If you are planning to Move to Spain in 2023/2024 or have already made the big move to your new life in the sun one of the first things you will require is a Spanish NIE Number.
You will require this number for everything from working, buying property, connecting to essential services like water and electricity or buying a car in Spain. A full list of what you will require a NIE-Number for is further down this page.
There are 3 different options for How to get a NIE Number in Spain in 2023/2024
1. Book your own appointment and complete all the paperwork required for your NIE number appointment at the Police Station / Foreigners office your self
If you are well read in Spanish and have a good understanding of the Spanish Police online booking system you can use our guide on How to book a NIE-Number appointment Cita Previa at the police station, and complete your own paperwork and tax forms. EX15/EX18/FORM 790
Please be aware you will need a Spanish telephone number to book the Cita Previa your self. Only do this if you fully understand the system. The slightest mistake will result in your application being rejected and wasting your time. If you do not record the appointment number correctly you can also be blocked out the police online booking system and will be unable to make a new booking or change an existing one.
We do not recommend this unless you are totally confidant in this area as the smallest of mistakes can result in your NIE Number application being rejected and a much longer wait. If you make a mistake on the paperwork the police are unlikely to be sympathetic and you will need an new appointment.
2. Use a Company/Gestoria/Booking agent/Online company to book your NIE number appointment for you and complete all the required paperwork.
The second option on ‘How to get a NIE Number’ is to take the stress out of getting your NIE Number organised and use a Company/Agency/Gestoria to book your NIE Number appointment and complete all your paperwork for you. This is the best way to ensure your appointment goes without problems and all the paperwork is correct.
There are various companies online which can do this for you with prices ranging from 29.99 Euros to 1200 Euros. We have heard of some people being charged upto 2,000 euros per nie number. We suggest any company charging over 50 euros is charging to much for this reasonably simple procedure.
The main online company in Spain for this is MYNIE www.mynie.co.uk who for a small fee of just £29.99 plus IVA *Spanish VAT, will book you an appointment at your nearest police station or foreigners office at a time and date that suits you, plus complete all the paperwork you need to take with you to the appointment and email it to you to simply print off.
Although the MYNIE website was predominantly designed for UK passport holders it is now used by all nationalities both EU and non-EU.
They will also complete the appropriate tax and application forms for you and provide an excellent easy to follow guide on what to do on the day of your appointment. This company is online only and does not have public offices. All documents are sent to you via email so you must have access to a printer.
To order this service complete the booking form on the company website (which is in English) and they will do the rest.
**This company also offer a FREE advice line on residency and NIE Numbers, you can find the number on there website.
How to use the MYNIE Website to get a NIE number
The MYNIE website is easy and simple to use. You need to visit the main website www.mynie.co.uk and click on the red BOOK NOW button on the home page. This will take you to the MYNIE booking form.
You need to complete this form with all the information needed to book your NIE number appointment and paperwork. Once your booked in at the police station the MYNIE number staff will let you know and provide all the paperwork you require to take to your appointment.
Although MYNIE is a UK website it is not only for UK Passport holders. All nationalities can use the website.
3. Book an Appointment at the Spanish Consulate/Embassy in your own country. How to get a NIE number in your own country
Your third option is to Visit the Spanish Embassy in your own country before traveling to Spain. This option however has its own drawbacks with the number being only valid for a period of 3 months, unlike the number you obtain in Spain which is valid for life.
You will also need an appointment at the embassy, complete all the correct paperwork and the process can be tiresome. Click here for a list of Spanish embassy’s.
Please be aware if you obtain your NIE-Number from the Spanish Embassy/Consulate it can take unto 8 weeks for you to receive your certificate after your appointment.
Who can apply for a NIE number at a Spanish embassy?
