How to get an NIE in Spain:
forms, fees, timelines.

What an NIE is, and what it is not

The NIE (número de identidad de extranjero) is your identification number as a foreigner in Spain. It looks like X1234567L and stays the same for life, even if you leave and come back.

It is an identity and tax number, not a permit. A stand-alone NIE does not let you live, work or study in Spain. Those rights come from your visa, residence permit or EU registration.

You will need it to:

• sign an employment contract and be paid through payroll
• open a resident bank account
• buy or sell property, or a car
• file Spanish tax returns and register as self-employed
• sign up for utilities and some phone contracts

NIE, TIE or EU certificate: which one you need

Most confusion comes from 3 documents that all carry the same number.

If you arrive on a Spanish visa, such as the digital nomad visa, you usually get an NIE with the visa. You then apply for the TIE card within 1 month of arriving. EU citizens get the NIE on their green certificate. The EX-15 route is for everyone else: buyers, people starting a job before their paperwork is complete, and non-residents with Spanish income.

Where to apply: in Spain or at a consulate

In Spain, you apply in person at a foreigners' office (oficina de extranjería) or a National Police station that issues foreigner documents. You need an appointment (cita previa) booked online for "Policía, certificados y asignación NIE" in your province. In Madrid and Barcelona, slots often run several weeks out, and new ones tend to be released early in the morning.

From abroad, you can apply at the Spanish consulate for where you live. For example, the Spanish consulate in Edinburgh charges £8.65 in 2026, takes about 3 to 4 weeks and sends the NIE by email. Consulates set their own appointment rules, so check yours first.

Through a representative. In Spain someone can apply for you with a power of attorney that expressly authorises the NIE application, plus a certified copy of your passport.

Documents to bring

1. Form EX-15, completed and signed, original plus 1 copy.
2. Your passport, original plus a copy of the photo page. EU citizens can use a national ID card.
3. Proof of why you need an NIE. This is the step most people miss. Bring a job offer, a property deposit contract, a mortgage offer or a university letter.
4. Fee form 790, code 012, filled in online, printed and paid. Choose the NIE assignment option.
5. Your entry stamp or visa, if you are a non-EU citizen already in Spain.

Some offices also ask for a passport photo. Bring 1 to save a second trip.

Paying the fee

Form 790, code 012 is generated on the National Police website. In Spain you usually pay it at a partner bank, at the counter or at an ATM by scanning the barcode, and you do not need to be a customer. Keep the stamped copy or receipt, because the officer checks it at your appointment. The current amounts were set by Orden PJC/617/2025 and can change each January, so check the figure on the form before you pay.

A realistic timeline

Start the NIE before you sign a lease or a work contract. In Spain the order is usually NIE, then padrón registration, then a bank account, then payroll. See our Barcelona guide and tax number service.

What to do once you have your NIE

The NIE unlocks the rest of your setup, but it is not the only number you need.

• Padrón. Register your address at the town hall (ayuntamiento). Many banks, schools and health centres ask for the padrón certificate as proof of address.
• Social security number. Employees and the self-employed need a separate social security number. Your employer often requests it, but you can apply yourself with your NIE and passport.
• Tax residence. Once you live in Spain for more than 183 days in a calendar year, you are normally a Spanish tax resident and file with the Tax Agency using your NIE.
• Digital certificate. Get a digital certificate or Cl@ve login. It lets you book appointments, pay fees and file returns online, and saves trips later.

4 mistakes that cost weeks

• No proof of reason. Without a document showing why you need it, you may be turned away and have to rebook.
• The wrong appointment type. Choose the NIE and certificates option, not TIE fingerprinting.
• An unpaid or wrong 790 form. Pay before the appointment and pick the NIE assignment line.
• Missing the TIE deadline. Visa holders have 1 month from arrival to apply for the card.

If you would rather have the appointments booked and the papers checked for you, start with a free evaluation.