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Digital Certificate for Foreigners with a NIE: FNMT and ACCV

~23 min readPublished: 2026-10-26Updated: 2026-10-26

A Spanish digital certificate lets you prove who you are on the internet and sign electronically before the Tax Agency, the Social Security and many other administrations. Two public issuers give it to individuals free of charge as a general rule: the FNMT-RCM, Spain's Royal Mint, and the ACCV, the certification service of the Valencian Generalitat run by Istec. The difference that matters to someone who does not live in Spain is the identity check. The FNMT requires you to appear in person, at an office or a consulate, or to sign its contract before a notary; it expressly rejects a notarial power of attorney. The ACCV, by contrast, lets another person go to one of its registration points on your behalf if they bring a notarial power with a specific clause that authorises them to obtain the certificate in your name. This guide starts with that route and then covers the others.

Quick answer

A foreigner with a NIE can get a Spanish citizen certificate without travelling through the ACCV: a representative with a notarial power of attorney that expressly authorises them to obtain the certificate in your name goes to an ACCV registration point. The FNMT does not accept a power of attorney: you prove your identity in person, at a Spanish consulate, or by signing its contract before a notary.

Valery Grinkevich

Reviewed by

Valery Grinkevich

Licensed economist · tax adviser · 20+ years of experience · Torrevieja, Costa Blanca

Key takeaways

  • Without travelling: the ACCV lets another person obtain your citizen certificate if they bring a notarial power of attorney, or a specific clause in one, that expressly authorises them to obtain the certificate in your name; they provide your data and accept the contract conditions on your behalf.
  • The ACCV model clause states that it is valid for 3 months from the signature of the notarial power, so grant it when you are ready to proceed.
  • The FNMT does not accept a notarial power of attorney: its alternative to appearing in person is your own signature on the FNMT contract legitimised before a notary, presented by an authorised person.
  • Both certificates are free as a general rule. ACCV video identification costs €3.40 and accepts a valid TIE; FNMT video identification costs €2.99 plus taxes and requires a Spanish DNIe.
  • The ACCV citizen certificate is valid for 3 years; the FNMT writes the validity period inside the certificate, and Law 6/2020 caps qualified certificates at five years.
  • On the FNMT route the whole process must be done on the same computer and with the same user account, and the request password cannot be recovered.
  • Never give a copy of your private key to anyone: a representative should act before the AEAT with their own certificate under an authorisation you register.

On this page

  1. What is a Spanish digital certificate for individuals?
  2. Why does a foreigner with a NIE need one?
  3. Without travelling: the ACCV certificate through a representative with a notarial power
  4. FNMT or ACCV: which one to choose?
  5. FNMT: who can apply and which documents a NIE holder brings
  6. FNMT steps 1 and 2: install the Configurator and request your code
  7. FNMT step 3: prove your identity at an office or a Spanish consulate
  8. FNMT without attending: notarised signature, not a power of attorney
  9. Video identification: ACCV with a TIE, FNMT only with a DNIe
  10. Download, backup copy and safe custody
  11. How long is it valid and how do you renew it?
  12. Certificate or Cl@ve, common mistakes and how we work
  13. How to get a Spanish digital certificate with a NIE
  14. Frequently asked questions

What is a Spanish digital certificate for individuals?

The FNMT defines its citizen certificate as the electronic certification issued by the FNMT-RCM that links its holder to signature verification data and confirms their identity; it is also called the certificate of individual (persona física) or user certificate. The ACCV describes its own citizen certificate as a digital accreditation you can use to identify yourself and express your will, consent or authorship securely, the digital counterpart of a handwritten signature or a physical identity document. The ACCV certificate contains the name, surnames, NIF or NIE and email address of the holder.

Technically, a software certificate is a pair of keys. The AEAT puts it simply: the key that appears in the certificate is only the public one, and each certificate has an associated private key that is not contained in it. On the FNMT route the Configurator generates that private key on your own computer, which is why the request and the download must happen on the same machine.

Both issuers offer more than one format. The ACCV issues the citizen certificate as a software file or on a cryptographic card, and you can ask for both. The software version can be copied and used on tablets and smartphones and generates an advanced electronic signature; the card version needs a reader, works only on computers and generates a qualified electronic signature. The FNMT's standard citizen certificate is a downloadable file.

