Cédula de Inscripción for foreigners without a passport in Spain

What you need

1. Be in Spain and be able to prove your consulate/embassy won’t document you.
2. Have a recent padrón (less than 90 days) in your municipality.
3. Be able to pay the tasa Modelo 790 código 012 (at the bank or online if you have certificado digital).

Documentation

1. Application form for the cédula (they give it there; some comisarías have it at the desk).
2. Appointment printed from ICP (sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es).
3. 3 photos DNI-size, white background, recent.
4. Padrón issued within the last 90 days.
5. Proof you can’t get a passport: consular refusals, emails, denied appointment receipts, etc. If they’re in another language, use a traducción jurada and, if needed, legalización/apostilla.
6. Any document with your photo/identity: expired passport, laissez-passer, título de viaje, ID cards.
7. Tasa 790-012 paid (epígrafe Cédula de Inscripción) and its receipt.
8. If you have it, resolución de apatridia or resolución de protección internacional.

Step by step

1. Gather the proofs and get empadronamiento if you don’t have it. Without padrón they’ll block the process.
2. Go to https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/icpplus/index.html, pick your province and the procedure POLICÍA – EXPEDICIÓN DE DOCUMENTACIÓN A EXTRANJEROS. Book an appointment and save the PDF confirmation.
3. Generate the tasa 790-012 at https://sede.policia.gob.es/Tasa790_012/ selecting Cédula de Inscripción. Pay online (with certificado) or print and pay at a collaborating bank.
4. Attend the comisaría on the date and time with everything: originals and copies. They’ll check, take fingerprints and signature. If you lack a photo they may send you to the photo booth.
5. They’ll give you a resguardo and a tentative pick-up date. Note it down; some comisarías require a second appointment to collect.
6. Pick up the cédula when ready. Bring the resguardo and, just in case, an extra photo.

Tricks

• Appointments usually drop at first thing (08:00–09:00) and around midday. Have your data ready and try at those times because slots fly.
• If the ICP portal errors out, use Chrome and disable autofill. Avoid peak hours and clear cookies.
• The clearer the consular refusal, the fewer problems. If possible get a written certificate in Spanish.
• Translations: use a traducción jurada. Legalisation/apostilla avoids document questions.
• Keep copies of everything. If you lose the resguardo, collection gets messy.

Common mistakes

1. Turning up without a recent padrón: they’ll tell you to register and you’ll lose the appointment.
2. Paying the wrong tasa 790-012 item (wrong epígrafe): you’ll need to go back to the bank or redo the payment.
3. Confusing the cédula with a passport: it won’t let you travel; you need a Título de Viaje.
4. Thinking the cédula gives residence or work: it doesn’t; that’s a separate file.
5. Not supplying solid proof you can’t get a passport: without clear consular refusals they can deny the cédula.