:


> Oh thanks Tallulah. I had been informed that they stopped doing them. Just the piece of paper instead. Must have been misinformed then.


Caz is right - unfortunately Madrid come out with changes and it takes local government offices and services rather a long time to catch up - so I may have misinformed you on this. The certificate of residency should suffice. However I would say, that due to the slowness in take up by local powers that be, it's always easier to carry an NIE around if you are resident, need to purchase on card, havce a run in with the local police, should anything happen, etc. (Mind you, we're up north here and we're a little, shall we say, "slow and rural minded"?!?!?)


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## Chica (Mar 23, 2009)

Tallulah said:


> Caz is right - unfortunately Madrid come out with changes and it takes local government offices and services rather a long time to catch up - so I may have misinformed you on this. The certificate of residency should suffice. However I would say, that due to the slowness in take up by local powers that be, it's always easier to carry an NIE around if you are resident, need to purchase on card, havce a run in with the local police, should anything happen, etc. (Mind you, we're up north here and we're a little, shall we say, "slow and rural minded"?!?!?)


The problem with the res. cert is it is only a piece of paper. Wouldn't be long before that got really damaged. Also, the NIE is just a piece of paper. So, he has nothing original that he can carry around with him apart from his passport. But, I think Caz.1's idea is a good one for now. I am sure the shops will accept it if the Guardia Civil doesn't. They may give him time to produce the orignal res.cert. at their office if the situation ever arises!! This is a pain . We are all supposed to carry ID with us but this makes it really difficult.


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

Chica said:


> The problem with the res. cert is it is only a piece of paper. Wouldn't be long before that got really damaged. Also, the NIE is just a piece of paper. So, he has nothing original that he can carry around with him apart from his passport. But, I think Caz.1's idea is a good one for now. I am sure the shops will accept it if the Guardia Civil doesn't. They may give him time to produce the orignal res.cert. at their office if the situation ever arises!! This is a pain . We are all supposed to carry ID with us but this makes it really difficult.


I'm having a derr-brain moment, Chica as I have yet to come across this and my NIE doesn't expire until 2010. I hope they come up with something shortly which is as portable, durable and acceptable. It's going to be interesting enough when mine and the children's passports expire next year as well. Hubby is Spanish, so has his ID and Spanish passport and we would have been coming to the stage where the kids needed their own ID cards for later in school. Oh, what to do....it's a melon scratcher all right. One to be filed away and spoken to a local official about I think


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## Chica (Mar 23, 2009)

Yes Tallulah. It really is a pain. I have no ID at all  exept my NIE. I have o health cover neither cos I never got around to applting for residency but they have accepted my NIE cert so see me as a resident. The problem is that the UK have accepted to pay for any treatment I have here, medically (I am not of retiring age yet ), but I can't apply for a SS card without residency. My problem is that I hate to pay Madrid over €200 for a passport that was stolen, just 2 weeks old , to enable me to receive treatment if i need it. I suppose it's a cheap price to pay and will do it one day, but I never think I will need it...stupid I know. The consulate have said that I don't need one unless I want to leave the country. This is one of the things I hate about Spain... the beurocracy..lol. We can't have it all good can we!?


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## Caz.I (Mar 21, 2009)

Chica said:


> Yes Tallulah. It really is a pain. I have no ID at all  exept my NIE. I have o health cover neither cos I never got around to applting for residency but they have accepted my NIE cert so see me as a resident. The problem is that the UK have accepted to pay for any treatment I have here, medically (I am not of retiring age yet ), but I can't apply for a SS card without residency. My problem is that I hate to pay Madrid over €200 for a passport that was stolen, just 2 weeks old , to enable me to receive treatment if i need it. I suppose it's a cheap price to pay and will do it one day, but I never think I will need it...stupid I know. The consulate have said that I don't need one unless I want to leave the country. This is one of the things I hate about Spain... the beurocracy..lol. We can't have it all good can we!?


If it was stolen, can you not apply for an emergency or temporary one, for one year, which is much cheaper, and then sort residency out?


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## Chica (Mar 23, 2009)

Aaaaah. Never thought of that!! Didn't know you could. That's another good idea!! I will have to enquire about that. 

Thanks, once again Caz.1.