Why does a foreigner with a NIE need one?

The FNMT lists filing and paying taxes, lodging appeals and claims, the municipal register (padrón) and electronically signing official documents among the uses of its certificate. The ACCV lists online tax management with the AEAT, registering or deregistering as self-employed with the General Treasury of the Social Security (TGSS) and, for the self-employed, filing VAT and electronic invoices.

For the Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria, AEAT) the electronic certificate is one of the ways of identifying yourself in its electronic office, alongside Cl@ve, the reference number and the DNI or NIE with a supporting data item. The AEAT describes the certificate as a signature installed in the browser that lets you carry out procedures from a computer, mobile or tablet in its electronic office and in those of other bodies that accept it. The same office is where you read the notifications the AEAT sends you.

For the Social Security, the Import@ss portal of the TGSS is where you obtain your Social Security number, manage your registration as self-employed and consult your contribution record. For immigration and other procedures, whether a given application can be filed online, and with which means of identification, is stated on that procedure's own page in the electronic office of the body that handles it: check it there before you assume a certificate covers it.

Tip

If you are going to register as self-employed, obtain the certificate before you start: the registration with the TGSS and filing VAT are done online, and both issuers list these uses for their citizen certificate.

Without travelling: the ACCV certificate through a representative with a notarial power

The ACCV help page answers the question every non-resident asks, «I cannot go to the registration point, what do I do?», in two sentences: another person can go in your name if they bring a notarial power of attorney or a specific clause in a notarial power that expressly authorises them to obtain the digital certificate in your name, and they must provide your data and accept the conditions of the contract on your behalf.

The ACCV publishes a model clause. In it the grantor expressly states their intention to obtain an ACCV citizen certificate in their name, acknowledges and accepts the conditions under which this type of certificate is issued, and expressly authorises the attorney or attorneys to collect the certificate in their name and to accept, with their signature, the conditions of the certification contract, specifying whatever personal data are needed. The model adds one condition that is easy to miss: the clause is valid for 3 months from the signature of the notarial power.

That is why this is the route that lets a non-resident end up with a certificate without travelling to Spain: the notarial power covers both the identity check and the acceptance of the contract, which is exactly what the FNMT refuses to delegate. The representative then goes to an ACCV registration point (PRU) with the power and your data. Registration points depend on the body that hosts them, and the ACCV asks you to check their opening hours and conditions with that body before going. Our certificate service works through this route.

Watch out

A general power of attorney is not enough unless it contains the specific authorisation. Use the ACCV model clause, and plan the visit to the registration point within the 3 months the clause is valid.

FNMT or ACCV: which one to choose?

Both are public issuers, both give the citizen certificate to holders of a NIE and both, as a general rule, issue it free of charge. The FNMT states that its registration and issuing work for individual certificates generates no cost for the applicant. The ACCV states that issuing and renewing will in general be free, except €3 including VAT in management costs if the same user requests more than two certificates within three months; the card format costs extra.

The decisive differences are in the identity check. The FNMT needs you in person at one of more than 2,400 accreditation offices in Spain or at a Spanish career consulate, or your signature on its contract legitimised before a notary and presented by an authorised person; it does not accept a notarial power. The ACCV needs you in person at a registration point, by video identification with a valid TIE or Spanish driving licence showing the NIE, or through a representative with a notarial power containing the specific clause. The ACCV accepts applicants from 14 years of age with a NIF or NIE; the FNMT from 18, or emancipated minors.

Validity and renewal also differ. The ACCV citizen certificate is valid for 3 years; the first time after obtaining it in person you can renew it from your personal area before it expires, and if it has already expired, or you renewed through the personal area last time, you must renew in person at a registration point. The FNMT allows online renewal during the 60 days before expiry for a certificate not revoked, and requires a new identity check if the certificate was obtained remotely or has already been renewed. In practice: if you can travel or live in Spain, either works; if you cannot travel and have no TIE, the ACCV with a notarial power is the simplest path.

