How Spain’s “Cita Previa” Police/Extranjería Website Works (and How to Book NIE, EU Green Card, and TIE Appointments)

HOW TO IUSE THE POLICE CITA WEBSITE TO BOOK A NIE APPOINTMENT

If you’ve tried to “just book an appointment” in Spain, you already know the reality: the system is simple in theory, but it can feel confusing in practice—especially because different immigration steps are handled by different bodies:

Oficinas de Extranjería (run by the Government Delegations/Subdelegations)
Policía Nacional (for many identity-document steps, including fingerprints for the TIE, and in many provinces NIE/certificates too)

Spain’s main online booking gateway for immigration appointments is the official Cita previa de extranjería platform (often referred to as ICP / ICPplus) hosted on the public administration e-services infrastructure.

This guide explains, clearly and step-by-step, how that appointment website works and exactly how to use it to book the three big appointment types people usually mean when they say “I need a cita”:

NIE number appointment (often via EX-15 “Asignación de NIE…” / “NIE for non-resident purposes”)
EU Green Card appointment (the green A4 certificate: “Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión” — often via EX-18)
TIE appointment (fingerprints: “Toma de huellas” for the plastic card)

Along the way, I’ll also cover what the website is really asking for at each stage, why people get rejected at the desk, and the most common errors that cause “you have a cita, but it’s the wrong one”.

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1) What “the police cita website” actually is

When people say “the police cita website”, they’re usually talking about the appointment flow that starts here:

Cita previa de extranjería directory page (official): it explains who the appointments are for and the split between Extranjería offices and Policía Nacional appointments.
The booking portal itself (“Proceso automático para la solicitud de cita previa”), which is the front door to selecting province, procedure, and time slot.

In plain English: it’s one central appointment engine used across Spain, but the appointment you choose determines which office and which authority you’ll actually attend.

That’s why the same booking website can show procedures like:

“Número de identificación de extranjero (NIE) para fines que no sean residencia”
“Toma de huellas, expedición y recogida de Tarjeta de identidad de extranjero (TIE)”

And that’s also why you can accidentally book something that sounds right… but isn’t.

2) The 3 appointment types: what you’re really booking

A) NIE number appointment (EX-15)

There are two “NIE” realities that get mixed up online:

NIE as a number (assigned for identification—often for non-resident needs like property purchase, banking, taxes)
NIE that appears as part of residency (EU registration certificate or TIE card—both include an NIE number)

If you’re booking the “I just need an NIE number” type appointment, you are usually looking for the Policía Nacional immigration procedure that corresponds to EX-15 (“Asignación de NIE a instancia de interesado”).

On the Policía site, the NIE assignment procedure explicitly points to:

the EX-15 form, and
paying the Modelo 790 Código 012 fee (when applicable for the procedure).

B) EU Green Card (Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión, EX-18)

The “green card” most EU citizens mean is the Certificate of Registration of an EU Citizen (the green A4 paper). The Policía Nacional describes that the certificate is issued and contains your NIE and registration details; it also notes the three-month window from entry for applying.

In the appointment system, this can appear under names like:

“Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión”
“Certificados UE”
“Registro de ciudadano de la UE”
(Exact naming varies by province/office configuration, but it maps to the same concept.)

C) TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) appointment = fingerprints (“Toma de huellas”)

If you are non-EU (or an EU family member under a residency regime) and you’ve been granted/approved a stay or residency that results in a plastic card, your key in-person step is almost always:

Toma de huellas (fingerprints) for issuing/collecting the TIE.

The official appointment system includes a procedure called:

“Toma de huellas, expedición y recogida de Tarjeta de identidad de extranjero (TIE)”

And the Policía Nacional provides official fee tables for different TIE scenarios (first issue, renewals, etc.) on its “Tasas de Extranjería” page.

3) Before you book: the 5 things that prevent wasted citas

This is the stuff that saves you from turning up and being told “wrong appointment” or “missing payment”.

1) Know which authority handles your step in your province

The appointment directory itself highlights the split: some appointments are for Extranjería offices (Delegations/Subdelegations) and others are for Policía Nacional.

In practice, the same procedure name can be offered by different offices depending on province. Always follow the website’s own “office selection” step—don’t assume.

2) Have your ID details exactly as your document shows

The booking system typically warns that you’ll only be attended if you can identify yourself with valid original ID matching the booking.

