Spanish Passport Renewal

Overview of Spanish Passport

The Spanish passport is a personal and non-transferable document issued by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerio de asuntos exteriores) to accredit the nationality and identity of Spanish citizens.

It is a 32 pages document with a burgundy cover consisting of your passport photograph, signature, an electronic chip with your key personal details and a unique passport number.

If you are a Spanish citizen, you can get and renew a Spanish passport because it allows you to travel across the Schengen areas and the EU easily. Foreigners who have lived in Spain for at least ten years and obtained Spanish citizenship can also apply for a passport.

With your Spanish passport, you can visit at least 121 countries visa-free and 45 countries visa-on-arrival, according to Passport Index. Additionally, the Spanish passport will grant you access to free healthcare within the EU.

The following are the four types of the Spanish passport;

• The Standard Passport (Pasaporte Ordinario) for regular travel
• The Collective Passport (Pasaporte Colectivo) is for citizens under 21 and valid for three months. It is issued for pilgrimages where a reciprocal agreement with the destination country is set.
• The Diplomatic Passport (Pasaporte Diplomático) for government officials and diplomats.
• Official and service passports (Pasaportes Oficiales Y De Servicio) for government representatives on official assignments.

Who Can Renew a Spanish Passport?

If your passport has less than 12 months remaining, you may want to consider renewing it. It takes about one month to renew, so it is advisable to start your application before you make any travel plans.

In the case of passport theft or loss in Spain, you should report this to the authorities immediately and then begin the renewal process. If you were abroad when your passport got stolen, you should contact the Spanish Consulate closest to you to obtain a provisional passport for your travel.

At first, you will get a duplicate passport valid for the same period as the original. However, if you lose the replacement passports, you will usually receive a subsequent passport valid for only six months.

Documents Required to Renew Spanish Passport?

You will need to schedule an appointment online at an official passport office to renew a Spanish passport. However, if you are not renewing your passport in Spain, you should visit the nearest Spanish embassy or consulate.

When visiting the office, you are to bring the following documents:

• Your current or expired passport. However, if the previous passport was stolen or lost, you should provide a police report.
• Three recent passport photographs (3 x 4 cm) – they must not be older than six months. The photos must have a white background and be full-frontal centre shots.
• Your renewal fee, which you can pay online or at your appointment. The passport renewal is €26.

The passport renewal is similar to your first-time application process, but you must bring your existing or expired passport when renewing.

How Do I Renew my Spanish Passport?

The steps to renew the passport in and out of Spain differ. See them below:

Within Spain

You can renew your passport at the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the police station nearest to you in Spain. In both cases, you are to schedule an appointment date and time online first.

Next, you must proceed to the venues with a valid passport or police statement (if the passport was lost or stolen). If you cannot provide them, your nationality will be confirmed through other means, and you will likely receive a passport valid for only three weeks — it’s a chance for you to gather the relevant documents.

Outside Spain

Contact the nearest Spanish embassy to schedule an appointment if you are away from Spain during your passport renewal. You must also be registered for the Registro de Matricula for Spanish nationals abroad. Additionally, you will need to provide all the required documents stated previously.

For more enquiries on how to renew your Spanish passport, you should contact our immigration lawyers. You can call (+44) 333 4149244 for more information.

Making an Appointment to Renew Your Spanish Passport

To obtain an appointment to renew your Spanish passport, you must first ascertain what the process is like for your local Spanish consulate.

Note that these may vary. Some may require you to phone or email them directly to arrange an appointment, while others, such as the Spanish Consulate in London, may have an online portal that you will be able to log onto to directly select a timeslot.

You will generally have to provide your registration number when making an appointment, which may be found in your passport or your residence certificate that was sent upon registration in the Consular Registration Registry. Alternatively, you can contact the consulate to obtain a number.

You should contact your local consulate if you have any difficulties with obtaining an appointment.

How Long is a Spanish Passport Valid For?

If you were under 30 when your passport was issued, then your passport will only be valid for five years. If you were older than 30, your passport would expire after ten years. Children under five will have passports that are valid for up to 2 years. You can renew your passport when it has less than 12 months to its expiry date or when all pages have been filled.

As a Spanish citizen, you will likely be granted entry into Spain even with an expired passport. Once the border control authorities can verify the passport’s authenticity and your identity matches the passport’s data, you will be allowed to enter.

How Can IAS Help?

IAS can offer assistance with possible problems you may face when renewing your passport, whether or not you are in Spain during your renewal.

Our immigration lawyers can help handle the process from the beginning to the end and with the highest standard. Every case is unique, and we provide services tailored to each individual needs and circumstances.

If there are other questions you want to be answered concerning your Spanish passport renewal, contact us. You can call (+44) 333 4149244 for more information or reach us online.