FNMT: who can apply and which documents a NIE holder brings

Only people aged 18 or over, or emancipated minors, can apply to the FNMT. It adds a nuance for foreigners: the age of majority is set by their country of origin, between 18 and 21, and in case of doubt the applicant must prove it with a certificate from their embassy or consulate. A stateless person brings their original, valid travel document plus an official document granting the NIE. The FNMT now issues certificates for NIF numbers beginning with L or M.

Besides the request code, an EU citizen brings the foreigner identity document or the EU registration certificate showing the NIE, or the official NIF or NIE grant, together with a passport or national identity card. A non-EU national brings the red, green or white foreigner identity card showing the NIE, or the official NIF or NIE grant, together with the passport.

Two details matter. The NIE document is checked only to verify that you hold a NIE regardless of the validity of the document, so an expired TIE or an old NIE grant still serves; your identity document or passport, by contrast, must be valid, in force and original, or an officially certified photocopy. And any document obtained from a foreign entity must carry the Hague Apostille, or meet the terms required by that country, and be in Spanish or come with an official sworn translation.

Watch out

The passport is the document most often rejected. The NIE paper can be out of date, but the passport or national identity card you show must be valid on the day of the appointment.

FNMT steps 1 and 2: install the Configurator and request your code

The FNMT software route has four steps that must be done in this order: prior configuration, online request, identity accreditation and download. Prior configuration means installing the FNMT Configurator, the application that generates the keys. It runs on any browser and operating system, must be installed with administrator rights, and once installed it runs when the browser needs it. Antivirus programs and proxies can block it, so allow it or disable them temporarily.

In the request step you enter your NIF or NIE, your first surname and your email address, accept the conditions and send the request. The Configurator asks you to set a new password that protects the request. Write it down: the FNMT warns that it will be required again at the download step and that, if you forget it, it cannot be recovered and you must start the request again. You then receive your request code by email.

Between request and download, do not format or change the computer and keep the same user. If you change it before your appointment, make a new request; with several codes for the same NIF, bring the last one obtained on the computer and browser where you want the certificate.

FNMT step 3: prove your identity at an office or a Spanish consulate

With your request code, the applicant and future holder goes in person to an identity accreditation office. The FNMT says it has enabled more than 2,400 of them across Spain and offers an office locator. Tax Agency and Social Security offices, among others, require a prior appointment, so check with the office itself. This certificate cannot be requested at Correos post offices. After you prove your identity the download is available, about one hour later according to the FNMT's four-step page, and it recommends downloading as soon as possible.

From abroad you can go to Spain's career consular offices; accreditation is not possible at customs registries, and the FNMT publishes the list of consulates where the citizen certificate can be processed. Its FAQ for residents outside Spain describes the procedure: you generate the request code online, go to the consulate or embassy with the code and the documents, the consulate fills in the contract for you to sign, stamps it and emails it with your code to the FNMT, and you receive an email when the certificate is ready to download with your NIF and request code.

The step comes from article 7.1 of Law 6/2020 on trust services, which requires a person requesting a qualified certificate to appear before those verifying their identity, unless the signature on the application has been legitimised in the presence of a notary.

FNMT without attending: notarised signature, not a power of attorney

If you cannot attend, the FNMT allows a third person, the authorised person, to present the application, but only after your signature on the contract has been legitimised before a notary. You fill in and sign the whole contract, front and back, on every page; the notary legitimises the signatures, stamps every page and states that the signature was placed in notarial presence. The authorised person presents the original, a copy and their own original identity document at any registry office. Since 06/10/2025 the FNMT uses new contracts that include the authorised person, and the old ones are not accepted from 01/12/2025.

The FNMT explains in a specific FAQ why a notarial power of attorney does not work. The request form is, in effect, a contract that includes the conditions of use of the certificate, so the applicant must knowingly accept them through a signature legitimised before a notary; a power of attorney does not guarantee that requirement. It cites article 7.1 of Law 6/2020 and article 24 of EU Regulation 910/2014. If the holder can neither appear nor have their signature legitimised, the FNMT cannot process the application in any case.

