Stage 4: After Approval

After Your Visa Is Approved: Booking Your Fingerprint Appointment & What to Bring — 2026 Guide

Congratulations — your visa has been approved! The next step is to book your cita previa (the official appointment booking system) for fingerprinting, and to show up with the correct set of documents. This guide walks you through booking on the official government portal and what to bring to the police station.

How to Book Your Fingerprint Appointment (Cita Previa)

Go to the official portal: sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es
Select the province where you will submit your fingerprints.

Step 1 — select your province
Select your office. You can leave "Cualquier oficina" to see all available offices.

Under TRÁMITES CUERPO NACIONAL POLICÍA, choose the correct procedure type:

Where you are submitting	Which procedure to select
Madrid / Barcelona	"POLICÍA – EXPEDICIÓN DE TARJETAS CUYA AUTORIZACIÓN RESUELVE LA DIRECCIÓN GENERAL DE MIGRACIONES"
Other provinces	"POLICÍA – TOMA DE HUELLAS (EXPEDICIÓN DE TARJETA) Y RENOVACIÓN DE TARJETAS DE LARGA DURACIÓN"

Click "Aceptar".

If you selected "TOMA DE HUELLAS" — scroll down on the next screen and select the relevant option:

Select the correct option at the bottom of the screen
Enter your NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero, Spain's foreigner ID number — no spaces, letter at the end), given name, family name, and nationality. Click "Solicitar cita".
If a slot is available — select a time (highlighted in red), enter the verification code, click "Siguiente" → "SI".
Enter the SMS verification code, check both checkboxes, click "Confirmar".
Download and print your PDF confirmation — one per applicant, including children under 6.

When Appointment Slots Open

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In most provinces, slots open on Mondays between 7:00 and 9:00 CET (Spain time). Be ready to log in 10 minutes before.

Exceptions:

Barcelona — Thursday and Friday from 15:00, sometimes Tuesday mornings
Valencia — weekdays at 9:00, Friday at 14:00
Weekends can also have slots — if someone cancels an existing booking

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Avoiding System Lockouts

Don't leave any page idle — the system will reset your session if inactive.

Use one device only — switching devices may lock your access for 72 hours.

Don't click too rapidly — allow 3–5 minutes between page refreshes.

What to Bring to Your Fingerprinting Appointment

📋 Complete Document Checklist

Passport + photocopy of the photo/bio page
Application forms (we'll complete these for you)
Tasa (official processing fee) — paid receipt (we'll provide this)
32×26 mm photo — tell the photo studio you need a card-size (tarjeta) photo
Visa approval notice — showing CONCEDER or ESTIMAR (granted/approved)
Printed cita previa confirmation — with your unique reference number
Empadronamiento certificate (padrón = municipal registration receipt) — required in most provinces
Children's birth certificates with a certified sworn translation (traductor jurado)
Marriage certificate (for your spouse or accompanying family members)
2 blank copies of the forms — in case the officer requests additional copies on the day

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Each family member needs a separate cita

Children under 5 years old do not have their fingerprints taken, but they still need their own cita and must be present in person.

Tips and Common Questions

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Check your TIE card (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero, your foreigner identity card) immediately on collection day — name spelling, NIE, and expiration date. Corrections are free only during the same visit.

Once you have submitted your fingerprints, track your card's production status in our guide: Tracking Your TIE Card Status.

Prefer to have someone handle this for you?

We manage the entire process — from document preparation to TIE card collection.

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