Fee 052 (tasa 052) is the government fee you pay in Spain for any immigration procedure: residence permits, work authorisations, family reunification or TIE card applications. It's paid through Form 790 code 052, either online or at a bank, and the amount varies depending on the procedure. Without the proof of payment, your application won't be accepted.
Need to handle an immigration procedure in Spain but have no idea what fee 052 (tasa 052) is or how to pay it? Don't worry — it's simpler than it looks. Here we explain everything you need to know: what it covers, how much it costs and how to fill in Form 790 code 052 step by step.
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Fee 052 — officially known as tasa 052 — is a government fee that Spain charges whenever you file any immigration-related application. Think of it as the administrative "ticket" you need before the authorities will even look at your paperwork: no payment, no processing.
The name comes from the code 052 on Form 790 (modelo 790), a standard tax form the Spanish Treasury uses to collect public fees. Each code on Form 790 covers a different area, and code 052 is reserved exclusively for immigration and foreign nationals' affairs.
💡 In a nutshell: if you're a foreign national and you need to do anything official about your legal status in Spain — residence permit, work authorisation, family reunification — you'll almost certainly need to pay fee 052 before submitting your application.
One common source of confusion: Form 790 is used for many different fees (ID cards, passports, civil service exams…). Code 052 is simply the section that applies to immigration. That's why you'll see people refer to it interchangeably as "tasa 052", "tasa 790 código 052" or "modelo 790 código 052". They all mean the same thing.
Any foreign national — or their legal representative — who is about to start a procedure with the Immigration Office (Oficina de Extranjería) or the National Police needs to pay this fee. The most common scenarios include:
A crucial detail: payment of fee 052 is a prerequisite for submitting your application. In other words, when you go to your appointment at the Immigration Office or file electronically, you must already have the proof of payment. Without it, your application won't be accepted.
The cost of fee 052 isn't a flat rate — it depends on the specific procedure you're carrying out. The form lists several numbered items (called epígrafes), each linked to a different type of application and a different amount.
To give you a general idea, here are the most common fee brackets by procedure type:
⚠️ The exact amounts are updated periodically through Spain's General State Budget Act (Ley de Presupuestos Generales del Estado). Before paying, we recommend checking the current figures on the Ministry's official website to avoid mistakes. An incorrect payment could mean having to start the whole process again.
Let's say Laura, a Colombian citizen, has been living in Madrid for three years on a temporary residence permit. It's time to renew, and her TIE has also expired. Laura will need to pay two separate fee 052 payments: one for the residence permit renewal and another for the TIE renewal. Each one has its own item and amount.
Filling in the form isn't complicated, but you need to be careful. A single mistake can mean your payment gets rejected and you lose valuable time. Here's how to do it:
1. Go to the official form
Head to the Spanish Ministry of Finance's electronic portal and look for Form 790 code 052. You can search directly for "tasa 052 sede electrónica". Make sure you're on the official government website (the domain should end in .gob.es) — there are third-party sites out there that can cause confusion.
2. Enter your personal details
You'll be asked for your NIE or passport number, full name, nationality and address in Spain. A helpful tip: use exactly the same details that appear on your official documents. If your passport says "María de los Ángeles", don't just write "María".
3. Select the correct item (epígrafe)
This is where most people go wrong. The form displays several numbered items, each linked to a specific type of procedure. Read carefully and tick the one that matches your application. If you're unsure, check the appointment letter or notification from the Immigration Office — it usually states which item you need to select.
🎯 Tip: if you're applying for family reunification, make sure you select the specific family reunification item — not the generic temporary residence one. The amounts are different, and choosing the wrong item invalidates your payment.
4. Generate the document
Once all fields are complete, the system generates a PDF with three copies: one for the administration, one for the bank and one for you. If you're paying online, you only need the reference code. If you're paying at a bank branch, print all three copies.
You have two options for paying fee 052: in person at a bank or online. Here's how each works:
Paying in person at a bank
Take the three printed copies of Form 790 code 052 to any participating bank (most major Spanish banks accept the payment). Pay at the counter, the bank stamps all three copies and returns yours as proof of payment.
Paying online
From the electronic portal itself, you can pay by bank card at the time you generate the form. The system will give you an electronic receipt with an NRC (Número de Referencia Completo — Complete Reference Number), which is the code that proves you've paid. Keep it safe — you'll need it when you submit your application.
📌 Online payment is more convenient and saves you a trip, but make sure your card is enabled for electronic payments to the Spanish government. Some prepaid cards and neobank cards may not work.
After helping thousands of users with their tax and administrative paperwork, we've seen these mistakes come up time and again:
Selecting the wrong item. This is the number-one error. If you tick an item that doesn't match your procedure, the payment won't be valid and you'll have to pay again. There's no automatic refund in these cases — you'd need to apply for a refund of undue payments, which can take months.
Paying too late. Fee 052 has a limited validity period once the form is generated. If you generate the form and then take too long to pay or to submit your application, it may expire. Generate and pay only when you're ready to file.
Confusing fee 052 with fee 062. Fee 062 also exists but covers a different set of procedures. Always double-check that the code is 052, not something else.
Not keeping your receipt. Whether you pay at a bank or online, hold on to the original proof of payment. Without it, you can't prove you've paid and the Immigration Office will not accept your application.
Yes, but it's not straightforward. If you've overpaid, made a duplicate payment or selected the wrong item, you can apply for a refund of undue payments (devolución de ingresos indebidos) through the Spanish Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria). You'll need to provide:
The process can take several months, so the best approach is to make sure everything is correct before you pay. As the saying goes: better safe than sorry.
Are fee 052 and Form 790 code 052 the same thing?
Yes, they refer to the same thing. "Fee 052" (tasa 052) is the informal name people use for the payment made through Form 790 with code 052. It's simply the government's form for collecting immigration-related fees.
Can I pay fee 052 from outside Spain?
In theory, yes — through the online payment option on the electronic portal. However, you'll need a bank card that's compatible with electronic payments to the Spanish government, and some foreign cards may not work. If you run into issues, one option is to have a family member or representative in Spain make the payment on your behalf.
How long is the proof of payment valid for?
There's no fixed legal deadline published, but the general recommendation is to submit your application as soon as possible after paying. If several months go by, the Immigration Office may not accept the receipt and you'd have to pay again.
If you're living and working in Spain, immigration paperwork isn't the only date you have with the authorities: there's also the annual income tax return (declaración de la renta). And yes, as a tax resident in Spain, you'll most likely need to file one.
The good news? You don't have to do it alone. At TaxDown, we help you file your income tax return in minutes, in plain language, with no unnecessary jargon — and we make sure you claim every deduction you're entitled to. If you've already survived fee 052, your tax return will be a breeze.
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