MémoriaIn this guide
What the cita previa actually is
A cita previa is the advance appointment you need for any foreigners’ procedure with the Policía Nacional. Without one, you will not be seen: there is no counter where you queue and eventually get served. In the province of Madrid, these appointments are booked online only, through the “Internet Cita Previa” service reached from sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es.
The logic is simple: pick the province (Madrid), then the procedure (trámite), enter your details and, if any slots are left, choose one. Two procedures account for most of what new arrivals need:
- NIE assignment, which goes with form EX-15;
- the EU citizen registration certificate, the so-called “green NIE”, which goes with form EX-18.
Both are subject to fee form 790-012, which you generate and pay before the appointment. The form covers several procedures, each with its own box: check the correct one and the current amount on the official site when you fill it in, as both can change.
The rules for foreigners were reorganised by a new Reglamento de extranjería that came into force in 2025. The broad picture below still holds, but required documents and procedure names can shift: always check the official site at the time you apply.
NIE, EU certificate, TIE: which one you need
Before you book anything, be sure which procedure applies to you. Getting this wrong means wasting an appointment that may have taken weeks to land.
| Document | Who it is for | What it proves |
|---|---|---|
| NIE (EX-15) | Any foreigner with an economic, professional or social reason, resident or not | An identification number only. No right of residence. |
| EU registration certificate (EX-18) | EU, EEA and Swiss citizens settling for more than three months | That you live in Spain. It carries your existing NIE, or assigns one if you had none. |
| TIE | Non-EU nationals holding a residence authorisation | A physical card tied to a residence permit, under a separate procedure. |
If you are an EU citizen moving to Madrid, what you need is normally the EU registration certificate, not a standalone NIE. A plain NIE is useful if you have to buy, sign or start work before you have moved; in that case the consular route from home is often faster, as explained in our guide getting your NIE before you move.
Why slots are so hard to find
Anyone who has tried knows the message: “En este momento no hay citas disponibles”. It is not a glitch; it is how the system normally behaves in Madrid. Several factors stack up:
- Limited supply. Each authorised police station has only a small number of daily slots for foreigners’ procedures.
- Heavy demand. Madrid takes a large share of all foreign arrivals in Spain, EU and non-EU alike.
- Irregular releases. Slots are not published at a fixed time. They appear in batches and are gone within minutes.
- Cancellations. A cancelled appointment puts a slot back online, at any time of day.
In practice, that means checking often, at different times, and being flexible. Location is your best lever. The system usually lets you choose among several offices across the province, not just in the city itself. Accepting an appointment in a town on the outskirts, forty minutes from home, can save you weeks.
An appointment that is further away but sooner almost always beats the perfect one that never comes. The certificate is the same whichever office in the province issues it.
Booking, screen by screen
The interface is in Spanish and fairly bare, but the flow is linear. Broadly:
- Province: Madrid.
- Procedure: from the list of police procedures, pick the one for NIE assignment or for the EU registration certificate. Read the full wording before you confirm; several lines look alike.
- Office, depending on the case: either a list of police stations in the province, or automatic allocation based on availability.
- Information page: it lists the documents to bring. Read it, as it reflects current requirements.
- Your details: document type and number (passport or national ID card), full name exactly as on that document, nationality, sometimes date of birth.
- Slot search: if any are left, the system offers you one or more.
- Contact details: a phone number and an email address. A confirmation code is sent by text or email, and you enter it to lock in the booking.
- Confirmation: once confirmed, download and print the justificante with its reference number. You will be asked for it at the door, and you need it to cancel if necessary.
The details you enter must match exactly the document you will show on the day. An appointment booked with an old passport number or a misspelt name can be turned away at the door.
Documents for the EU registration certificate
The EU registration certificate is the procedure most of our European clients have to go through. The exact documents depend on your circumstances, but the core is usually:
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Passport or national ID card | Valid. Original and copy. |
| Form EX-18 | Completed and signed, usually in two copies. |
| Paid 790-012 fee | Proof of payment, with the correct box ticked. |
| Proof of your situation | The heart of the file; see below. |
| Padrón certificate | Not always on the official list, but very often asked for in practice as proof of address. See our guide to empadronamiento in Madrid. |
Proving your situation: the usual cases
The certificate confirms that you meet the conditions for an EU citizen to stay longer than three months. Depending on your profile, you will generally be asked for:
- Employees: an employment contract and/or proof of registration with Spanish social security.
- Self-employed: proof of registration as self-employed.
