How to get the Spanish NIE

The NIE is required to carry out many activities in Spain, such as opening a bank account, buying property, and even sometimes getting a phone contract.

*Important disclosure: I’m not a lawyer, so please understand that the information shared in this blog post is from my personal experience and isn’t a substitute for legal advice. If you have concerns about your unique situation, consult with a lawyer or the embassy about it.

So what is the NIE?

The NIE stands for ‘número de identidad de extranjero‘. It’s basically a foreigner’s number of identification. HOWEVER, there is a difference between the NIE and the TIE.

What is the difference between the NIE and the TIE?

Roughly speaking, the NIE is for citizens of the EU (or equivalent, i.e. Switzerland and EEA) who are now in Spain. The process is much simpler, and depending on how long you are staying, you may not even need this number.

The TIE is a specific card that contains the NIE. It takes much longer to get and is for non-EU citizens.

How do I know if I need the NIE/TIE?

This depends how long your stay will be and what you will be doing.

If you are from the EU:

If you are working (including a paid internship), you will need the NIE.

If you’re not working (or doing an unpaid internship), you only need the NIE if you will stay more than 3 months.

If you are NOT from the EU:

If you are studying (or doing an unpaid internship), you do NOT need the TIE if you stay 6 months or less.

You DO need the TIE if you stay more than 6 months or if you are working. You cannot begin work until your TIE is at least in process and you have your social security number.

Okay, so how do I get the NIE/TIE?

EU Citizens can apply as long as 3 months after their arrival in Spain. Non-EU must apply within 30 days of arrival.

To apply:

Visit this link

Here, you will need to choose the province of Spain you will be in. Once you’ve chosen, click ‘Aceptar‘.

On the next page, click the dropdown menu next to ‘Trámites Cuerpo Nacional de Policía.’

If you are from the EU, choose ‘Policia- Certificados UE.’ If you’re from the UK, choose ‘Policia- Certificados UE (Exclusivamente para Reino Unido)‘

If you’re not from the EU, choose ‘Policía – Asignación de NIE.’

After pressing ‘Aceptar‘ you will see a list of documents that you need for your appointment.

These documents are:

• Printed out proof of appointment
• Application form – For EU: Form    For non-EU: Form
• Passport (original and a copy)
• Receipt of tax payment – You have to pay an application fee. Click here and fill out the form. Since you don’t have your NIE yet, you can type in your passport number at the top. 

For EU: You have to pay 12 euros (you will have to enter in the amount yourself) and click ‘Certificado de registro de residente comunitario o Tarjeta de residencia de familiar de un ciudadano de la Unión‘. Choose ‘en efectivo‘ at the bottom of the page and bring the form to the nearest bank.

For non-EU: Your fee is 15.76 euros. Type in the number and click ‘TIE que documenta la primera concesión de la autorización de residencia temporal, de estancia o para trabajadores transfronterizos.‘ Select to pay in cash (‘en efectivo‘) and take the form to the nearest bank.

• Proof of health insurance (original and a copy)
• ‘Empadronamiento‘- Not required for EU citizens but recommended. For information on how to obtain this document click here
• Document giving reason of stay in Spain (school acceptance letter, internship agreement, work contract, etc.)
• Non-EU only: 2 recent, passport size photographs – Normally you can have these taken inside booths at metro stations

Click ‘Entrar‘ and fill out your passport information on the next page (EU can fill out with their national identity card under ‘D.N.I.‘).

Type your passport number, your first and last name, your year of birth, and your country of citizenship and press ‘Aceptar‘.

IF there are appointments available, you will be able to choose your time slot here. Time slots may be for months down the road. What’s important is that you at least have an appointment. If there aren’t any appointments you will have to check everyday until one opens up.

Pay attention to where your appointment location is. Usually, the location is different for NIE and TIEs. In Madrid for example, the office for TIEs is way outside the city. Show up on time to your appointment and be as nice as possible. If you’ve brought all the right documents, EU citizens will walk out with their NIE that day. Non-EU citizens will be given a date when they can return to get their physical card.

Although all of these administrative procedures are stressful, I promise this is all worth it! I hope this simplifies the process for you. Please let me know if you have any questions.