Nor will the FNMT issue a certificate to someone else so they can act for you: it does not currently issue representation certificates for individuals, because of the legal risk of unauthorised or fraudulent use, and points instead to representatives acting with their own certificate and the registries of powers. Another FAQ adds that a representative may sign the request contract with a notarised signature only for the purpose of requesting the certificate, not of using it. If the legitimisation is done outside Spain, the FNMT rule for documents obtained from a foreign entity applies: Apostille or the formality the country requires, and Spanish or a sworn translation.

Video identification: ACCV with a TIE, FNMT only with a DNIe

The FNMT's video identification asks you to scan a QR code with your phone and requires a valid Spanish electronic DNI; the video is reviewed in about 48 working hours. It costs €2.99 plus taxes, and the FNMT adds in the same sentence that the certificate has no cost. Its mobile app accepts only a valid DNI for now, and its DNIe route requires a valid, unrevoked DNIe and a reader. None of these is open to a foreigner with a NIE.

The ACCV's video identification is different. Its identification document says that a person of another nationality can show a valid original TIE card, of the models it reproduces, or a valid original Spanish driving licence showing the NIE, and warns that a TIE of a different model will not be admitted and the money will not be refunded. Its video ID page also asks for a mobile phone, an email address and a bank card.

The ACCV video identification costs €3.40 for the software citizen certificate and is issued only in software format. From the payment pre-authorisation you have at most 7 calendar days to complete the whole process, including your video and the ACCV's review; no definitive charge is made until the ACCV approves the request, and if it is rejected or the time runs out the pre-authorisation is released. A non-resident who holds only a NIE grant letter or a green EU registration certificate has no TIE, so this option does not help them.

Download, backup copy and safe custody

On the FNMT route you download on the same computer and with the same user as the request, entering the data exactly as before, and the Configurator asks again for the request password. If the private key cannot be found, the usual cause is a different computer, browser or user profile, a changed Configurator or a wrong password. On the ACCV route, after the identity check you receive by SMS a generation code of 10 characters, case-sensitive, that expires 15 calendar days after it is issued and cannot be reactivated; the PIN of a software certificate is set by the holder at download, and the ACCV never knows it.

Make a backup copy straight away; the FNMT marks it as recommended. You can export with or without the private key: the FNMT explains that you export with the private key only for your own use or as a backup, because the private key is what signs, and without it to give to someone who wants to communicate with you securely. Its instruction is unambiguous: keep the backup with the private key in a safe place and never give a copy of your private key to anyone under any circumstances. The ACCV warns that if you forget the PIN of a software certificate and have no copy, you must request a new one.

If you think the certificate has been copied, that someone knows your PIN or password, or you have lost it, revoke it. The FNMT offers online cancellation with the certificate installed, cancellation at an accreditation office, and a 24x7 telephone service on 917406848 or 913878337 if you know the request code; a revoked certificate cannot be reactivated. The ACCV takes revocations by phone on 963 866 014, among other options, and reminds you that revocation cannot be undone. The FNMT also allows only one citizen certificate per person: requesting another through its mobile app automatically revokes the previous one.

Tip

Keep the backup file and its password in separate places, for example the file on an encrypted drive and the password in a password manager. Losing either one means starting again.

How long is it valid and how do you renew it?

The ACCV states that its citizen certificate is valid for 3 years. For the FNMT, the AEAT notes that each certificate has a validity period included in it, visible in the browser's certificate details, and the FNMT recalls that Law 6/2020 does not allow recognised certificates to exceed five years. Check your own expiry date.

FNMT renewal is done online during the 60 days before the expiry date, provided the certificate has not been revoked: you request the renewal from the browser where your certificate is installed, receive a new request code and download the renewed certificate about an hour later. An expired FNMT certificate cannot be renewed. If the certificate was obtained with another digital certificate, a DNIe or video identification, or has already been renewed once, the FNMT requires a new identity check in person, by video identification or with a DNIe.

ACCV renewal follows a similar logic: the first time after obtaining the certificate in person you can renew it from your personal area (APSC) before it expires; if it has already expired, or your last renewal was through the personal area, you must renew in person at a registration point. For a non-resident this means planning the next identity check, by notarial power, TIE video or in person, roughly every second cycle.

