Passport renewal Spain costs €30 for an ordinary Spanish passport, and members of large families with a valid title pay nothing, according to Loentiendo (modified 6 September 2026), TuVisadoOnline (15 October 2026) and Cohen y Aguirre (modified 7 May 2026). You need an appointment (cita previa) at a Policía Nacional office or a Spanish consulate abroad. The new passport is valid for 2, 5 or 10 years depending on age, and the legal maximum for issue is 2 working days at police offices.
If you’re researching passport renewal Spain, the process is short but the appointment is the part that decides your timeline. The fee is a single flat amount, the passport is made at the office where you apply, and you collect it there. This guide covers the fee and the large-family exemption, the cost per year, validity by age, how to book, documents, the photo rule, timing, lost and stolen passports, renewal from abroad, minors and the places where the sources disagree. It draws on Loentiendo (first published 1 December 2025, modified 6 September 2026), TuVisadoOnline (15 October 2026), Cohen y Aguirre (12 January 2026, modified 7 May 2026) and a Wise guide (28 August 2025). All four are consumer or advisory sites. The Ministry of the Interior fee page could not be opened from our tools, so confirm the fee and the process with the Policía Nacional or your consulate. For how renewal works in the United States, see our passport renewal guide.
How Much Does Passport Renewal Spain Cost?
€30 for an ordinary passport. All four sources give the same figure, and Wise and Loentiendo say it applies to a first issue, renewal, loss, theft or damage.
Loentiendo says you can pay in cash with the exact amount, by card at the office, or online when you book the appointment. TuVisadoOnline says online payment needs an electronic signature. Wise says the photo is not included in the fee. Loentiendo’s closing tips mention a recognised disability, but its fee section lists only large families, so ask when you book if you think you qualify.
What Do the Fees Work Out to per Year?
€3 per year for a 10-year passport, €6 for a 5-year passport and €15 for a 2-year passport. The arithmetic is 30 divided by 10, 30 divided by 5 and 30 divided by 2. Because the fee does not change with age, a young child’s passport costs five times as much per year as an adult’s (15 divided by 3).
A family of two adults aged over 30, an 8-year-old and a 3-year-old pays €120 (30 four times) if none of them has large-family status. The 3-year-old’s 2-year passport costs €15 per year of validity, and the 8-year-old needs two 5-year passports by age 18, which is €60 (30 twice). A family with a valid large-family title pays €0 for all four.
How Long Is a Spanish Passport Valid?
2 years under 5, 5 years from 5 to the late twenties, and 10 years from 30. All three sources that give validity use these bands, but they word the edges differently.
TuVisadoOnline and Wise place the 30th birthday in the 10-year band, while Loentiendo’s wording “over 30” leaves the exact age unclear. Ask at your appointment if you are close to 30. Wise says a replacement after loss or theft keeps the expiry date of the original, which means the duplicate may be shorter than a full term. Loentiendo suggests the full validity may apply, so ask the office which rule applies to you.
How Do You Book and Renew?
Book on citapreviadnie.es or call 060, then attend with your documents. TuVisadoOnline lists the booking steps.
- Go to citapreviadnie.es or call 060.
- Select “Pasaporte” as the procedure.
- Enter your DNI (national identity card) number and its expiry date.
- Choose a province and police station.
- Pick an available date and time.
- Confirm your email to receive the confirmation.
Loentiendo says renewal can start when fewer than 12 months remain before expiry, or after loss, theft or damage, and that an appointment is compulsory unless there is a justified emergency. TuVisadoOnline says availability changes constantly and that you can book at another office in the same province if your usual one is full. Fingerprints, a digital photo and your signature are taken at the office, according to Loentiendo. The sources give no official lead time for booking.
Which Documents and Photo Do You Need?
Your DNI, the old passport, one photo and proof of payment. Loentiendo and TuVisadoOnline overlap.
- A valid DNI.
- The previous passport, which is cancelled at the appointment if it is still valid, according to TuVisadoOnline.
- One recent colour photo with a white background.
- Proof of payment of the €30 fee.
- The appointment confirmation.
- A full birth certificate only for a first issue or if the DNI expired more than 3 years ago, according to Loentiendo.
TuVisadoOnline gives the photo size as 32 by 26 millimetres and lists smiling, glasses and a non-white background as common reasons for rejection. It says no photo is needed if you obtained or renewed your DNI the same day. Cohen y Aguirre says names and birthplace should match the Civil Registry, and TuVisadoOnline says a name change needs a Civil Registry certificate. A traveler whose DNI expired four years ago should bring the birth certificate, because Loentiendo’s 3-year limit has passed.
What Applies to Minors?
