Sooner or later, nearly every foreigner who deals with Spain meets the letters NIE. Buying a flat, inheriting from a relative, taking a job or simply signing an electricity contract can all stop until this number exists. This guide is for people who live in Spain or abroad and want to understand what the NIE is, when it is asked for, how to obtain it in Spain or from another country, and how it differs from the TIE card and the EU registration certificate that people often confuse it with.
What the NIE is, and what it is not
NIE stands for Número de Identidad de Extranjero, the foreigner's identity number. It is a personal reference that the Spanish police assign once and for life; it starts with a letter (X, Y or Z), followed by digits and a control letter. For tax purposes it also works as the foreigner's NIF, the tax identification number that Spanish citizens have on their national identity card.
The NIE does not give anyone the right to live or work in Spain. It is only a number. A tourist who buys a holiday home, an heir who never sets foot in the country and a resident with a long-term permit all have one, but their rights to stay are decided by other documents. Mixing the two up causes real trouble, for example when someone assumes that the paper with their number lets them stay beyond the visa-free period.
When a foreigner is asked for an NIE
The number is linked to any act with economic, professional or social effects in Spain. Typical situations include:
- buying, selling or inheriting a home, a plot or a parking space, see property purchase and inheritance;
- filing any Spanish tax return, including the yearly return of a non-resident owner;
- signing an employment contract or registering with Social Security;
- starting work as autónomo (self-employed) or forming a company, see business set-up;
- buying or registering a car, or taking out some insurance policies;
- opening a bank account in many banks, and signing for utilities or a mortgage;
- applying for any residence permit, where the number is given as part of the process.
NIE, TIE and the EU registration certificate
Three documents carry the same number, which explains most of the confusion:
The NIE certificate is a plain paper that shows the number for someone who does not live in Spain, or who has not yet received a residence document. It suits buyers, heirs and other non-residents.
The TIE, short for Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero, is a plastic card with a photo and fingerprint, issued to citizens of countries outside the EU who hold a Spanish residence permit or visa for a longer stay. It shows the NIE and proves the right to live in Spain. Lawyers who handle the TIE card application book the fingerprint appointment after arrival. British citizens who lived in Spain before Brexit and are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement receive their own version, explained under TIE card for UK citizens.
Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland who move to Spain do not get a TIE. They register as residents and are given the certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión, a certificate that also shows their NIE. The EU citizen registration certificate page covers that procedure. A person who already had an NIE as a non-resident keeps the same number when they register.
Getting an NIE in Spain
Inside the country, the request goes to the immigration office (Oficina de Extranjería) or to a national police station that deals with foreigners. The usual sequence is:
- Book an appointment (cita previa) online for the procedure for assigning an NIE; in busy coastal areas free slots appear irregularly.
- Fill in form EX-15, the official request for the number.
- Pay the government fee with form Modelo 790, código 012 at a bank or online, and keep the stamped receipt.
- Attend the appointment in person with the original documents and copies.
- Collect the certificate, which some offices hand over on the spot and others prepare for a later date.
Documents usually asked for at the appointment:
- passport, or national identity card for EU citizens, with a copy;
- the completed EX-15 form;
- the paid fee receipt;
- evidence of the reason for the number, such as a reservation or private purchase contract, a notary's appointment, a job offer or a letter from the tax office;
- passport photos in some offices.
The reason matters. Non-residents are asked to show why they need the number, and an office may turn away an application that rests on a vague purpose. A lawyer who knows the local office usually frames the request so that it fits.
Getting an NIE from abroad
People who are not in Spain have two main options. The first is the Spanish consulate in the country where they live, which takes the same EX-15 request and sends it to Spain; consulates differ in how quickly they book and how long the number takes to arrive. The second is a representative in Spain. Holding a notarial power of attorney, apostilled and officially translated when it was granted outside Spain, a lawyer can attend the police appointment in place of the applicant.
When a sale or an inheritance deed is already booked, buyers and heirs often choose a lawyer offering an NIE express service, who looks for the earliest appointment anywhere in the province and collects the certificate on the applicant's behalf. Local knowledge helps here: lawyers in Valencia, Seville or Las Palmas de Gran Canaria know which nearby offices are easier to reach.
Common problems
Most delays come from a handful of situations. Appointments may simply not be available for a while, which is the main reason people use a representative. A name may be written differently on the passport, the contract and the bank papers, especially with double surnames or accents, and later documents may then fail to match. Someone who once had an NIE and forgot about it may apply again and receive a second number, which leads to tax records under two identities; the usual fix is to ask for a copy of the existing number. A lost certificate can be replaced by asking the police for a new one with the same number. Questions about official procedures of this kind belong to administrative law and processes.
After the NIE arrives
The number goes on every contract, tax return and official form from then on. Non-residents use it for their dealings with the tax agency, the Agencia Tributaria. People who move to Spain take the next steps with the same number: registering at the town hall (empadronamiento), obtaining a residence document and joining the health system. Lawyers offering relocation and settling-in support handle that chain together, and the visa options themselves are listed under immigration. People who work for themselves can then register as autónomo, see self-employed set-up.
Questions and answers
How long does it take to get an NIE number in Spain?
It depends almost entirely on the office. Where appointments are easy to find, the certificate can come quickly, sometimes at the appointment itself; where they are scarce, the wait for a slot is the longest part. Consulates abroad set their own pace.
Can I apply for an NIE online?
Not completely. The appointment is booked online and the fee can be paid online, but an individual still has to attend in person or be represented by someone holding a power of attorney.
Does the NIE number expire?
The number itself stays with the person for life. Some banks, notaries and offices ask for a recently issued certificate, so people who lose the paper or have an old copy sometimes request a fresh one with the same number.
NIE vs TIE: how do they differ?
One is a number, the other a card. The TIE is a residence card for non-EU citizens that shows the number and proves the right to live in Spain. A non-resident buyer has an NIE but no TIE.
Can I work in Spain with an NIE?
Not on its own. Working needs a right to work, which EU citizens have and others obtain through a work permit or a visa that allows work. The NIE is simply the number used once that right exists.
Can a lawyer get an NIE for me?
Yes. Acting under a power of attorney, a lawyer can book the appointment, pay the fee, present the request and collect the certificate, in Spain or by working with the applicant's consulate.
Prepared by Legal Help Tool. Last updated . General information, not legal advice.
