Spain’s digital DNI acquires full legal status from 1 April: MiDNI app connected to National Police servers in real time, replacing physical card for most domestic purposes

Spain’s digital national identity document (DNI) acquired full legal status for public and private sector use from 1 April 2026 under Royal Decree 255/2025. The MiDNI mobile app uses time-limited QR codes connected in real time to Spanish National Police servers for identity verification, allowing citizens to identify themselves at banks, hotels, government offices and private businesses without carrying the physical card. Public and private institutions have 12 months to adapt systems. Spain becomes one of the first EU member states to grant full legal equivalence to a mobile national identity credential, with implications for police verification of identity during street encounters.

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