The Spanish embassy will generally only issue NIE Numbers for emergency reasons or to people who can not physically attend Spain to get one due to a disability. Its unlikely they will issue the nie for opening a company, buying a property or just because you want one. If you provide one of these reasons its likely the embassy will tell you to go to Spain to get your nie. Just because you have an appointment at the Embassy/consulate it does not mean they will issue the NIE Number.
What is a NIE Number? How do i get one?
A NIE number is used to identify people who do not have have Spanish Nationality or Passport. It is essential for virtually every activity that requires your official identification in Spain.
Many people first arriving in Spain are unaware of the full importance of the NIE number. For example, your very first steps after moving to Spain, like opening a bank account and getting internet/phone contracts and renting/buying property will require a NIE Number. You will need a NIE number to both rent and buy property in Spain and to complete any transaction over 1200 Euros.
The NIE-Number is short for ‘Numero de Identificacion de Extranero‘, and is a Foreigner Identification Number issued by the Administracion General del Estado (Spanish Police) and is a fiscal identification number for foreigners who want to stay more than 3 months in Spain, or in order to be able to process certain transaction in Spain like buying/renting a property.
The equivalent of NIE for Spanish citizens is the NIF (Numero de Identificacion Fiscal) As a non Spanish citizen if you are asked for your NIF number you are being asked for your NIE.
Your NIE number is very different from the Empadronamiento or Padron Municipal which is about getting registered in your living community.
Your NIE number will start with a letter, followed by seven numbers and another letter in the end (for example A– 7584736 – X). Each NIE number is personal to one person and it is not transferable to another person or does it expire.
What do I need a NIE Number for?
o Local: census; certificates of occupancy of the home; property tax; vehicle tax; capital gains; works licenses, business opening licenses, etc.
o Buying or selling a home in Spain.
o Buying a vehicle in Spain.
o Apply for a Driving license or driving licence exchange in Spain.
o Signing a mortgage loan agreement in Spain.
o Property register and Notaries Public Offices.
o Obtaining a social security number in Spain.
o Applying for services from the INEM (Spanish employment institute).
o Exportation of unemployment benefits from a Member State of the European Economic Space.
o Opening an account in a bank in Spain.
o Setting up a business, enterprise, or becoming self employed.
o Settling state and regional taxes: Income tax for non-resident
o Schools for minors, academic studies or university studies.
o Approval and certification of titles and studies.
o Justice: civil register, free legal assistance, etc.
o Obtain Health Care: health care card.
o Apply for grants and subsidies for studies.
o Connect to Electricity and water supply.
Do I have to attend the NIE Number appointment my self or can someone else attend for me?
In General the best way to get your NIE-Number is to attend a pre booked appointment at the police station yourself. However, if you have someone in Spain who is willing to attend the appointment on your behalf you can sign them POA/Power of Attorney to act on your behalf and make the application for you. Click here for more information on getting a POA.
How to get NIE number
A step by step Free guide on How to get a NIE-Number by www.nienumbers.es
Step 1: Make an Cita Previa appointment online
**Only book your own appointment if you are 100% confidant with the Spanish police Booking system. Mistakes made can block you out the system and result in you not being able to obtain a number for a period of time.
To Obtain a NIE Number you need an appointment at the police station. You have to make an appointment (known as a Cita Previa) online first before attending in person; The police will not issue a NIE Number without an appointment being booked in advance. To do that, click on this link and choose “Acceder al Procedimiento” at the bottom.
- In PROVINCIAS DISPONIBLES choose the Province of Spain you are In.
