If you are planning to move to Spain, you have probably already run into an alphabet soup of acronyms: NIE, TIE, Arraigo, Empadronamiento. What is the difference? And most importantly: which one do you need to apply for first?

In this article we clear up each of these terms and the right order to sort them out.

What is the NIE?

NIE stands for Número de Identificación de Extranjero (Foreigner Identification Number). It is a unique, permanent number that identifies any foreigner in Spain for tax and administrative purposes.

Important: the NIE is not a residence permit. You can have an NIE and still have no permission to live in Spain. It only serves as identification for procedures such as:

  • Buying or selling property
  • Opening a bank account
  • Signing employment contracts
  • Paying taxes

What is the TIE?

TIE stands for Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (Foreigner Identity Card). This one is the physical document that proves you hold a residence authorization in Spain.

The TIE contains:

  • Your NIE
  • The type of authorization (work, student, arraigo, etc.)
  • The validity period of the authorization

In short: the NIE is the number. The TIE is the physical card that carries that number plus your residence authorization.

What is Arraigo?

Arraigo is not a document — it is a type of procedure for obtaining a residence authorization. There are three main types:

  1. Arraigo Social (social roots): for people who have already been in Spain for at least 3 years without legal status and have social ties (a job offer or continuous registration on the local census).
  2. Arraigo Laboral (work roots): for people who worked irregularly in Spain for at least 6 months and can prove that working relationship.
  3. Arraigo Familiar (family roots): for relatives of Spanish or European citizens.

If approved, you receive a residence authorization (issued in TIE format).

So, what is the right order?

The typical sequence for someone regularizing their situation in Spain is:

  1. Apply for the NIE (if you don’t have one yet)
  2. Start the Arraigo procedure (or another type of authorization)
  3. Receive the approval and go to the police station to collect your TIE

Need help organizing your paperwork?

We know the process can be confusing and bureaucratic. Via Espanha offers complete support with:

✅ A review of your profile
✅ Preparation of all the required documents
✅ Follow-up at every stage of the process