If a person moves to Spain for a stay of less than three months, he or she will only need his or her passport and the identity document he or she has in his or her country of origin. However, if the stay is extended beyond three months, for example, because the foreigner has economic or professional interests in Spain, they must go to a police station and register with the Foreigners’ Office, where they will be given a NIE. In this article we tell you what the NIE is, what documents must be presented to obtain it and in which cases it is necessary in our country.
What is the NIE?
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The NIE or foreigner’s identity number is a personal, unique and exclusive sequential number that is used to identify the foreigner before the Spanish administration and that must appear on all documents that are issued or processed.
The following documents must be provided for the assignment of the NIE:
- Application on the standard form (EX15), completed and signed by the interested party.
- Original and copy of the passport or identity card, travel document or registration card in force.
- Definition of the economic or professional reasons that justify the application.
- Certificate of census registration obtained from the corresponding town hall.
- Two passport-size photos.
- In the case of a citizen from outside the European Union, proof of entry into Spain must be presented: stamp in the passport or document showing the airline ticket.
If the NIE is applied for with a representative, this person must prove that he/she has sufficient power of attorney to make the application.
How can I apply for the NIE?
There are several ways to apply for a NIE:
- Personally by the interested party in Spain.
- Through a legal representative also in Spain.
- At the Spanish diplomatic representations or consular offices in the country of residence of the person applying for the NIE.
All documents submitted must be translated into Spanish by a sworn translator and properly legalised. In order to carry out the legalisation, it will be necessary to check whether the country issuing the documents has signed the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961. If that country has signed the convention, the document will be recognised if it has the Hague Apostille stamp which will be imposed in the country of origin. If that country has not signed the Hague Convention, legalisation will be done through diplomatic channels.
It is important to remember that you must pay the fee associated with the NIE using form 790.
The deadline for a decision on the application is five days, but this may vary depending on the body to which the application is submitted.
What requirements must you meet to apply for the NIE?
In order to apply for a NIE, the following requirements must be met:
- That the person applying for it is not in an irregular situation in Spain.
- That the person has economic, professional or social interests in our country.
- You can specify the reasons why you need the NIE, for example, because you want to buy a house, open a bank account or apply for a driving licence in Spain.
What is the NIE for?
There are many cases in which a foreigner may need a NIE, for example: if they sign an employment contract to come and work in Spain, if they are self-employed and carry out their activity in Spain or if they are a student coming to study in our country, among many other situations.
The NIE is also required if a foreigner wants to:
- Carry out economic or tax-related operations or transactions: purchase and sale of real estate or vehicles, among others.
- To have access to Social Security or the Public Health System.
- Pay taxes.
- Contract supplies such as electricity, water or gas.
- Open a bank account.
- Setting up a company.
- Apply for a residence permit.
We must remember that the NIE alone does not entitle the person who applies for it to reside legally in Spain, but that he or she will have to carry out other additional procedures.
What to do in case of theft or loss of the NIE?
In the event that the holder of the NIE loses it or it is stolen, he/she will have to apply for a duplicate by going to a police station, filing a report and requesting a duplicate.
How is the NIE renewed?
Actually, what is being renewed is not the NIE but the TIE (the Foreigner’s Identity Card), which can be obtained in the same way as the first time: by requesting an appointment.
If you want to carry out operations in Spain for which a NIE is necessary, do not hesitate to contact our consultancy and we will help you with all the procedures to obtain it.