Alava, Albacete, Alicante, Altea, Almería, Asturias, Avila, Badajoz, Barcelona, Burgos, Benidorm, Caceres, Cadiz, Calpe, Cantabria, Castellon, Ciudad Real, Cordoba, La Coruña, Cuenca, Denia, Elche, Gerona, Granada, Guadalajara, Guipúzcoa, Huelva, Huesca, Mallorca, Ibiza, Jean, Leon, Lérida, Lugo, Madrid, Malaga, Marbella, Fuengirola, Estepona, Murcia, Navarra, Orense, Palencia, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Pontevedra, La Rioja, Salamanca, Segovia, Sevilla, Soria, Tarragona, Tenerife, Teruel, Toledo, Valencia, Valladolid, Vizcaya, Zamora, Zaragoza
- In TRÁMITES DISPONIBLES PARA LA PROVINCIA SELECCIONADA choose CPN Asinacion de NIE or Cert EU if you are applying for residency as well
- Click Aceptar (Accept)
- Click Entrar (Enter)
- Fill in your information:
- Choose PASAPORTE and enter your passport number below
- Nombre y apellidos = Name and surname
- País de nacionalidad = Your nationality
- In Caracteres enter what you see on the picture above
- Click Acepta (Accept)
- choose your date and time
- Add your email address, you will get a confirmation email sent to you with the time and date, print this off and take it with you.
Step 2: Fill in Form/Tasa 790
Click here to download TASA 790. Print all 4 pages and pay the necessary fee of 9.84 at the bank. Take your passport with you in case they as for extra ID.
This form can now only be filled in online and printed out to take to the bank. It is no longer given out at police stations nor immigration offices and cannot be filled in by hand.
The form is very quick to complete. Enter your passport number and full name, followed by your Spanish address in the address section.
How to complete form 790
- On form 790 where it says NIE/NIF please enter your passport number as you currently do not have a NIE Number.
- In the box titled ‘Apellidos y nombre or Razon Social’ Enter your full name.
- In the section this says ‘Tipo de vía (*)’Enter the type of street you live in. Normally this is Carrier or Calle
- Where it says ‘Nombre de la Via Publica’ Enter your street name
- In the small box with ‘Num’ written above it insert your house number
- In the bottom left box titled ‘Municipio’ enter your town or village name
- In the next box titled ‘Provincia’ put the province of your address, for example Alicante or Madrid
- Finally in the box ‘Codigo Postal’ enter your post code.
- Next scroll down to the list of different taxes and choose the option ‘Asignación de Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE) a instancia del interesado.’
- Continue down the page to the Area where it says ‘DECLARANTE’ and enter the province that you are attending an appointment in. for example Malaga or Madrid.
- In the next section select the option ‘En efectivo’
- Complete the security Captcha and then press ‘Descargar impreso Rellenando’ to complete the form and provide the final copy with the bar codes.
Guidance notes: As the form is in Spanish, below is some advice in English for guidance only.
Your forms must be completed in Spanish, the police will not accept forms in any other language.
How to pay the NIE-Number tax
Once you have completed Form-790 you need to take this to your nearest bank to pay the NIE-Number tax. This may sound a simple task, but it can prove dificult.
The first problem you may encounter is that when completing form 790 you filled it in using your passport number as you currently do not have a NIE Number. However, many banks will not process this form without a NIE number. If you have any friends or family who already have a NIE number you can use their NIE-Number to pay the tax. Alternatively some baks will allow you to pay the tax with the following code 999999999, nine nines.
If you continue to have problems paying your NIE-Number Tax you can also pay this on an ATM Cash Machine. Click here to read how to pay your NIE-Number Tax on a ATM Cash machine
Step 3: Fill in the NIE-Number application form
The Spanish NIE number application form you need to complete is called EX – 15 Solicitud de Numero de Identidad de Extranjero NIE y Cert . but if you are applying for a Certificate of the EU you will need to use the EX18 form
The form will obviously be in Spanish. Translated versions will NOT be accepted by the police. The form must remain in Spanish and not be adapted.