- Not working, retired, or remote working for a foreign employer: proof of sufficient resources plus health insurance, public (for example through an EU entitlement form) or private, covering Spain.
- Students: enrolment at an institution, health insurance and, usually, a declaration of sufficient resources.
Family members have their own scenarios. An EU spouse or children can rely on the main applicant’s situation, with proof of the family link (marriage and birth certificates, sometimes translated). A non-EU family member goes through a different procedure, the residence card for family members of an EU citizen; we coordinate that file with our partner lawyer.
“Remote worker for a foreign company” is the profile that raises the most questions at the counter. A clear financial file (bank statements, contract, payslips) and health insurance with no excess and no waiting period head off most refusals.
Traps to avoid
Paying someone for a “slot”
Some middlemen sell appointments they book in bulk using automated tools. It is an abusive practice that the authorities actively fight, and it puts you at risk: an appointment booked with false details or in someone else’s name can be refused at the counter, and your money is gone. Never pay for a slot. Proper support is paid for the preparation work, not for a “bought” appointment.
Picking the wrong procedure
An appointment booked for NIE assignment cannot be used to apply for the EU certificate, or the other way round. The officer cannot switch your file over: the appointment is lost.
Sending someone in your place
For the EU registration certificate, the applicant must attend in person. Your partner, your employer or a helper cannot go on your behalf.
Turning up without copies
Bring every document as an original and a copy. There is no photocopier at the police station, and an incomplete file can mean coming back… with a new appointment to find.
Paying the fee at the last minute
The 790-012 fee must be paid before the appointment, at a bank or online depending on the options offered. The night before, a closed bank or a failed online payment can derail everything.
On the day, and afterwards
Arrive a little early with your printed appointment confirmation. Someone checks it at the entrance, then you are called by number. The interview itself is short: the officer checks your identity, goes through the documents, keeps the copies and hands back the originals. It is conducted in Spanish; if you do not speak it, bringing someone who does helps a great deal, even though they cannot apply for you.
If the file is complete, the EU registration certificate is often handed over on the spot, printed on paper, with your NIE on it. In some cases it is issued later, or you are asked for an extra document. An NIE assigned through EX-15 works in a similar way, with a paper document showing your number.
Once you have the certificate:
- make several copies and a scan, as you will show it to your bank, employer, landlord and school;
- use your NIE to apply for your digital certificate, which unlocks almost every online procedure: see our guide to the digital certificate and Cl@ve;
- update your records with your bank and employer using the final number.
How Mémoria helps
We handle the appointment booking, subject to the slots the administration releases, watching offices across the whole province. We prepare and check your file document by document beforehand, fill in the forms with you and brief you the day before: what to bring, what you will be asked, how the interview goes. We do not sell slots and we do not promise dates; nobody honestly can. Details are in our settling-in service.
For non-EU residence permits (visas, work authorisations, family member cards), the file is coordinated with our partner lawyer: see immigration.
Frequently asked questions
Can someone attend the appointment for me?
For the EU registration certificate, no: the applicant must attend in person. Someone can come with you to translate or help, but not replace you. For a child, the legal guardian attends with them, bringing proof of parentage.
What happens if I miss my appointment?
It is lost and you have to book a new one, with the same availability problems. If you know in advance you cannot make it, cancel it using your confirmation: the slot goes to someone else, and your name is not tied to a no-show.
Can I book for my whole family in one go?
As a rule, each appointment is linked to a single identity document, so you need one per person. Ideally, book slots close together, on the same day at the same office, so that linked files (partner, children) are handled together. Some offices will see a family as a group, but do not count on it.
What if no slots appear for weeks?
Widen your search to every office in the province, check at different times (early morning, evening) and make sure you have selected the right procedure. Do not buy a slot from a third party. If your situation is urgent (a signing, a job start), a consular NIE or a different procedure can sometimes unblock things; it depends on the case.
Does the EU registration certificate expire?
The certificate normally carries no expiry date, but it reflects your situation at a given time. Some organisations may ask for a recent or updated certificate if your circumstances have changed. Check the conditions on the official site if your status changes.
Do I need to be on the padrón before the appointment?
It is not always a written requirement, but the padrón certificate is very often requested in practice as proof of address. It is best to have it before your appointment; it is often the first thing to sort out when you arrive.
Would you rather we handled it?
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Book a free call Relocating an employee?Guide updated on 21 October 2026 — Spanish administrative rules change; check the critical points before acting.