Why there is a second appointment
No card is handed over at fingerprinting: your data is taken and production starts centrally. The card comes back to the office and is handed over in person. There is no home delivery.
Collection has its own procedure on the government site, “recogida de tarjeta de identidad de extranjero”, and it runs out just as fast.
When to book it
Between the third and sixth week after fingerprinting. If you go before the card arrives, you lose the slot. If your receipt shows no date, look for a slot three or four weeks after fingerprinting.
What to bring
The fingerprint receipt, your valid passport, the collection confirmation and your previous card if you didn’t hand it in. It takes under five minutes.
Can someone else go?
Yes, unlike fingerprinting: with an authorisation signed by you, a copy of your passport and the representative’s ID. Each office is strict about the format; ask first.
General information, not legal advice. For questions about your own case, check the decision you were sent or ask a professional.