Common failure points:

entering passport number with spaces
mixing O/0 and I/1
using an expired passport
booking under one person and arriving with another (even family members)

3) Understand the fee form: Modelo 790 Código 012

Many of these procedures require a fee payment and presenting proof. The Policía’s official portal provides the Modelo 790 Código 012 generator and download.

The Policía also lists official immigration procedures and references the 790-012 for NIE assignment.

4) For TIE: know your fee type (first issue vs renewal)

Not all TIE fees are the same. The official “Tasas de Extranjería” page lists different fee amounts for different TIE categories (first grant vs renewal/prórroga, etc.).

5) If you hit technical issues, use the official help route

There is an official help page for cita previa extranjería that directs people to 060 for questions and includes guidance for technical incidents.

4) Step-by-step: how to use the Cita Previa (ICP/ICPplus) website

Even though the exact screens can shift slightly, the flow is remarkably consistent.

Step 1 — Start at the official portal

Use the official “Cita previa extranjería” entry point or the ICPplus portal.

Tip: Avoid unofficial “booking helper” sites that look similar. If the page does not look like a government portal and the domain isn’t a government domain, don’t enter passport/NIE details.

Step 2 — Select your province

The first big choice is Provincia.

This matters because:

the same procedure can have different office availability by province
some provinces route certain procedures to specific police stations (comisarías) vs extranjería offices

Pick the province where you are legally handled (usually where you live/are registered), unless your specific procedure rules say otherwise.

Step 3 — Choose the procedure (this is the most important step)

This is where most people go wrong.

You’ll see a list of procedures that can include things like:

NIE for non-resident purposes (NIE no-residencia)
EU citizen registration certificate
TIE fingerprints (toma de huellas)

Choose the one that matches your actual need:

If you need an NIE number only

Look for wording like:

“Asignación de NIE”
“NIE para fines que no sean residencia”

That maps to the police NIE assignment process described officially (EX-15).

If you need the EU green certificate

Look for:

“Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión”
This is the official EU certificate process.

If you need a TIE card

Look for:

“Toma de huellas… TIE”

Step 4 — Confirm and proceed

The portal usually shows notes, warnings, and conditions (for example: bring the original ID and it must match the person booked).

Read these. Some provinces add special requirements (photos, copies, local forms). If your office gives extra requirements at the desk, “but I didn’t know” won’t help.

Step 5 — Enter personal data

Typical fields:

Passport number or NIE
Full name
Nationality
Sometimes phone/email (varies)

Important: This data must match your document. If your passport has two surnames, enter them as shown.

Step 6 — Select the office/comisaría

If there are multiple offices in your province, you’ll have to choose one.

This is where a lot of people accidentally pick an office far away—then miss the appointment due to travel time. If you’re in Alicante province, for example, your options might include several comisarías depending on the procedure.

Step 7 — Choose date and time (or discover there are none)

If appointments exist, you’ll see a calendar or list of available slots. If there are none, you’ll see a “no hay citas” message (wording varies).

If there are none, jump to the troubleshooting section below—because this is where people lose weeks.

Step 8 — Confirm and save proof

After confirming, you should receive confirmation details.

Best practice:

screenshot the final confirmation page
print it if possible
store it in a folder with your forms, fee receipt, photocopies

Some offices do ask for proof of booking.

5) Booking the right appointment for each goal (with practical checklists)

Below are “desk-proof” checklists that match what the procedures typically require according to official sources, plus what offices commonly insist on.

A) NIE number appointment (EX-15) — what to prepare

What it is: An appointment to request assignment of an NIE for the applicant (often for non-resident administrative/economic needs). The Policía’s procedure page references EX-15 and the 790-012 fee form.

What to bring (typical):

Passport original + copy
EX-15 completed (and copies)
Justification/reason for NIE (varies by office; e.g., property purchase, banking requirement, inheritance paperwork)
Proof of fee payment (Modelo 790 Código 012) where required

How to pay your NIE number tax on a ATM

On the website, choose something like:

“Asignación de NIE”
“NIE para fines que no sean residencia”

Common mistake: People book “TIE” or “EU certificate” thinking it will “also give me an NIE”. Those processes do include an NIE, but the desk may refuse you if your paperwork and procedure don’t match.

B) EU Green Card (Certificado Registro Ciudadano UE / EX-18) — what to prepare

What it is: The EU citizen registration certificate that contains your NIE and details. The Policía describes it as issued with name, nationality, address, NIE, and registration date.

