Ya sea por internet o por teléfono, primero hay que pedir cita previa para renovar el pasaporte.

It means whether ... or ... or be it ... or ....

So Ya sea por internet o por teléfono means whether online or by phone. It introduces two possible ways of doing the same thing.

It is a fairly common structure in Spanish, and it sounds a bit more formal than simply listing two options.

Sea is the present subjunctive form of ser.

In the fixed expression ya sea ... o ..., Spanish uses the subjunctive because the sentence is presenting alternatives rather than stating a plain fact with es.

So learners usually just memorize ya sea X o Y as a set phrase meaning whether X or Y.

Examples:

• Ya sea hoy o mañana = Whether today or tomorrow
• Ya sea en persona o por correo = Whether in person or by mail

Here por expresses the means or channel used to do something.

So:

• por internet = online / via the internet
• por teléfono = by phone / over the phone

This is very common in Spanish when talking about how something is done:

• enviar por correo = send by mail
• hablar por videollamada = talk by video call

A native English speaker may want to translate literally with by, but in Spanish the usual preposition here is por.

In modern Spanish, lowercase internet is very common and fully accepted. You may also see Internet with a capital letter, especially in older texts or more conservative style.

So both can appear, but internet in lowercase is normal in contemporary Spanish.

Hay que + infinitive is an impersonal way to say:

• you have to
• one has to
• it is necessary to

So hay que pedir cita previa means you have to make/request an appointment first.

It does not address a specific person directly. It sounds more like a general rule or requirement.

Compare:

• Tienes que pedir cita previa = You have to request an appointment
  → directed at you
• Hay que pedir cita previa = One/you have to request an appointment
  → general instruction

Cita previa is a very common expression in Spain, especially in bureaucracy and public administration.

It means a pre-booked appointment or appointment made in advance.

For example, for things like:

• renewing a passport
• getting an ID card
• going to certain government offices

you often cannot just show up. You need to book a time first, and that is called cita previa.

Yes, literally it can feel a bit redundant to English speakers, because cita already means appointment.

But in Spain, cita previa is a fixed and very common expression. It emphasizes that the appointment must be arranged beforehand, especially in official contexts.

So even if it looks repetitive, it is natural Spanish.

In Spanish, especially in Spain, pedir cita is the normal expression for requesting / making / booking an appointment.

So:

• pedir cita
• pedir cita previa

are both very common.

English speakers might expect something like make an appointment, but Spanish often uses pedir here.

Other possibilities exist, but they are not exactly the same in tone:

• solicitar una cita = more formal
• reservar una cita = possible in some contexts, but less standard for government procedures

Because after pedir, Spanish often uses the noun without an article when speaking in a general, non-specific way.

So:

• pedir cita previa = to request an appointment
• pedir una cita previa = also possible, but slightly more explicit

In official instructions, dropping the article is very common and sounds natural.

Primero means first or first of all.

It shows that requesting the appointment is the first step in the process:

• primero hay que pedir cita previa = first you have to request an appointment

It helps structure the procedure and implies that other steps come later.

That position is very natural in Spanish because primero is modifying the whole instruction.

So:

• primero hay que pedir cita previa

means the first thing you have to do is request an appointment.

You could move it in some contexts, but this position is the most straightforward and idiomatic here.

Para + infinitive expresses purpose.

So:

• para renovar el pasaporte = in order to renew the passport

It explains why the appointment is needed.

This is a very common Spanish structure:

• Voy al supermercado para comprar pan = I’m going to the supermarket to buy bread
• Llamo para pedir información = I’m calling to ask for information

Spanish often uses the definite article where English might prefer a possessive.

So renovar el pasaporte can mean:

• renew the passport
• renew your passport

depending on context.

Here it sounds natural because the sentence is giving a general rule about passport renewal, not focusing on one specific person’s possession.

Compare:

• Me duele la cabeza = literally The head hurts me, but naturally My head hurts
• Hay que renovar el pasaporte = You have to renew your passport / the passport

Yes, especially because of cita previa and the bureaucratic style.

In Spain, this kind of phrasing is extremely common in official instructions, websites, and public administration notices. A sentence like this sounds exactly like something you would read on a government page about passports or ID documents.

The first part, Ya sea por internet o por teléfono, is an introductory phrase placed before the main clause.

Spanish often uses a comma after this kind of fronted introductory element to make the sentence easier to read.

So the structure is:

• introductory alternative phrase
• comma
• main instruction

It is a natural punctuation choice here.

Yes. A less formal version might be:

Sea por internet o por teléfono, primero hay que pedir cita para renovar el pasaporte.

Or even more simply:

Para renovar el pasaporte, primero hay que pedir cita por internet o por teléfono.

These versions are a bit plainer. The original sentence sounds slightly more official and administrative.