Spain launches digital DNI — currently limited to in-person procedures

As of April 2025, Spain has officially launched the digital version of its National Identity Document (DNI). The MiDNI app, available for iOS and Android, allows Spanish citizens to use their smartphone instead of a physical ID for in-person identification.

In this initial phase, the digital DNI can be used for renting cars, checking into hotels, opening bank accounts, collecting parcels, and other services that require identity verification in person. Full online functionality, including digital signature, will be available in 2026.

The digital DNI holds the same legal validity as the physical card, but is not valid outside Spain. To activate the app, users must register the phone number linked to their physical DNI via midni.gob.es or at any DNI renewal office. If the physical card is lost, access to the digital version is automatically blocked.

The physical and digital versions will coexist. Authorities and private entities have been granted a one-year transition period to adapt to the new system.

Note: According to the Ministry of the Interior, holders of a TIE (Foreigner Identity Card) cannot use the MiDNI app. There are currently no plans to extend the service to residents without Spanish citizenship. The digital DNI is available exclusively to Spanish citizens.