I have been in Spain for over 4 years (HOW?) and if there is anything I have learned about this country, is that they make you run in a lot of circles when you need to do anything involving the government.  One of the biggest headaches of the year comes at the end, when you need to renew your TIE (your identity card/ visa) for the following year.  And if you don´t actually plan on coming back the following year, but you want to travel outside of Spain during the summer and then come back to Spain (when your current card is expired), then it´s probably a good idea to STILL apply for a renewal so you can then get an autorización de regreso (authorization of return).  I told you, circles.  I will post on how to get your regreso shortly, but for now, here are the steps for reapplying for your TIE.

How to Renew Your TIE in Madrid 2019

1 // Collect the following documents:

• Two completed and signed copies of the solicitud de autorización de estancia y prórrogas EX-00.  You can download the application here. Fill in all of the information in the first section, leave the second section blank (assuming you are going to apply for yourseld), and fill in the third section.  On the fourth section, I am pretty sure you should mark the box that says “Titular de autorización estancia por estudios, intercambio de alumnos, investigación/formación, prácticas no laborales o voluntariado (art. 40) “, but ask at your appointment.  If you want a complete list of other forms you may need, click here. TIP: Print a couple copies, just in case.  One copy will be returned to you with a stamp or another form of verification that it was handed in (and will be used for your regreso application, while the other will be submitted).  DON’T LOSE THE ONE THEY GIVE YOU!

NOTE:  Use an address you will have for the coming months, or the address of a trusty friend.

• Photocopy (in color is better) of your passport (ALL PAGES!)
• Photocopy of your original Visa from your passport
• Letter of appointment (Carta de nombramiento) of the current year (ie 2018-2019)
• Letter of appointment (Carta de nombramiento) of the upcoming year (ie 2019-2020)
• Approval letter from your school (certificada de aprovechamiento) for the current year.  Ask your school for this.
• Photocopy (OF BOTH SIDES) of your current TIE card (I was turned away because I only printed one side and had to beg people for 10 cents so I could copy the other side)
• Original passport
• Original current TIE card
• Bank draft 790/code 052.  Here is a link to fill in the required information and then generate a document to be printed.   (SEE DIRECTIONS BELOW)

1. Click that link, choose MADRID as the province, and then fill in your info in the document.  
2.  Choose box:  1.3 (Prórroga de la autorización de estancia por estudios, movilidad de alumnos, prácticas no laborales o servicios de voluntariado (titular principal y sus familiares).  By doing this, it should generate an amount of 17.15 Euros (as of August 2019).
3. Leave the IBAN section empty.  
4. When it is filled in, generate a PDF and print it (there will be 3 pages), take it to any bank and ask to pay the “tasa”.  You should pay 17.15 Euros, which is stated on the form.  BRING CASH TO DO THIS AND BE AWARE OF THE HOURS THE BANKS ALLOW YOU TO PAY TASAS!
5. Don’t lose the stamped copy they give you!  This is worth money! The bank will keep one page, stamp one page, and give you another.  They give you 2 in total.
   

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• Bring EXTRA COPIES OF EVERYTHING

2 // Take all of the documents to be registered

You can go to the resitry office at Calle García de Paredes, 65 (metro Gregorio Marañón) or to ANY public registry office.  Every year, I go to the office at Gran Via, 3 and it was easy and painless.

• They will ask where to send the documents.  You want to send to: OFICINA DE EXTRANJERÍA DE MADRID (SEDE CENTRAL), CALLE SILVA, 19
• Any additional documents that you hand in later should also be sent to the above address.
• They should give you your documents AND A “RECEIPT” (instead of the stamp they used to use) THAT CONFIRMS THAT YOU HAVE, IN FACT, REGISTERED YOUR DOCUMENTS.  YOU WILL NEED THIS RECEIPT (along with the EX-00) IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR THE REGRESO.
• If you need to send additional documents, they can be taken to any public registry office and then sent to the SAME ADDRESS as above.

3 // Apply for Regreso

• Make an appointment HERE. (Choose Madrid, enter your information, choose an appointment.  If there are no appointments before your intended travel dates, KEEP CHECKING BACK!  They no longer allow you to just show up before your travel date!)

4 // Check TIE status

• Two months after applying for reapplication, you will receive a letter (so make sure you use a good address when applying).  This document is resolución favorable que autoriza la prórroga. This letter is used to apply for your new TIE card.  If the letter never comes, you can check the status online here.
• If your application is rejected, visit Calle Manuel Luna, 29, or e-mail auxiliares.conversacion@educa.madrid.org

5 // Fingerprints (do this after you heard back about your application 2-3 months after applying usually)

• Register your current address (become empadronamiento) when you come back to Spain the following year (THIS IS IMPORTANT!)  Here is how to do it.
• Book a digital fingerprint appointment HERE.
• Bring the following to your appointment: Passport, three color photos (printed from the machines in metro stations), Application EX-17, bank draft modelo 790/012 that has been paid and stamped at a bank, your certificado de empadronamiento.  Here is a post about the fingerprint process.
• Go to your finger print appointment on your scheduled day with those documents and expect to wait….

6 // TIE collection

• 35 days after your fingerprint appointment, you can pick up your brand new, shiny TIE from: Brigada Provincial de Extrajería y Fronteras de Madrid. Address: Avenida Poblados, S/N 28024 MADRID