Maggie. xx


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## anles (Feb 11, 2009)

Hi Tallulah.
I was just reading your posts about ID... as you say, for those of us who still have a valid tarjeta de residencia, identifying ourselves is easy, however, when we have to renew and therefore have a certificate, carrying your passport will be obligatory and having a valid passport will be too. I understand from what you say, your husband is Spanish. Do your children not have Spanish nationality too? If so, they can apply for a DNI. Although there is no dual nationality agreement with the UK, my children (British mum living in Galicia for her sins, too!) and Spanish dad, have both nationalities. Spanish DNI but British passports so that in future if ever they wish to go to the UK they will have no problem proving they have British nationality too.
Regards,
Anles


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

anles said:


> Hi Tallulah.
> I was just reading your posts about ID... as you say, for those of us who still have a valid tarjeta de residencia, identifying ourselves is easy, however, when we have to renew and therefore have a certificate, carrying your passport will be obligatory and having a valid passport will be too. I understand from what you say, your husband is Spanish. Do your children not have Spanish nationality too? If so, they can apply for a DNI. Although there is no dual nationality agreement with the UK, my children (British mum living in Galicia for her sins, too!) and Spanish dad, have both nationalities. Spanish DNI but British passports so that in future if ever they wish to go to the UK they will have no problem proving they have British nationality too.
> Regards,
> Anles


oh wow Anles - another Galicia gal - you should have said earlier!!! Nice to "meet" you! Our children are British in that they were born in the UK, hold British passports but when we do the paperwork they will receive the full Spanish DNI as their is dad is Spanish. As you may already know, you can travel throughout Europe with a DNI with no need for a passport - and if the day comes when they need a passport for travel outside of Europe for example, they will simply apply and get one as any Spanish citizen would. At this point they will hold two passports - this however doesn't mean they have "dual" nationality in its full capacity. It just means they have two passports without one or the other country being asked or verifying said dual nationality as it does not exist as you say, between Spain and the UK. Indeed, I am reliably informed by a close friend that when he asked the Spanish consulate in Spain about paying the then under £200 to become a British citizen and get a British passport (he had been in UK many years man and boy but was born in Spain - not too dissimilar to my own husband) he was told by a very stern Spanish official there that he would have to hand over his Spanish passport if he did that. Of course, these were the times of Franco and very different to the Spain of today, where we are all European citizens and as such these kind of things have slackened a lot and children don't have to go through hell when they reach 18. They simply have to not let any one of the two passports run out. Simple as!!!
Best regards,
Tallulah.x


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## anles (Feb 11, 2009)

It's nice to "meet" you too  I always love reading your posts. I have heard the same thing about not being able to have two passports, but I haven't gone into that as my children have never had a Spanish passport. They were born here but I registered their births with the British embassy and applied for their passports. The downside with getting their UK passports is the price!!! When I renewed my son's two years ago, his cost 80€ and his girlfriend who applied for hers at the same time paid 16€!!! 
Oh well, must go to bed .
Kind regards,
Anles xx


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

anles said:


> It's nice to "meet" you too  I always love reading your posts. I have heard the same thing about not being able to have two passports, but I haven't gone into that as my children have never had a Spanish passport. They were born here but I registered their births with the British embassy and applied for their passports. The downside with getting their UK passports is the price!!! When I renewed my son's two years ago, his cost 80€ and his girlfriend who applied for hers at the same time paid 16€!!!
> Oh well, must go to bed .
> Kind regards,
> Anles xx


Well, I hope you'll post more often now - to "up" the northern contingent on this forum - I'm always saying there's not enough of us on here!! NormatheexDiva is in Galicia too and used to come on here from time to time, but sadly hasn't posted recently. Hope you're loving living here as well, as much as I am!!!
Tallulah.xx


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## willh (Nov 11, 2008)

Chica said:


> Una pregunta por favor.
> 
> With the new residency certificate, they no longer provide ID cards. Or that's what we have been told. After having my bag stolen  along with ALL my ID hubby is a little nervous with the prospect of taking his only ID, his passport, out with him when he needs to use his credit/debit card, especially with the replacement cost of over €200
> 
> ...


if i remember rightly, if you take the original passport and a photocopy of it to either the ayuntamiento or local police station they will stamp it for you as a certified copy. now, this was how it used to be a long time ago, dont know if they still do it, but could be something worth looking into.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

well I just carry my very tatty looking passport and even more tatty photocopies of my residencia and NIE numbers around with me everywhere. WHEN I lose em I´ll be stuffed I guess!!!

