NIE is the Foreigner’s Identification Number (Número de Identificación de Extranjero) in Spain, which is also a tax identification number of a natural person.
A Spanish NIE Number
Any foreigner who accepts economic or tax obligations to Spain is required to obtain a NIE. At the same time, a foreign citizen may not apply for a residence permit, but continue to visit Spain as a tourist. I.e., obtaining a NIE has nothing to do with the status of a foreign citizen as «resident/ non-resident».
To make it more understandable, let’s give some examples.
- The vehicle purchase implies that the owner is linked to tax liability to Spain (payment of the annual vehicle tax). Therefore, even before the purchase, it is necessary to obtain a NIE number.
- Purchasing of real estate is also accompanied by the payment of various taxes: both by the process of buying of the property, and by the process of possession and then by selling. Obtaining the taxpayer status is accompanied by assigning of a NIE number.
- Opening a business in Spain also cannot dispense without preliminary obtaining of the NIE: without this number, it will be impossible to undertake economic activities and report to the tax authorities on personal income.
In Spain, the words «NIE number» or «NIE» have an inclusive meaning. Officially and in its initial meaning, the NIE is a number with the format of an ‘X’ or ‘Y’ followed by 7 or 8 digits then another letter, e.g.: Y1234567R, X7654321Q, etc.
The NIE document is issued on a white A4 sheet with no photo, while the Spanish residency for EU and UK citizens is a small green card with no photo either, sometimes it is called «green NIE».
For residents, the NIE number is located on the front side of the plastic card in the lower left corner and this document is issued with a photo of the owner.
The NIE in Spain is assigned to a foreign citizen once: either for life, or until they become Spanish citizens.
Thus, the NIE number in Spain is of unlimited duration, appears in all official documents as an identification and tax number of a foreign citizen and has nothing to do how often this citizen visits Spain and how much time he spends on its territory. If a non-resident of Spain with a NIE number decides to applay a residence permit, he will retain this number.
How to Get a NIE in Spain?
Obtaining a NIE in Spain is possible only if the applicant is legally present in the country, i.e. with an unexpired visa, or, in the case of a visa-free regime, without violating the deadlines of stay.
In order to get a NIE in Spain, citizens of EU member states must apply at their place of residence to the relevant Police Department for European Citizens. Citizens of non-EU countries should apply at their place of residence to the Police Station dealing with affaires of non-Europeans and non-residents.
The NIE number can be got either personally or by proxy. In the case of buying real estate or opening a business in Spain, a realtor or a lawyer can become a representative of a foreign citizen.
Recently, because of the collapse in the work of state structures and the delay in almost all administrative processes, registration of the NIE number by proxy is the best option.
We’d like to remind our readers that the reception of citizens in the police may be conducted by appointment only. While writing in the section «Trámites cuerpo nacional de policía», select the line «Policia – Asignación de NIE».
Documents Required to Obtain a NIE in Spain
The applicant or his official representative is obliged to submit to the police the following set of documents:
- Form EX-15. This application form must be filled out and signed in two copies personally by the applicant.
- Form 790-012. This is a document verifying payment of state duty. When filling out the form, it is necessary to place a mark in the graph «Asignación de Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE) a instancia del interesado», after that the fee amount will be inserted into the corresponding column automatically.
- The original and a copy of all pages of the applicant’s passport or identity card. The passport must be valid and have an unexpired visa.
- A document confirming grounds for obtaining the NIE number.
- By submitting an application through an official representative, it is necessary to have a notarized power of attorney, as well as to present the original and a copy of his identity card.
The official review period for consideration of applications is 5 days. In practice, the process can take weeks – that depends on the region of Spain and the how busy the police is.
Recently, an appointment can be waited for several weeks. Therefore, it is important to monitor the validity of the visa and, if necessary, to issue a notarized power of attorney to the representative in a timely manner.
Getting a NIE at the Spanish Consulate
Another option for obtaining a NIE number is to contact the Spanish consulate in the applicant’s country of residence. The document confirming grounds for registration of the NIE may be a deposit agreement (in the case of property purchasing) or any other document of a professional or personal issues.
Receiving of the NIE through the consulate, as in the previous case, is also possible by proxy.
As for British citizens, a NIE can be applied at the Spanish Consulate in London as well as in Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Jersey, Liverpool and Manchester. Please do not forget that the consulate is taking visitors only by appointment.
CONSULATE GENERAL OF SPAIN IN LONDON
- Phone: 020 7589 8989
- Fax: 020 7581 7888
- Email: cog.Londres@maec.es
- Website: www.maec.es/consulados/londres/es/home
The validity of the NIE Certificate
As we noted above, an assigned NIE number is of an indefinite nature. At the same time, a paper certificate issued by the police has a limited validity period – only 90 days.
The extension of validity of the certificate requires a new confirmation of the grounds – economic or professional ones. In fact, many Spanish authorities agree to accept an expired paper certificate: in this matter, everything depends on the human factor.
Also, it should be noted an important moment: obtaining a NIE number in Spain does not entail any implications for the applicant if the deal falls through or business opening will be denied. If the applicant planned to buy a house, received a NIE, and then changed his mind about purchasing this property – it’s okay. The NIE number will be retained for the future: if you decide to enter into economic relations with Spain again, that only needs to update your certificate at the local police department.
