Authorities are closed between Christmas and New Years Eve – this may cause a slight delay.

Authorities are closed between Christmas and New Years Eve – this may cause a slight delay.

It is (almost) happening, you are going to emigrate to Spain. Before you can enjoy the nice Mediterranean life you still have to arrange some things. Applying for an NIE number (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is one of them.  What this number is exactly, what you need it for, the procedure and how you can get it more easily you can read in this article.

What is a NIE number?

A NIE number is needed by all foreigners with legal or tax activity in Spain, it’s anidentity number that everyone who plans to live in Spain for longer than 3 months is required to apply for. Children also need an NIE number in order to, among other things, get social security. It will act as your foreigner’s ID number and will be your key to life in Spain as it will be used when applying for nearly anything. Note: Your NIE number is permanent. Formerly, numbers were temporary for a three-month period in some regions, but this is no longer the case.

NIE Number example

Where do I need a NIE number for?

You need to have a NIE number for all legal or tax activity in Spain. For example, you need the number in the following cases:

  • To open a bank account in Spain
  • To be legally employed
  • To become self-employed in Spain
  • To register a business in Spain
  • To paying taxes in Spain
  • To buy or sell property in Spain
  • To buy or sell motor vehicles
  • To study in Spain (Over 3 months)
  • To get a Spanish driver’s license
  • To arrange utilities in Spain

How can I get a NIE number?

If you qualify for a NIE number, you need to fill out the form:  NIE application form (EX-15), and print it. Please note: you must fill out the form in Spanish, for help in filling out this form, see the English version.

Whether you are in Spain or not, an appointment at the Police Station or Oficina de Extranjeros must be scheduled in order to obtain the NIE number. Make the appointment at a police office, a so called  “cita previa” (appointment online). You can make these appointments by visiting the official Spain administration website and selecting your province as well as the legal document you need to apply for. Once you have chosen your province and the correct legal document to apply for, you will be required to complete some personal information. Afterwards, you need to select an appointment time slot. There will be a time limit, so make sure you choose quickly. You’ll have to confirm your selection by entering a code and checking some boxes. Once confirmed you’ll be sent your appointment confirmation.

Easy like 1,2,3 right? Well, the truth is that applying for a NIE number in Spain tends to be a huge hassle. The reasons for that are unfortunately completely unavoidable. Problems that almost always arise are trouble trying to find an appointment date, issues with filling out the complicated application forms correctly and collecting all the right documents that you need. Some of which require their own appointments and application forms. Besides that the complete lead time, depending on the availability of appointments, it can take 2 months or even longer to get a NIE in Spain.  Overall, it’s a waste of your time and money, traveling to Spain for the police appointment, the long ques at the offices and the total period of waiting for the NIE number.

The above information will probably not appeal to you but no worries, there is a solution to this. Read on quickly below how to get the NIE number in a faster and hassle-free way.

How to get a NIE number ASAP?

If you want to avoid these issues completely then we recommend the NIE Number Fast team. They can speed up this process for you and take all the work out of your hands. And not entirely unimportant, you save yourself costly trips to Spain and endless queues at the police station. They apply a fixed fee of 199,- euro ex. VAT. Fill out their easy application form via NIE application – NIE Number Fast.

How? In these 3 easy steps :

Step 1. Apply for your NIE Number

Complete the NIE application – NIE Number Fast with your personal details, such as your name, surname, date of birth, nationality, and reasons to apply for the NIE number. Once we have received your application, our attorneys will send you a personalized Power of Attorney, ready to be notarized by your notary (together with a copy of your passport) and legalized to be valid in Spain.

Step 2. Send the POA

After the Power of Attorney has been notarized and legalized by your notary, you can send it to our office. We will apply on your behalf. As soon as we have received the postal items, we will request your NIE number within 1-3 weeks (The waiting time may change depending on how busy the police stations are. No rights can be derived from this).

Step 3. Receive your NIE Number

You can select whether you only want a high-resolution copy of your NIE Number certificate via email or to have the original one sent to the provided address via post as well. We pride ourselves on our fast and efficient response to ensure our clients’ needs are met. We have clear communication with our clients and they receive frequent updates about their NIE Application Process.

The NIE number fast team is happy to help you, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact them via Contact – NIE Number Fast.

We've helped more than 4,000 customers get a NIE number