Spain's cita previa de extranjería without paying: book it yourself on the official sede
The cita previa de extranjería, for procedures at the immigration offices and before the National Police, is booked on the Spanish government's electronic sede, and the Ministry of the Interior describes it as a free procedure. If no slots show, check back later or call 060. In May 2023 the Ministry reported 69 arrests of people allegedly reselling slots for 30 to 200 euros.
Preparing for Spanish nationality too? The CCSE mock has 25 questions and 45 minutes, then tells you which block to study next. No account needed, with the questions and explanations in English.
Free CCSE mock: 25 questionsSources: Administraciones Públicas, electronic sede: Cita previa de extranjería, help page and FAQ; Ministry of the Interior, press release of 12 May 2023 “La Policía Nacional desmantela un entramado que bloqueaba el sistema de citas online de extranjería mediante un bot informático” (in Spanish); National Police, policia.es: Tarjeta de extranjero, FAQ 12 and 13 (the TIE appointment “se obtiene cita previa a través de internet”, procedure “POLICIA – TOMA DE HUELLA (EXPEDICIÓN DE TARJETA), RENOVACIÓN DE TARJETA DE LARGA DURACIÓN y DUPLICADO”); Ministry of Justice, sede: Spanish nationality by residence. Read and captured on 20 October 2026. Quotes are our translation from the Spanish.
Where do you book the immigration appointment?
On the “Cita previa de extranjería” page of the Administraciones Públicas electronic sede. It names two bodies in charge: the Government Delegations and Subdelegations for procedures at the immigration offices, and the Ministry of the Interior (Directorate General of the Police) for procedures before the National Police. For the rest of the authorisations at the immigration offices the page says the appointment must be requested by the foreign national or their authorised representative.
The “Acceder al Procedimiento” button leads to the booking system. We could not walk through it: on 20 October our browser rejected the address it leads to (icp.administracionelectronica.gob.es) with a certificate error, and citaprevia.administracionespublicas.gob.es did not answer. We did not click past any security warning. So there is no capture of the booking form, and the steps after it come from the official help, not from us having tried them. If it fails for you too, the page asks that your computer and browser meet the technical requirements it links to, and 060 answers questions.
How much does the immigration appointment cost?
Nothing. The Ministry of the Interior’s May 2023 press release calls it a “free public service provided by the National Police” and speaks of slots resold “even though it is a free procedure”.
According to that release, a network used an automated program that took “practically all the personal appointments available”, could get past the captcha and used VPNs so the server would not block the intermediaries. Foreign nationals who needed an appointment were often forced to turn to alternatives, even contacting the bot owners or their intermediaries, for between 30 and 200 euros. The investigation identified 94 people: 69 arrested and 25 under investigation, whom the release treats as presumed responsible for belonging to a criminal organisation and for computer damage.
What if no appointments show up?
The sede’s help explains the message “No hay citas disponibles en este momento” (no appointments available at the moment): it means every slot at that office is taken, and it asks you to check again later. It also says availability depends on each office and that not every immigration office uses the appointment system, in which case you contact the office.
- Check again. That is the sede’s advice. In the official pages we read there is no time at which new slots open.
- Check that your office uses the system. If it is not on the list, the help tells you to contact the office.
- Call 060. The sede gives it for any question about the appointment. For technical faults there is also an incident form, which does not handle questions such as “how is my appointment going, my file, etc.?”.
Do you need an appointment for Spanish nationality?
It depends on the step. The nationality-by-residence application appears on the Ministry of Justice sede under the name “Solicitud de nacionalidad española por residencia”, and the page we read mentions no appointment to submit it. The immigration appointment in this article is a different one: the one the National Police say is obtained online for the TIE. For the oath or promise and other Civil Registry steps, the Ministry of Justice runs its own appointment service. Both, with the official text, are in our no-broker guide. To see where your file stands, read how to check the status of your Spanish nationality file.
What if someone charges you to get the appointment?
In the official pages we read we found no rule that bans another person from booking for you: the sede itself accepts an “authorised representative”. Nor are we saying that charging for advice is always a scam. What the Ministry of the Interior does say is that the appointment is free and that between 30 and 200 euros was charged for getting one with a bot. Four questions to ask before you pay:
- What exactly are you charging for? Advice on your case is not the same as charging for the appointment itself, which is free.
- In whose name and on which email is the appointment? The receipt is sent to the email given when booking; if you no longer have access to it, the sede says you will have to contact the office.
- Will you give me the receipt number? With it the sede lets you check or cancel the appointment; without it you would have to recover it.
- Did I try the official page first? It costs nothing.
These are general questions to ask yourself. CiviqPass does not book appointments, does not build or sell bots and never asks for a portal password.
What do you do after booking?
The official help describes three operations. To check the appointment, select the province and procedure, enter your identity details and choose “consultar cita” with the receipt number; if you do not remember it, a button resends it to the email you gave, and it is worth checking the spam folder too. To cancel, log in with the same details you booked with, choose “anular cita” and enter the receipt number. To change the phone or email you cannot use the application: you have to contact the office you booked for.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Spanish immigration appointment free?
Yes. The Ministry of the Interior describes it as a free public service of the National Police and as a free procedure.
Where do I book the appointment for TIE fingerprints?
The National Police say the TIE appointment is obtained online, through the immigration appointment system on the electronic sede. Procedures before the National Police come under the Ministry of the Interior.
Can someone else book the appointment for me?
The sede says the appointment request is made by the foreign national or their authorised representative. For some procedures the employer, the sponsor or the parents book it.
What does “No hay citas disponibles en este momento” mean?
That every slot at that office is taken. The sede asks you to check again later.
How much did the brokers who sold appointments charge?
Between 30 and 200 euros, according to the Ministry of the Interior’s press release of 12/05/2023 about a network that used a bot.
Which number do I call with questions about my appointment?
060, according to the electronic sede’s help.
Preparing for Spanish nationality too? The CCSE mock has 25 questions and 45 minutes, then tells you which block to study next. No account needed, with the questions and explanations in English.
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