As most foreigners in Spain are well aware of, Spanish bureaucracy in Spain can be pretty complicated and confusing.

When it comes to carrying out official processes online, your NIE (Foreigner Identity Number) can help you to access certain government websites, often with the help of other means of identification such as your Cl@ve PIN and your Digital Certificate. 

But one of the extra numbers that foreigners get asked for to gain access or carry out actions on these official sites is the Support Number or Número de Soporte. 

READ ALSO: 25 official matters you can do online in Spain

What is my Support Number used for?

Your Support Number is a type of ID number that you’ll need to type into the Spanish Tax Agency or other government websites in order to carry out a procedure online.

They will need this number in order to validate your identity, and more often than not foreigners will get the message on screen “Introduzca soporte válido” (write correct support number) when they get this number wrong.

In most cases, it’s Spain’s tax agency – la Agencia Tributaria–  which requires this support number for processes such as presenting your tax documents, paying fees and fines and requesting appointments.

You may also need to log on in order to see messages that the Tax Agency has left for you.  

As of April 7th, you have also been able to present your income tax corresponding to 2020. 

Where can I find my Support Number?  

Your Support Number can be found on your identity document, such as TIE or green residency certificate, but the location of it will depend on which type of document you have.  

How to find your support number on your TIE or residence permit 

If you are from outside of the EU you will receive a TIE or residence permit in order to be formally registered in Spain. This is your foreigners’ Spanish ID card. It contains your personal data, photo and type of authorisation to live in Spain.

Usually, the number you will need on your card is your NIE, which begins with X or Y. 

Your support number however is different. This is the number found in the top right-hand corner. It consists of 8 digits and starts with the letter ‘E’. 

READ ALSO – Reader question: Does Spain’s TIE residency card always have an expiry date?

Green residency certificate

For those of you that have the credit card-sized green residency document for EU citizens, you will find your support number on the back of the document in the bottom right-hand corner.

When you introduce your support number online from your residency card, it will need to be preceded by the letter ‘C’. If your number has less than 8 digits, you will also need to put a ‘0’ in front of the number. For example, if the support number on your card is 8254321, then you will enter C08254321.

For those with the older A4-sized green residency sheets, the support number is in the top right corner.

If you have the older A4 residency document featuring your NIE, then your support number will be found in the top right-hand corner and be filled out the same way with a ‘C’ in front.

Some foreigners in Spain have reported that they’ve had problems using their support number after being issued a new residency document.

This could be because, unlike the NIE number which remains the same forever, the support number does change. 

According to Hacienda’s tech support team AEAT, the best thing to do in such case is to fill in a form to explain the problem that is occurring.