Minors attend with their legal guardians and bring authorisation. Loentiendo says minors or incapacitated persons need documents and authorisation from their legal guardians, and that minors must attend with them. TuVisadoOnline mentions parental consent and a family book. The sources do not give a separate rule for a child’s first passport beyond these, so ask the office which documents your family needs. The fee stays €30 for a child, according to Cohen y Aguirre, unless the child belongs to a large family.
How Long Does It Take?
Usually on the spot, and at most 2 working days at police offices. TuVisadoOnline cites Royal Decree 896/2003, article 4.4, which sets a legal maximum of 2 working days after you submit complete documentation, unless technical or exceptional circumstances prevent it. Loentiendo says the same 2 business days at police offices and says consulates can take up to 3 weeks. TuVisadoOnline says processing at consulates varies, so check the consulate’s website before you book.
Passports are not mailed, so you collect yours at the office where you applied, according to TuVisadoOnline. Loentiendo describes delivery as immediate while giving a 2-day maximum, and the two statements do not fully match, so do not count on same-day delivery if you travel soon. On the legal maximum, an application filed on a Monday would be ready by Wednesday.
What If the Passport Is Lost or Stolen?
File a police report, book an appointment and pay the same €30. Wise says the €30 general rate applies and that you request a duplicate, valid until the original passport’s expiry date. Loentiendo says to file the report, book an appointment with the report, your DNI and the normal documents, and that a temporary passport valid for 1 year is available in emergencies.
TuVisadoOnline describes two emergency documents for lost or stolen passports abroad: a temporary travel document (salvoconducto) valid for up to 15 days and a provisional passport valid for up to 12 months. Loentiendo does not mention the salvoconducto, and none of the sources gives the requirements for the provisional passport, so ask your consulate.
How Does Renewal Work From Abroad?
Apply at the Spanish consulate or embassy where you live, for the same €30. TuVisadoOnline says the fee is the same as in Spain and can be paid in local or convertible currency, and that the documents are generally the same. If you lack a valid DNI, the consulate may accept a passport in force or pending renewal, or a birth certificate. Wise says you must first be registered with your nearest consulate, then request an appointment there.
Wise says the fee abroad is usually paid in cash in local currency but gives no converted amount, and its footnote labelled as the Ministry of the Interior links to a French consulate page, so confirm the figure with your own consulate. Loentiendo puts consulate issue at up to 3 weeks, against 2 working days at police offices in Spain.
Which Route Fits Which Applicant?
Use a Policía Nacional office in Spain and your consulate abroad. The table lines up the options.
How Reliable Are the Sources?
The €30 fee is consistent in four places, and the details at the edges differ. Loentiendo, TuVisadoOnline, Cohen y Aguirre and Wise agree on €30 and on the large-family exemption. Wise is from August 2025, which makes it the oldest of the four.
The conflicts are the age edges of the validity bands, whether a lost-passport duplicate keeps the original expiry, the emergency documents, the speed of delivery (on the spot against a 2-day maximum) and what the exemption covers. None of the sources is official. Loentiendo cites the Policía Nacional’s procedure and TuVisadoOnline cites the Royal Decree, but both are advisory sites, so the Interior page is the final check.
What Should You Check Before You File?
Confirm the fee, your age band and your appointment. Three quick checks save the most time.
- Check the fee and exemptions with the Policía Nacional or your consulate.
- Check which validity band your age falls into, especially near 30.
- Book on citapreviadnie.es before you plan any travel.
A parent renewing a child’s passport should bring the guardian authorisation and ask whether the large-family title applies.
Which Mistakes Delay Passport Renewal Spain?
Skipping the appointment and arriving without the photo cause most delays. Check each point first.
- Turning up without a booked appointment.
- Forgetting the photo, which is not included in the fee.
- Bringing an expired DNI without the birth certificate.
- Forgetting proof of payment or the exact cash amount.
- Not being registered at the consulate when you live abroad.
- Assuming same-day delivery at a consulate.
- Claiming the large-family exemption without a valid title.
- Waiting until the last months before travel.
FAQs
How much does passport renewal Spain cost?
€30 for an ordinary passport, with large families exempt if they hold a valid title.
How do I book the appointment?
At citapreviadnie.es or by calling 060, according to Loentiendo and TuVisadoOnline.
How long is a Spanish passport valid?
2 years under 5, 5 years from 5 to about 30, and 10 years from 30.
How long does it take?
Up to 2 working days at police offices and up to 3 weeks at consulates, according to Loentiendo.
Can I renew from abroad?
Yes, at your Spanish consulate, after registering with it, for the same €30.
How early can I renew?
When fewer than 12 months remain before expiry, according to Loentiendo.
Conclusion
Passport renewal Spain costs €30 and gives a passport valid for 2, 5 or 10 years depending on age. Book your appointment on citapreviadnie.es first, because the legal maximum for issue is 2 working days.
