Get your NIE in Spain without travelling

The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is the tax identification number that Spain assigns to any foreign person who needs to carry out a financial or legal transaction in the country. It is issued by the Dirección General de la Policía (National Police).

You need it to: buy or sell property, sign an employment contract, open a bank account, accept an inheritance, set up a company, or pay taxes. It is not a residence permit and does not authorise you to work.

Any foreign person (from the EU or outside) who needs to carry out a financial, tax, or legal transaction in Spain. The most common cases: buying property, receiving an inheritance, opening a bank account, signing an employment contract, setting up a company, or filing tax returns.

If you are only visiting Spain as a tourist, you do not need one.

The official NIE fee (form 790, code 012) is €9.84.

If you use a management service like ours, the prices are:

• NIE with our power of attorney service: €150 + VAT. You use our power of attorney drafting service (cost of the power of attorney not included).
• NIE without power of attorney through our firm: €180 + VAT.
• Power of attorney from outside Spain: €420 (no VAT, as the signing takes place outside Spanish territory), includes certified copy of passport and apostille coordination.

Yes, there are two ways. First: apply at the Spanish consulate in your country of residence, although processing times are usually 3 to 6 weeks. Second: through a representative in Spain with a specific power of attorney.

In the second case, you sign the power of attorney before a local notary, have it apostilled, and send it to Spain. Your representative submits the application at the foreigners' office and collects the NIE. At Notaría Online we manage this entire process.

The required documents are:

• Valid passport.
• Proof of the reason for the application (purchase contract, deed, inheritance certificate, employment contract, etc.).
• Form EX-15 (the official application).
• Fee 790 code 012 paid.

If you apply for the NIE through a representative, you also need a specific power of attorney. If that power of attorney is signed outside Spain, it must bear a Hague Apostille or consular legalisation depending on the country.

It depends on the route:

• In person in Spain with an appointment: between 1 and 3 weeks from when you get the appointment.
• At a Spanish consulate abroad: 3 to 6 weeks.
• With a representative and power of attorney (our service): between 1 and 3 weeks, depending on appointment availability at the foreigners' office.

The most time-consuming step is getting the appointment, especially in Madrid and Barcelona.

No. The NIE number, once assigned, is permanent and does not expire. What can expire is the paper certificate (the green document that proves it), especially if it is linked to a temporary residence authorisation.

But the number itself lasts forever. If you lose the certificate or it expires, you can request a duplicate.

The NIE is a tax identification number. It is assigned to any foreigner who needs it for a transaction in Spain, whether or not they live in the country.

The TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) is a physical document, a card with a photo that proves you legally reside in Spain. All foreign residents have an NIE, but not everyone with an NIE is a resident or holds a TIE. The NIE does not authorise you to reside or work.

Yes, always. The appointment is booked through the government's electronic portal (sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es). In large cities like Madrid, Barcelona, or Málaga, appointments can be fully booked for weeks.

If you use our service, we handle getting the appointment and attend on your behalf with the power of attorney.

It is a notarial document that authorises another person to apply for and collect the NIE on your behalf at the foreigners' office. You need it if you cannot attend the appointment in person (because you live outside Spain or cannot travel).

The power of attorney must be specific to obtaining the NIE and include the details of both the grantor and the representative. If it is signed outside Spain, it must be apostilled.

Only if you sign the power of attorney outside Spain. In that case, the power of attorney needs a Hague Apostille if your country is a party to the Hague Convention (most Latin American countries, the EU, and the US are).

If your country is not a member of the Convention, the document needs consular legalisation (a longer process). Morocco has a bilateral agreement with Spain that simplifies legalisation. Your passport and proof of reason do not need an apostille.

No. The NIE is only a tax identification number. It does not grant residence permission or work authorisation.

To work in Spain as a foreigner you need, in addition to the NIE, a work permit (if you are not an EU citizen) or EU citizen registration (if you are). The NIE identifies you for tax purposes, but it does not replace any immigration permit.