Certificate or Cl@ve, common mistakes and how we work

Cl@ve is the common electronic identification system of the Spanish administrations, and many procedures accept it instead of a certificate. Its basic level, obtained by automatic video identification or by invitation letter, gives access to many services but not all, and does not allow Cl@ve Firma. Automatic Cl@ve video identification is temporarily offered only to Spanish citizens with a valid DNI. A NIE holder can request the invitation letter by identifying with the NIE and its support number; the letter is posted to the tax address the AEAT holds.

The usual mistakes: a power without the specific ACCV clause or older than its 3 months; trying a power of attorney at the FNMT; letting the ACCV generation code expire; changing computer or forgetting the password on the FNMT route; an expired passport; no appointment; and an old FNMT contract.

Once the certificate exists, it belongs to its holder. When we act for clients before the AEAT, we do not work with your certificate file or its password: the representation is set up through the channel the administration provides. In the AEAT register of powers you can authorise a representative online with an accepted electronic signature, by appearing in person at an AEAT office with the official form, or by public document or private document with a notarised signature; authorised professionals can also file through the social collaboration framework. The representative then acts with their own certificate.

Step-by-step

How to get a Spanish digital certificate with a NIE

  1. Without travelling: grant a notarial power with the ACCV clause

    Sign before a notary a power of attorney, or a specific clause in one, that expressly authorises your representative to obtain the ACCV citizen certificate in your name and accept the contract conditions. The ACCV model clause is valid for 3 months from signature.

  2. Your representative goes to an ACCV registration point

    The representative brings the notarial power and your data to an ACCV registration point (PRU), checking its opening hours and conditions with the hosting body first, and accepts the contract in your name.

  3. Download with the generation code and set your PIN

    Use the 10-character generation code sent by SMS within 15 calendar days, download the software certificate, set its PIN and make a backup copy that only you keep.

  4. If you can attend: install the FNMT Configurator and request a code

    For the FNMT certificate, install the Configurator with administrator rights, request the certificate online with your NIF or NIE, first surname and email, and write down the request password.

  5. Prove your identity in person

    Bring the request code, the document showing your NIE and your valid passport or EU identity card to an accreditation office (with appointment where required) or a Spanish career consulate. Correos does not handle this certificate.

  6. Download the FNMT certificate on the same computer

    About an hour after the accreditation, or when the consulate email arrives, download it on the same computer and user account, entering the same data and the request password.

  7. Make and store the backup

    Export the certificate with its private key as a password-protected backup, store it safely and never send it to anyone.

Ways to obtain a citizen certificate and whether a NIE holder can use them
RouteAvailable with a NIE?What it requiresCost
ACCV through a representative with a notarial power (no travel)YesNotarial power or specific clause expressly authorising the representative to obtain the certificate and accept the contract in your name; the model clause is valid for 3 monthsCertificate free as a general rule; the notary charges for the power
ACCV in person at a registration point (PRU)YesNIE and valid passport, or a valid TIE or Spanish driving licence showing the NIE; from 14 years of ageFree as a general rule
ACCV video identificationOnly with a valid TIE of an accepted model or a Spanish driving licence with the NIEMobile phone, email, bank card; whole process within 7 calendar days; software only€3.40
FNMT in person at an accreditation office in SpainYesRequest code plus NIE document and valid passport or EU identity card; appointment at AEAT, Social Security and other offices; not at CorreosFree
FNMT at a Spanish career consulate abroadYesRequest code and the same documents; the consulate fills in, stamps and emails the contract to the FNMTFree certificate
FNMT notarised signature plus authorised personYesCurrent FNMT contract signed by you on every page and legitimised before a notary; a power of attorney is not acceptedFree certificate; the notary charges for the legitimisation
FNMT video identification or DNIeNoValid Spanish electronic DNI€2.99 plus taxes for the video service; certificate free
What the certificate is used for, compared with Cl@ve and other channels
UseWith a citizen certificateAlternatives
Tax Agency (AEAT) filings and paymentsIdentifies you in the AEAT electronic office and in other bodies that accept itCl@ve, reference number, DNI or NIE with a supporting data item, eIDAS for EU citizens
AEAT notificationsRead the notifications the AEAT sends you in its electronic officeSome file-related procedures can be done without identification using the CSV code of the notification
Social Security (Import@ss)Online procedures such as obtaining the Social Security number or registering as self-employedCheck the access options shown on each procedure
Authorising a representative before the AEATGrant the power online with an accepted electronic signatureAppear in person at an AEAT office with the official form, or a public or notarised private document
Electronic signature of documents and formsACCV: advanced signature (software) or qualified signature (card); FNMT: signs official documents and formsCl@ve Firma only with an advanced Cl@ve registration
Immigration and other proceduresAccepted where the body's electronic office admits itCheck the procedure's own page in the competent electronic office

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a Spanish digital certificate without travelling to Spain?

