You can apply for a first DNI once nationality is entered in the Civil Registry and the required certificate is available. The practical order is registration → DNI → passport.
Reviewed on 27 August 2026. The published official fees are €12 for a DNI and €30 for a passport; confirm them when booking. Requirements are national, but appointment availability and equipment vary by Documentation Unit.
1. Confirm registration
A favourable decision or oath deed is not enough. Request a literal birth certificate issued solely for DNI purposes from the Civil Registry; it must be less than six months old on the appointment date.
Check name, surnames, birth details and parentage. Try to correct an error before it is copied to the DNI.
2. Prepare the first DNI file
Bring:
- the DNI-purpose literal certificate, less than six months old;
- a recent colour photograph, 32 × 26 mm, plain white background;
- padrón certificate issued within three months;
- TIE or EU registration certificate showing the NIE, if held;
- payment method and appointment proof.
Physical attendance is mandatory. A child or person requiring support must attend with the person exercising parental responsibility, guardianship or support, together with identification and evidence of that role.
3. Use a realistic appointment route
Use citapreviadnie.es or 060. The Police state that a person without a DNI who cannot obtain an appointment for the available period should attend an issuing office in person with the documents; confirm how the chosen unit handles this.
Some units can take an automated photograph, but not all. Bringing a compliant photograph avoids depending on that equipment.
4. Check the DNI before leaving
Verify name, surnames, birth date, sex, address and number. Keep the DNIe PIN information. The Police state that the DNI and its associated certificates are delivered personally during the issuing session when checks are successful.
Keep evidence of the former NIE. It will help update banks, employment, Social Security and other records and show that the two identifiers belong to the same person.
5. Apply for the passport
For an ordinary passport in Spain, Interior requires physical attendance, a valid DNI, fee and recent 32 × 26 mm photograph. No additional photograph is normally required when the DNI is obtained or renewed on the same day.
Ask whether the unit can issue both documents during one visit and what booking is needed. Do not assume a single appointment covers both.
For children or protected persons, consent from the relevant parent or guardian is required with identity and relationship evidence. Check the official procedure before attending.
Residents abroad
A DNI can only be issued in person in Spain. Residents abroad prove address with a consular certificate issued within three months. A passport can be handled by a Spanish diplomatic or consular office under its own procedure.
Ready when
- Nationality registration is complete.
- The literal certificate is for DNI and less than six months old.
- The padrón or consular certificate is less than three months old.
- Photograph, NIE document and payment are ready.
- New DNI data were checked.
- The passport uses a valid DNI and the right appointment.
- Evidence linking NIE and DNI is preserved.
Next step
Before updating organisations and contracts, read how to obtain and use the NIE → DNI concordance certificate. It helps document that both identifiers belong to the same person.