Digital certificate in Spain: FNMT, ACCV, Cl@ve and AutoFirma

A digital certificate (certificado digital) is an electronic document you use to prove your identity on Spanish government websites and to sign applications. With it you file tax returns, register with Social Security (Seguridad Social), check your immigration file and receive official notifications. A foreigner with an NIE can get one free of charge. But of the four ways to obtain it from the FNMT, only one works for them — the one with an in-person office visit. Below, step by step: how to get an FNMT certificate, when ACCV is more convenient, how both differ from Cl@ve and how to set up AutoFirma.

Which option suits a foreigner

Spanish public bodies issue three kinds of electronic identification. The FNMT certificate comes from the Royal Mint of Spain (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre) and is valid nationwide. The ACCV certificate comes from the agency of the Valencian Community, and the tax agency and Social Security also accept it throughout Spain. Cl@ve is not a certificate but a login system based on a username, a code or an app. Here is what is available to someone with an NIE:

If you already hold a TIE card, ACCV by video call is the fastest: you do not need to go anywhere. If you do not have the card yet, the FNMT with an office visit is what remains — you can go there with the paper document assigning your NIE, even an expired one, together with your passport.

How to get an FNMT certificate: four steps

A certificate for an individual (certificado de persona física) can be requested by any adult with a DNI or NIE. It is free. The steps must be followed strictly in order; you cannot skip or rearrange them.

1. Set up your computer. On the FNMT website, download the configuration software for your system: Windows 64-bit, macOS (on M-series processors you may need Rosetta) or Linux. After installation you do not need to launch anything; the browser calls it itself. Recent versions of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera and Safari are supported.
2. Submit the request. On the request page, enter your NIE, first surname and email address. On the same page, set a new password: you will need it for the download, and if you forget it, it cannot be recovered — you would have to start the request again. You will receive a request code (código de solicitud) by email — it links your future certificate to the key created on this computer.
3. Prove your identity. Go to a registration office with the code and your documents. There are more than 2,400 such offices, and the search on the FNMT website helps you find the nearest one. Tax agency and Social Security offices require an appointment. Correos post offices do not issue this certificate.
4. Download the certificate. About an hour after your visit, open the download page on the same computer and under the same user account you used for the request, and enter your details exactly as before, together with the password you set when making the request. Do not reinstall the computer between the request and the download: the key is stored on it. Antivirus software or a proxy sometimes blocks the FNMT software — in that case, disable them temporarily.

Which documents to bring to the office

For a foreigner, the FNMT accepts either of two sets:

• a foreigner’s card showing the NIE — a TIE or an EU citizen registration certificate — and a passport;
• the official document assigning the NIE and a passport. It does not matter whether the paper has expired: it is needed only to confirm the number.

Bring the request code as well: you will be asked for it at the appointment. If you do not have an NIE yet, you will have to start there — the process is explained in the article on getting an NIE in Spain.

From abroad, through a consulate. Spanish consular sections act as FNMT registration offices and do accept foreign nationals with an NIE: the consulate general in Moscow, for example, states that a foreign citizen with an NIE may apply if they present an official document that can be verified. The service is free, by appointment, and the file is downloaded one or two working days later. The tax agency keeps a list of consular registration offices, and it is worth confirming the procedure with your own consulate by email first. Do not confuse this with the consular electronic certificate, which is issued only to Spanish citizens without a DNI.

ACCV certificate by video call

ACCV (Agencia de Tecnología y Certificación Electrónica) is an agency of the Valencian Community. Its citizen certificate contains your name, surnames, NIE and email, and is used for tax, employment and Social Security procedures throughout Spain. Anyone over 14 with an NIE can get it.

• By video call. The VideoCert service works from a smartphone, tablet or computer with a camera and is currently free. A foreigner needs a valid TIE card: a paper NIE with a passport is not accepted for video identification.
• Verification takes up to five working days. You then receive an SMS with a ten-character code, valid for 15 calendar days. With it you download the certificate file in .p12 or .pfx format.
• In person — at an ACCV registration point (Punto de Registro de Usuario). There, the TIE card proves both your identity and your NIE. Opening hours and appointments depend on the institution hosting the point.

The ACCV website currently states that the citizen certificate is free; the agency has changed its fees before, so check the price and conditions before applying. What matters more is the document: by video call ACCV only accepts a valid TIE card from a foreign national, or a Spanish driving licence showing the NIE — a passport or an EU citizen’s registration certificate will not do for video, and with those you go to a registration point.

The second free remote route is idCAT, the certificate of the Catalan AOC consortium: video identification works with a valid DNI or TIE card, and applications go through idcat.cat. Registration in Catalonia is not required, but without a TIE this route does not work either: remote video identification at every authority comes down to the card.

How long the certificate is valid and how to renew it

The FNMT restricts online renewal. It is not available if the certificate was obtained by video call, with a DNIe or with another certificate, or if it has already been renewed. A foreigner who obtained the certificate through an office visit can renew it online once, and after the next four years goes back to the office. The exact expiry date is shown in the certificate itself: you can see it in your browser or system settings.

One person can hold only one FNMT individual certificate. A new issue replaces the old one.

Backup and moving to another computer

The certificate lives in the browser or in the system store of the computer it was downloaded to. If the computer breaks, the certificate is gone. So make a copy with the private key straight after downloading:

• a .pfx file — a copy exported from the Windows certificate store;
• a .p12 file — the same kind of copy from Firefox.

When exporting, tick the option to export the private key and set a password. This file and password are equivalent to your signature: with them, anyone can file a tax return or an application in your name. Keep the copy on a separate storage device and never send it to anyone. To install the certificate on another computer or phone, open the file and enter the password.