Jo xxx


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## anles (Feb 11, 2009)

Morning Tallulah,
I know NormatheexDiva as I live in Monforte, although she may not have recognised me as this is the first time I have ever joined a forum and I'm still a bit wary as I'm naturally a private person and there are many aspects of internet I find scary.
I have lived in Galicia for most of the 35 years I have lived in Spain as I came here with my mum and stepfather as a child and I do love it, although it took me about 27 years to feel at home!
Kind regards,
Anles xx


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## scharlack (Nov 21, 2008)

Sorry to hear about your docs.

Don't forget to register this ocurrance with your documents with the "comisaria"/police if you have not yet done so. I am telling you this because I have seen a TV show on TVE where people used stolen documents to provide arranged marriage with immigrants. At the end of the day one of the girls who "lost" her ID was married to somebody she didn't even know. Crazy, but true! She was even being charged of assisting illegal immigration.

Also, for a new NIE I would go to the "Extranjeria" and ask them what to do in such case. Carrying a passport around is not a comfortable feeling.

Good luck.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

scharlack said:


> At the end of the day one of the girls who "lost" her ID was married to somebody she didn't even know. Crazy, but true!


huh! I feel like that now!!! My husband is so rarely here these days with commuting and running a business in the UK LOL

Jo xx


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## decgraham (Apr 24, 2008)

jojo said:


> well I just carry my very tatty looking passport and even more tatty photocopies of my residencia and NIE numbers around with me everywhere. WHEN I lose em I´ll be stuffed I guess!!!
> 
> Jo xxx



Hi Jo,

I don't like the idea of carrying my passport and driving license around with me all the time so I've had both notarised by The British and Spanish Embassies here in Kuwait as "True copies". I'm hoping this will be ok but will find out if I'm stopped by the Police this summer...fingers crossed. If they work great, much better to loose a copy than the original. When I got my NIE I sent my solicitor a certified copy of my passport, from the Spanish Embassy and it worked fine, so the Police should be aware of this type of document.


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## Chica (Mar 23, 2009)

scharlack said:


> Sorry to hear about your docs.
> 
> Don't forget to register this ocurrance with your documents with the "comisaria"/police if you have not yet done so. I am telling you this because I have seen a TV show on TVE where people used stolen documents to provide arranged marriage with immigrants. At the end of the day one of the girls who "lost" her ID was married to somebody she didn't even know. Crazy, but true! She was even being charged of assisting illegal immigration.
> 
> ...


Hi scharlack,

Thanks for your advise. I reported the theft of my doc's to the guardia civil and have the theft report. This, I carry copies of and is accepted when I need to provide my passport for whatever reason. It has obviously been stamped by the guardia so nobody argues about it


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

anles said:


> Morning Tallulah,
> I know NormatheexDiva as I live in Monforte, although she may not have recognised me as this is the first time I have ever joined a forum and I'm still a bit wary as I'm naturally a private person and there are many aspects of internet I find scary.
> I have lived in Galicia for most of the 35 years I have lived in Spain as I came here with my mum and stepfather as a child and I do love it, although it took me about 27 years to feel at home!
> Kind regards,
> Anles xx


Sorry to everyone else on this thread for going slightly off topic. Anles - you can pm me if you like if you want to chat off forum about Galicia - I think as Monforte and its little pueblos are quite a small community you may even know some of my friends up there!!! And yes, keep all info private on an open forum - you never know who may be reading!!! If ever you bump into Norma, tell her I hope she's feeling better at the moment and hopefully we'll see her back here again.
Tallulah.xx


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## Irishgirl (Sep 26, 2008)

Hi there,
I went to get an Id card today and my Husband went to get his replaced as he had lived in Spain before. Foreign National no longer get an ID card just an offical page with your details on it and NIE number. You will have to use your passport or drivers licence for ID. I hate carrying my passport around with me also, but im lucky to have my drivers licence.

Irish Girl


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## Chica (Mar 23, 2009)

Yes you are lucky Irishgirl to have a non paper licence. I'm still driving around on the old green paper one. One of these days I will get meslf sorted!!


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