Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
How can I change my name on the Spanish NIE? Since living back in the UK I have changed my surname due to marriage. We got married in Spain. I have a libro de familia.
I’m moving back to Spain in August, I’m not currently empadronado there so don’t think I can exchange to TIE and need to update my NIE as I’m currently buying a property.
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Start the Moving to Spain Hub →Any advice on doing this? I’m in Spain for the next 2 days but don’t have my libro de familia or birth certificate with me. My local consulate is Edinburgh.
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
“When you bring your passport with a new name and marriage certificate, and if possible the old nie get an appointment at your local foreigners office and comisaria. You will have to pay again to make the name correction and provide a new application form. Or try to get it corrected at the consulate in Edinburgh”
“I did this. You’ll need old and new passports. Marriage certificate copy within 3 months of issue and that has to be officially translated and apostilled. Plus photos and fee.”
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Explore Cities →“Keep your original family name. As Spanish married women do.
Much simpler. Much cheaper.”
“Easiest way would be to apply for an appointment at the embassy when you get back, present your current NIE, marriage certificate (translated) and they will issue the new certificate.”
“You can ask or could have asked to have a previous name noted on the observations page on your passport – M. L. Perez “also known as” M. L. Jones.
You can ask to just revert to your maiden (birth) name on your passport, but not to a previous married name. You can change your name again and renew your passport again.
In all cases you’ll need to provide a paper trail of documents to substantiate your case and this is much easier to do in the UK, rather than here but be careful you do not jump from the frying pan into the fire.”
Read this related article: “Does anyone know of any cases where someone has received Spanish nationality and hasn’t had to change their last name?“
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