The bare NIE number
This is the reference and nothing more — letter, seven digits, closing letter. Whether your passport is European or not, you get one. Sitting alone on a piece of paper, it is just an identifier, no powers attached.
If the three names still blur together, Gestoraz walks through the same distinction in its own explainer, and hearing it twice tends to be what makes it stick before you commit to a form.
The EU green certificate (or green card)
Settle on Ibiza with an EU, EEA or Swiss passport and you receive a green document — full-page A4 or a compact green card. It carries your NIE plus your registered island address and confirms you are logged as an EU resident.
The TIE card
Arrive from beyond the EU and you are issued a TIE — Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero. It is a proper photo card with your fingerprint on file, showing your NIE, your permit type and how long it runs. This is the document a non-EU resident keeps in their wallet every day.
In Ibiza
The Ibiza office sets the pace for the number, green slip or tie? across the Balearic Islands. Our team books your appointment, checks your documentación, and walks you through the day itself.