Cl@ve and the FNMT Certificate: How to Do Spanish Paperwork Online

Once you live in Spain, a surprising amount of everyday paperwork happens online: tax, social security, health appointments and many council procedures. Two official tools make that possible. One is the FNMT citizen certificate, a free digital certificate issued by the Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre. The other is Cl@ve, the government's shared login for public services.

This guide explains, in plain English, what the official pages say about getting both, and what to take with you. It is general information, not legal advice, and it does not replace the steps on those sites. Rules and office arrangements change, so check the official pages before you start.

What these tools are, and why they matter

According to the government's electronic identification page, the most common certificates are the FNMT citizen software certificate and the electronic DNI (DNIe). Cl@ve is a separate system based on a username and password (and a mobile app). It complements certificates rather than replacing them, and it is designed so you can sign in from a computer or a phone once you are registered.

In practice, newcomers often meet these tools when they try to do something that used to mean a queue: filing a form with the tax agency, consulting Social Security, or starting a regional health or council procedure. Many of those sites accept either a certificate or Cl@ve, but not every procedure accepts both, so it is worth having a route that works for you.

The FNMT citizen certificate

The Punto de Acceso General, the government's one-stop administrative portal, sets out who can obtain the FNMT citizen certificate and how. According to its official guide:

• Any adult (or emancipated minor), Spanish or foreign, can apply, provided they have their identity document: a DNI for Spanish nationals, or a NIE and passport for foreign nationals.
• The citizen certificate itself is free. If you prove your identity by video identification, that service costs €2.99 plus tax.
• You must request the certificate from the computer on which you want to install it, and later download it on the same computer, with the same user account and the same browser.

The official guide describes three ways to prove your identity: in person at an office, by video identification, or electronically with a DNIe. For the in-person route it lists four steps: prepare your computer, submit the request on the FNMT site and receive a request code by email, prove your identity at an office with that code, then download the certificate. Foreign nationals should take their NIE and passport. The same guide links to a map of offices; choose the option for certificates for natural persons.

If you already have a citizen certificate, the official page warns that requesting a new one will cancel the one you have.

Registering for Cl@ve

To use Cl@ve you must register first. The official Cl@ve registration page describes four routes, grouped into two security levels.

• Basic registration is available over the internet with automatic video identification, or with an invitation letter. The official page says this level lets you use many services, but not all of them, and you cannot use Cl@ve Firma.
• Advanced registration is available over the internet after a public employee reviews a video identification, over the internet with an electronic certificate or DNIe, or in person at a registration office. This level is required for procedures that need a higher level of security.

If you already have an FNMT certificate or a DNIe, you can complete an advanced registration online. According to Cl@ve's guide to registering with a certificate, you identify yourself, enter the support number from your DNI or NIE, give a mobile number (Spanish or foreign, with the country prefix if it is foreign) and an email address, and accept the conditions. You then receive a confirmation that includes an activation code for Cl@ve Permanente, and you can download a PDF receipt.

After any successful registration, the official page says you will receive either a notification on your mobile (if you used video identification) or a welcome SMS to the number you registered. From then on you can use Cl@ve Móvil in the Cl@ve app, or activate your Cl@ve Permanente password.

A simple order that works for many newcomers

1. Make sure you have your NIE (and, if you are a foreign national, your passport). Our NIE guide explains the document you will be asked for.
2. Request the FNMT citizen certificate from the computer you will keep using, then prove your identity by one of the official routes and download the file on that same computer.
3. Use that certificate to complete an advanced Cl@ve registration, so you can also sign in from a phone without carrying the certificate everywhere.
4. Store the activation code and keep your registered mobile number up to date, because that is how Cl@ve will reach you.

If you cannot get a certificate yet, look at the official Cl@ve routes that use video identification or an in-person office. Availability and identity checks are set by the official process, not by us, and we cannot book or guarantee those appointments.

What this does not replace

A digital certificate or a Cl@ve account does not, by itself, give you a right to live in Spain, a health card or a place on the padrón. Those are separate procedures. If you are still settling in, our guides to the padrón in Alicante and the month-by-month moving checklist cover the earlier steps.

Activities International is not a law firm or an immigration adviser, and we cannot guarantee visas, a NIE, appointments or the outcome of any registration. What we can help with is the practical side, including our NIE appointment booking service and padrón registration service.

Last checked: November 2026. Sources: Punto de Acceso General (electronic identification and FNMT citizen certificate), Cl@ve (registration routes and registration with a certificate). This article is general information, not legal, tax or technical advice. Follow the official pages if a step on your screen looks different.