HOW TO COMPLETE APPLICATION FORM TO GET A NIE NUMBER
Follow the below instructions to complete your form EX-15
1er Apellido = Surname
2º Apellido = (Second Surname) Write three chiffons instead (—)
Nombre = Christian Name (Make sure to use same the exact same name as is in your passport)
Fecha de Nacimiento = Date of birth (Use two digits for day and month and four for year)
Lugar de Nacimiento = Place of birth
Sexo = Gender “H” for Male (Hombre) and “M” Female (Mujer) . X cross the one applicable
Estado Civil = Status. S for single C for married. V for widow and D for divorced
País de Nacimiento = Country of Birth
País de nacionalidad = Current Nationality
Nombre del padre = Father´s name
Nombre de la madre = Mother´s name
Domicilio en España = Address in Spain (if you have one, otherwise leave blank) – Localidad: Town, CP: Postcode, Provincia: Province
Step 4: Prepare all the necessary documents, EX-15, Form 790, EX-18 (checklist) How to prepare your documents for your NIE-Number appointment.
- Don’t forget to take your Passport and a photo copy of the first photo page. UK and non EU passport holders will need to take a photo copy of every page of your passport plus an extra photo copy of your entry stamp into Spain from your passport.
- Please be aware non EU must be able to demonstrate with an entry stamp that they have arrived in the Spain in the last 90 days and have not overstayed the 90 in 180 rule. Click here to use a Schengen calculator
- Address in Spain (this can be a friends address, Hotel, or Solicitors)
- Completed EX-15 formula
- 2 Recent Passport photos
- Copy of form 790 proving you have paid the fee at the bank
- Document proving why you need a Spanish NIE number, which differs depending on your intentions. In most cases it is:
- A contract showing that you’re going to buy a property in Spain like real estate, car, etc. or
- Employed: job contract from the Spanish company or
- Self-employed: a company ownership certificate or
- Persons with sufficient funds: proof that you can live in Spain without working or
- Students: acceptance letter from the school or
- Job seekers: you can go only with passport, but you will be issued a temporary NIE number valid only for 3 months.
- Non-EU citizens will need the additional proof of legal entry into Spain (for instance a landing card, known in Spanish as a declaración de entrada)
Step 5: Take your Passport, NIE Number application form and paid tax form to the Police station
You can apply for NIE-Number at Police stations with a Oficina de Extranjeros (Foreigners Office). You must have an appointment. It is no longer possible to get into the police station without an appointment so please do not try. Click here for a List of Foreigners offices in Spain.
#Useful tips: Get there early, even with the appointment system, as they will only allow so many NIE applications in one day. It is possible you will have to wait in the queue for hours until your turn at the office, so bring something that can keep you occupied for example a book or a magazine.
When you booked your NIE number appointment you will be given a set time and date. But please be aware you might need to join a Que to get into the police station/Foreigners office so arriving early is always advisable. We advice arriving at least 1hr before the set time of your appointment.
What happens once I get my NIE-Number certificate or if the police refuse my NIE-Number application?
4 in 10 NIE-Number applications fail at the police station if not completed correctly.
The police have the discretion to Approve or Decline your NIE-Number application based the documents you provide. You must attend the correct type of appointment. You can not attend a residency appointment and ask for a NIE or visa Versa.
You must ensure all paperwork is correctly completed. Arriving with incomplete documents or the wrong type of documents will result in an un-successful appointment.
Arriving on time
You must be inside the police station/foreigners office on time. Although you have an appointment some police stations such as Denia, Alicante and Madrid have a queuing system to get in even before your appointment. We recommend arriving at least 1hr before your appointment.
Proof of why you want a NIE
In some Area’s such as Malaga, Madrid, and Alicante you maybe asked to provide proof of why you want a NIE-Number. this can be in the form of a notary letter, estate agent details or a letter stating you have a job offer for example.
Keep your NIE Certificate safe. Once you get your certificate we recommend making several high quality photo copies of your NIE-Number certificate as to get a replacement you have to start the whole process from the start.
We hope our FREE How to get your NIE Number guide has been helpful.
Need expert advice about Spanish residency or NIE Numbers? Visit the My NIE website today
Police website for NIE information Spain
NIE NUMBERS Questions and Answers