Requirements and documentation to request the idCAT Certificate

To obtain the idCAT Certificate, according to Law 6/2020, of November 11, and the conditions of use of the service , you only need to:

• Be over 18 years old (you can apply from the day after turning 18)

• Have one of the following identification documents in a valid state (not expired):

  • ID card (from any of the Schengen area member countries)

  • Passport

  • NIE (must have a photograph, if not, you must provide an additional document (passport or Schengen area ID)

• Have a personal email address.

• Validate your identity through video identification (only with a valid Spanish ID card and Residence Permit (TIE)) or in person at an idCAT Registration Entity ).

NOTES about identification documents:

• To issue the idCAT Certificate, only the identification documents listed in the previous list are accepted.

• Foreigners can prove their NIE number by providing the following documents:

  • TIE: in addition to the NIE, it has a photograph and, therefore, is used to issue the idCAT with this card. Please note that according to the applicable regulations, the validity of the TIE card is extended until the resolution of the extension request, provided that the renewal has been requested up to 90 days after its expiration and the corresponding resolution is pending (Regulation for the development of the Organic Law on the rights and freedoms of foreigners in Spain).

  • European Union citizen registration certificate : it is necessary to provide another official document with a photograph (for example passport or ID card from the country of origin of the Schengen area).

  • Provisional NIE document: it is necessary to provide another official document with a photograph (for example, passport).
    

• The administrations have their applications configured to allow electronic processing with certificates made with NIF and NIE; however, it is not common for them to allow access with certificates issued from a passport or DNI from other countries . The procedures that can be carried out independently of the accrediting document contained in the certificate are those that have nothing to do with the public administration, such as, for example, signing documents.
  

Identification document models:

To issue the idCAT Certificate, only the documents from the following list are accepted:

	The DNI certifies the identity of the holder, as well as their Spanish nationality. From April 2, 2025 and in application of RD 255/2025 , the digital DNI will also be accepted as long as it is displayed in the official MiDNI application. More information at https://www.midni.gob.es/ . National identity documents from any of the countries that are members of the Schengen Agreement are also accepted. In the case of ID cards from other countries, a photocopy must be provided in addition to the original.
	The foreigner identity card (TIE) is a physical document that proves the legal residence of a foreigner in Spain. There may be two card models, pre-2020 and post-2020.
	The European Union Citizen Registration Certificate is a document that accredits the registration of citizens of the Union in the Central Register of Foreigners. This document must always be accompanied by a document with a photograph, a Schengen area ID card or a passport.
	The provisional NIE (Provisional Foreigner Identity Number) is a number temporarily assigned to a foreign person in Spain for administrative purposes while processing or before obtaining the definitive NIE. This number is issued by the National Police (Directorate General of the Police), usually through authorized Immigration Offices or Police Stations. This document must always be accompanied by a passport.
	Passport is a personal identification document with international validity, which identifies its holder, issued by the authorities of a country.