Cl@ve: when it is enough and when you need a certificate

Cl@ve is a single login system for all electronic public services using the same credentials. There are three ways to log in:

• Cl@ve Móvil — password-free login: you scan a QR code or approve the request in the Cl@ve app;
• Cl@ve Permanente — a permanent username (your NIE) and password, with an extra SMS code for some services;
• Cl@ve PIN — a one-time code that must be entered within ten minutes.

Cl@ve Móvil combines Cl@ve PIN and Cl@ve Permanente in a single app, but for now all three options still work.

How to register with an NIE. Video identification in the app is available only to Spanish citizens with a valid DNI. Foreigners have other routes:

• an invitation letter — sent by post to the address the tax agency has on record for you, containing a 16-character code;
• a visit to a registration office: the tax agency, Social Security, the SEPE employment service or government delegation offices;
• online, if you already have a certificate.

An invitation letter gives you basic level registration. An office visit or a certificate gives you the advanced level: it is required for services where Cl@ve Permanente asks for an SMS code.

Where Cl@ve alone is not enough:

• signing a file on your own computer in AutoFirma is possible only with a certificate;
• modelo 036 can be filed with Cl@ve, but without a certificate the filer must be your representative or an official tax agency intermediary;
• Mercurio, the platform for immigration applications, requires a recognised digital certificate and an AutoFirma signature. Representatives — gestores, lawyers, graduados sociales — file with their own professional certificates.

The practical conclusion: Cl@ve is often enough for the tax agency and Social Security, but if you file immigration applications yourself or sign documents, you need a certificate. Which electronic offices exist and what each is for is covered in sede electrónica in Spain.

AutoFirma: installation and signing

AutoFirma is free government e-signature software. A public body’s website calls it automatically when an application needs signing: the software takes the certificate from the system or browser store and applies the signature. It does not store any personal data.

• Where to download: only from the official downloads page. It offers version 1.9 for Windows and Linux and 1.9.2 for macOS, including M-series processors.
• No Java needed on Windows and macOS: the installer includes everything required. On Linux you need Java 8 or later, with 17 recommended.
• Installation requires administrator rights. Close Firefox and Chrome before installing: the software adds a certificate to them so the browser can communicate with AutoFirma.
• Browsers: on Windows — Chrome, Firefox or Edge; on macOS — Safari, Chrome or Firefox.

You can also sign your own document, such as a PDF application: open the file in AutoFirma and choose the certificate. What this looks like in the software is shown in the video tutorials on the e-signature portal.

Common AutoFirma errors

• The browser cannot connect to AutoFirma. In the software, open the «Herramientas» menu and choose «Restaurar la instalación». This also fixes the case where Firefox, or a new Firefox profile, was installed after AutoFirma.
• The certificate is not visible. Check that it has not expired and that it sits in the Windows store with its private key. If AutoFirma itself shows the certificate but the website does not, that procedure does not accept every type of certificate.
• “Error abriendo archivo para escritura” on Windows. Close any open AutoFirma window or restart the computer.
• “Ya está instalada una versión igual o superior”. Restart the computer and install the software with the MSI installer.

What you need the certificate for in Spain

Residence permit renewals and changes of permit type are filed electronically, and this is exactly where you cannot do without a certificate. Which permit types exist and what to prepare for each is covered in the overview of all ways to get a Spanish residence permit. If you would rather not file yourself, the application can be submitted by a gestor with their professional certificate. Other apps that come in handy in the first months are listed in the article on apps for living in Spain.

Why you need a digital signature straight after approval: a case of applying on your own — the bank account, autónomo registration and Social Security follow right after the card.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get an FNMT certificate without a TIE card?

Yes. You can go to a registration office with the official document assigning your NIE and your passport. Whether the NIE paper has expired does not matter.

Can a foreigner get an FNMT certificate by video call?

No. FNMT video identification currently works only with a valid DNI of a Spanish citizen. A foreigner with a TIE card can get an ACCV certificate by video call free of charge.

How much does a digital certificate cost in Spain?

The FNMT certificate for an individual is free; ACCV currently also lists a zero price for its citizen certificate, but its fees have changed before, so check them before applying.

How long is an FNMT certificate valid?

Four years from the date of issue. It can be renewed online within 60 days before expiry and only once; after that you need a new certificate with an office visit.

What is the difference between Cl@ve and a digital certificate?

Cl@ve is a login system using an app, a password or a one-time code. Besides logging in, a certificate lets you sign documents in AutoFirma and file applications through Mercurio.

Does AutoFirma need Java?

Not on Windows or macOS: the installer contains everything required. On Linux you need Java 8 or later, with version 17 recommended.

Can I get an FNMT certificate at a Spanish consulate?

Yes. Consular sections act as FNMT registration offices and accept foreign nationals with an NIE, provided there is an official verifiable document showing the number. Confirm the procedure and the appointment with your consulate. The separate consular certificate is a different product, issued only to Spanish citizens without a DNI.

Can I get a Spanish digital certificate from abroad without an NIE?

No. An FNMT certificate is issued only to people who already have an NIE, including at consulates. If you are abroad without an NIE and need to file an application in Spain — for example a research permit with UGE — the host institution or a representative with a digital certificate can file it for you under your signed authorisation. See our guide to the research residence permit.

What should I do if the computer with my certificate breaks?

Install the certificate from a .pfx or .p12 backup containing the private key. If you have no backup, you will have to request a new certificate with an office visit.

Sources

• FNMT-RCM — certificate for individuals, renewal, certificate issuance agreement (4-year validity).
• ACCV — citizen video identification.
• Cl@ve — what it is and registration levels.
• Portal de Firma Electrónica — AutoFirma download and the version 1.9 installation guide.
• Agencia Tributaria — identification methods.

Checked against official pages on 15 September 2026.