Yes, through the ACCV with a notarial power of attorney. The ACCV lets another person obtain your citizen certificate if they bring a notarial power, or a specific clause in one, that expressly authorises them to obtain it in your name; they provide your data and accept the contract for you. The FNMT alternative is signing its contract before a notary so an authorised person presents it.

Can my representative get the certificate with my power of attorney?

Yes for the ACCV, provided the power contains the specific authorisation; no for the FNMT, which requires your own signature legitimised before a notary. The ACCV model clause authorises the attorney to collect the certificate and accept the contract in your name and is valid for 3 months. The FNMT explains that a power of attorney does not guarantee that you accept the conditions of use yourself.

Is the digital certificate free for foreigners?

Yes, as a general rule both are free; the ACCV charges €3 only in case of abuse. Video identification is paid: €3.40 at the ACCV and €2.99 plus taxes at the FNMT. A notary charges for powers and legitimisations.

Can I get the certificate with a NIE?

Yes. The FNMT issues it to any foreign citizen of age, or emancipated minor, who holds a NIE, and accepts NIF numbers beginning with L or M. The ACCV issues it to individuals from 14 years of age with a NIF or NIE; at a registration point a foreigner shows the NIE and a valid passport, or a valid TIE.

Does my TIE or NIE document need to be valid?

For the FNMT, no: the NIE document is checked only to verify that you hold a NIE, regardless of its validity, but your passport or identity card must be valid and original. For the ACCV, a TIE used on its own must be valid; otherwise you combine a valid passport with a NIE document, which may be expired.

Can I use video identification with a NIE?

With the ACCV, yes, if you hold a valid TIE of an accepted model or a Spanish driving licence showing the NIE; it costs €3.40 and the process must be completed within 7 calendar days. With the FNMT, no: its video identification requires a valid Spanish electronic DNI.

How long after the identity check can I download the certificate?

At the FNMT about one hour after proving your identity at an office, and it recommends downloading as soon as possible; on the consulate route you receive an email. At the ACCV you receive a generation code by SMS that expires after 15 calendar days and cannot be reactivated, so download promptly.

How long is the certificate valid and when do I renew it?

The ACCV citizen certificate is valid for 3 years; the FNMT writes the expiry date in the certificate, within the five-year legal ceiling. The FNMT renews online in the 60 days before expiry, and the ACCV from your personal area the first time after obtaining it in person. After one remote renewal, both require a new identity check.

Can I install the certificate on several devices?

Yes, by importing your backup copy; the ACCV says its software certificate can be copied and used on tablets and smartphones. The FNMT allows only one citizen certificate per person, and requesting another through its app revokes the previous one.

Should I give my certificate file to my tax adviser?

No, never hand over your private key. The FNMT tells users never to give a copy of it to anyone under any circumstances. A representative should act with their own certificate under an authorisation you register, for example in the AEAT register of powers, which you can grant online, in person at an AEAT office or by notarised document.

Is Cl@ve enough instead of a certificate?

For many procedures yes, but not for all. A NIE holder can register in Cl@ve by invitation letter sent to their tax address, which gives the basic level: it opens many services but not all, and it does not allow Cl@ve Firma. Automatic Cl@ve video registration is temporarily limited to Spanish citizens with a valid DNI.

What if I lose the certificate or someone else has a copy?

Revoke it immediately. The FNMT offers online revocation, revocation at an accreditation office and a 24x7 line on 917406848 or 913878337 if you know your request code. The ACCV takes revocations by phone on 963 866 014, among other options. A revoked certificate cannot be reactivated, so you then request a new one.

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Last updated: 2026-10-26