What to bring (typical):

Passport/ID original + copies
EX-18 completed + copies
Proof of address (often padrón / rental contract / escritura, depending on your case)
Proof of meeting EU conditions (worker, self-employed, sufficient resources + health cover, student, etc.)
Any fee receipt required by the local office (procedures vary by province)

On the website, choose:

“Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión” (or similar wording)

Common mistake: Booking an NIE appointment instead of EU registration. Yes, you might “get an NIE” via EX-15, but if you actually need EU registration, the separate EU certificate appointment is the one that results in the green certificate.

C) TIE appointment (Toma de huellas) — what to prepare

What it is: Fingerprints for the plastic card, and sometimes collection steps depending on how your province structures it. The appointment system explicitly lists “Toma de huellas… TIE”.

What to bring (typical):

Passport original + copy
Your approval/resolution (favourable decision) or proof of granted status
EX-17 (commonly used for TIE card request in many cases)
Fee payment (Modelo 790) and receipt; fee amounts vary depending on your TIE type (first issue vs renewal), as shown on the official police fee page.
Photo(s) passport style (many comisarías require these)
Padrón (sometimes requested)

On the website, choose:

“Toma de huellas / Expedición TIE” (wording varies, but includes “toma de huellas” and “TIE”)

Common mistake: Booking a generic extranjería office appointment when your step is with Policía Nacional for fingerprints.

6) The most common Cita Previa problems (and how to fix them)

Problem 1: “No hay citas” (no appointments available)

This is the #1 pain point, and it’s real—Spain has had widely reported pressure and scarcity around extranjería/police appointments in many areas. Recent reporting has highlighted administrative strain and problems around obtaining NIE/cita previa in some contexts.

What actually helps (practical):

Try different times of day (many users report slots appearing early morning; availability patterns differ by province)
Check multiple days in a row
If your province has multiple offices, check each one (if the system allows it)
Don’t pay anyone who claims they have “secret access” to government slots

If you suspect a technical issue rather than genuine scarcity, use the official help route (060 / technical incidents page).

Problem 2: You can’t get past the site / it loops / it errors

Common causes:

browser issues
cookies/session conflicts
phone vs desktop incompatibility at that moment

Fixes:

try an incognito/private window
try a different browser
clear cache/cookies for the government domain
avoid auto-translate that can break form controls

Problem 3: You booked “something” but the office says it’s the wrong “trámite”

This happens when:

you picked “NIE” but needed “EU certificate”
you picked “TIE” but you’re actually at a pre-approval stage
you picked the right procedure but wrong office

Fix: You usually must book again with the correct procedure. This is why procedure choice matters more than date.

Problem 4: Your fee is wrong (or unpaid)

For many procedures you must use Modelo 790 Código 012 via the official police portal, print it, and pay as required.
For TIE fees specifically, make sure the amount matches your card category (first grant vs renewal etc.), using the official fee list.

Problem 5: You’re told “only the person booked will be attended”

This is commonly stated in appointment instructions and is enforced in many places.

If you’re assisting a spouse, friend, or client:

book under their details
they should attend in person unless there’s a legally accepted representation arrangement for that procedure

7) How to avoid scams and “appointment resellers”

Any market with scarcity attracts scammers. The safest approach is:

only use official government and police portals for booking and fee forms
don’t share passport/NIE details on unofficial sites
don’t pay someone claiming they can “guarantee” a slot via insider methods

If you use a third party for help, make sure you understand what they’re doing (are they preparing your paperwork and guiding you, or are they just charging for clicking refresh?).

Official links you’ll actually use

Cita previa de extranjería (directory / official entry): https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/pagina/index/directorio/icpplus ICPplus appointment portal: https://icp.administracionelectronica.gob.es/icpplus/index.html Policía Nacional – Extranjería procedures (official hub): https://sede.policia.gob.es/portalCiudadano/_es/tramites_extranjeria.php Policía – Asignación de NIE (EX-15): https://sede.policia.gob.es/portalCiudadano/_es/tramites_extranjeria_tramite_asignacion_nie.php Policía – Certificado Registro Ciudadano UE (EU green certificate info): https://sede.policia.gob.es/portalCiudadano/_es/tramites_extranjeria_tramite_certificadoregistro_ciudadanoue.php Policía – Tasa Modelo 790 Código 012 (official form generator): https://sede.policia.gob.es/Tasa790_012/ Policía – Extranjería fee table (TIE fee amounts by category): https://sede.policia.gob.es/portalCiudadano/_es/tramites_extranjeria_tasas.php Cita previa help / 060 info: https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/pagina/index/directorio/ayuda_cita_previa