What is a NIE number, what is it for and where to get it?
Foreigner Identity Number (NIE)
What is the NIE needed for?
Any activity in Spain where foreigners have to pay taxes will require a NIE.
You need the Spanish NIE to:
- Apply for a vehicle license;
- Request that utilities be placed at your Spanish residence or business, i.e., water, electricity, telephone;
- Sell or buy a property or conduct any business in Spain;
- Have legal employment or set up a company in Spain;
- Open a bank account in a Spanish bank;
- Pay taxes in Spain;
- Sign contracts and mortgages;
- Pay duties on imported goods;
- Study in Spain and more.
Procedure
The NIE can be applied for directly in Spain or at the Consular Office of the interested party's place of residence. The request can be made in person or through a duly accredited representative with a power of attorney, issued exclusively in Spain. (Powers of attorney made in other countries are no longer valid). The physical presence of the applicant or his representative is always mandatory.
Representation is carried out exclusively by means of a power of attorney. For stays in Spain of more than 3 months, the NIE application must be processed directly at the immigration offices. In the following link you can find the list of police stations in Spain that you can contact: Processing offices for foreign citizens. For applications at the Consulate General of Spain in Poland, it is essential to obtain an appointment. Remember that as many appointments must be obtained as people who want to process the NIE.
Documentation required to apply for the NIE at the Consular Office
1. Standardised application form EX-15 (original and one copy), Standardised application form EX-15, completed and signed by the applicant or his representative. The form should preferably be filled out online and printed. The application form must indicate the economic, professional or social reasons that justify the application for NIE.
2. Original of the applicant's valid passport and copy of the passport's biographical data page. Nationals of Member States of the European Union can identify themselves with their identity document (original and a copy on both sides). If it is requested through a representative, only the certified copy of the document will be provided.
3. If the NIE is requested through a representative, the original and copy of the representative's identity document or passport must be provided, as well as a sufficient power of attorney expressly stating that he or she is entitled to submit the NIE application.
4. If the NIE is requested for a minor, the presence of the parents or guardians, as well as the minor, and the presentation of a copy of the family book or birth certificate, together with a copy of the identity documents or passports of the parents or guardians, is necessary. If the applicant is a minor or incapacitated, a copy of the family book, birth certificate or document constituting the guardianship must be provided, in addition to the passport or ID card of the parent or guardian.
5. Form 790, code 12, Form 790, code 12 completed and payment of the fee. It is not necessary to fill it in online, as the fee is paid in cash, by bank cheque made out to "Consulat d'Espagne" or by credit card. The amount is €9.84 for the first NIE, or €7.31 if it is an update.
Processing and delivery time
The NIE assigned in Spanish territory to the National Police is obtained at the same time as submitting the documentation. If you are presenting at the Consular Office, the process can take between 2 weeks and a month.
Important information about the NIE
The NIE is a personal, unique and exclusive number that is assigned to foreigners who, due to their economic, professional or social interests, are related to Spain for identification purposes. The NIE processed through the Consular Offices allows you to carry out procedures before the Spanish Public Administrations, but it is not valid for residence and does not prove residence in Spain.
Foreigners who wish to take up residence in Spain should find out about the need to obtain a visa in advance. Citizens of the European Union must register in the Central Register of Foreigners once in Spain.
If you are moving to Spain soon, we recommend that you apply for a NIE directly there, with the National Police. In the following link you can find the list of police stations in Spain that you can contact: Processing offices for foreign citizens. Processing offices for foreign citizens