Modelo 790 código 012 is the form used to pay fees for foreigner documentation issued by the Policía Nacional. Assignment of an NIE is one of the procedures it covers — along with residence cards, EU registration certificates, return authorisations and several others, each at a different price.
How much is it?
For assignment of an NIE at the applicant's request, the fee is currently around €10, commonly quoted as €9.84.
The honest answer: read the amount off your own form. The 790 covers many procedures at different rates, the amount fills in automatically once you select the right one, and rates are revised periodically.
Applying at a consulate abroad? You pay the equivalent in local currency there, not at a Spanish bank.
Either way, this is a government fee. It goes to the Spanish authorities. It is the same whether you apply yourself or use a service, and any provider quoting a single all-in number should still be able to tell you which part of it is this fee.
The mistake almost everybody nearly makes
Selecting the wrong procedure. The form lists more than ten options, several of which sound plausible if you don't read Spanish. Tick the wrong one and you pay the wrong amount, which means the payment does not match the procedure booked at your appointment, and you are sent away to do it again.
For a first NIE you want the option covering assignment of the Número de Identidad de Extranjero at the applicant's request. Not the residence card option, not the return authorisation, not the EU registration certificate.
How to complete and pay it
- Generate the form through the Policía Nacional's electronic office.
- Enter your details — name and identification exactly as they appear on your passport.
- Select the correct procedure. The amount fills in automatically.
- Choose your payment method: cash at the bank counter, or direct debit from a Spanish account.
- Print it. You'll usually have three copies — one for the administration, one for the bank, one for you.
- Pay at a collaborating Spanish bank and get it stamped, or pay at the consulate if you are applying from abroad.
Keep the receipt
The stamped proof of payment is one of the documents you hand over at the appointment. Without it, the application does not proceed. The receipt is also generally treated as valid for a limited window, around three months, so don't pay it months in advance of an appointment you haven't got yet.
Paying it online
There is no simple card payment gateway for código 012 in the way there is for some other Spanish fees. In some cases it can be paid electronically using a Spanish digital certificate or Cl@ve, but the reliable route for most applicants remains the bank counter, an ATM at a collaborating bank, or the consulate.
If you're using QuickNIE
We generate the form with the correct procedure selected and tell you exactly where and how to pay it for your route. We don't take the government fee ourselves. You pay it directly, which is how you can always see what it actually cost.