Apply for a NIE in Spain

Distinguish the NIE from residence registration

The NIE is an identification number. By itself, it confirms neither a right of residence nor a residence or tax residence in Spain. A standalone NIE may be needed, for example, for a property transaction, inheritance or administrative procedure if you are not applying to register as an EU citizen living permanently in Spain.

EU citizens who intend to stay in Spain for more than three months must apply in person for Inscripción en el Registro Central de Extranjeros, registration in the central register of foreign nationals. The responsible office is the Oficina de Extranjería in the province where the person intends to live or, alternatively, the relevant police station. The application must be submitted within three months of arrival. Form EX-18 is used. The Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión, the registration certificate for EU citizens, which is issued, already includes the NIE.

Additional requirements apply to residence registration. Employees, self-employed people, students and people who are not working must each provide different evidence. Those who are not working generally need sufficient funds and suitable health insurance cover. Having a NIE already does not exempt you from these checks.

1. Check whether you only need to complete a specific procedure or intend to live in Spain for more than three months.
2. Use EX-15 only to obtain a NIE separately.
3. Use EX-18 to register as an EU citizen resident in Spain.

Documents for applying in Spain

The police’s official procedure page specifies form EX-15 and proof of payment of the fee using Modelo 790, Código 012, for a separate NIE allocation. EX-15 must be completed in full and consistently, and signed. Use exactly the same spelling for names, dates of birth and document numbers as in the identity document presented.

You should also bring the original and a copy of your valid passport or national identity card. You must state the reason for your application. As the authority may examine this reason, you should support it with relevant documents, such as papers from a notary, a draft contract, inheritance documents or a specific request from a Spanish authority.

Modelo 790, Código 012 is generated on the Policía Nacional’s electronic site. Select the fee category for allocation of a NIE on request. The amount shown on the current form is the one that applies. The police website lists banks, savings banks and credit cooperatives as payment points and notes that you do not need to hold an account there. Check that you have received confirmed proof of payment.

1. Download the current EX-15 from an official website.
2. State the specific economic, professional or social reason.
3. Generate Modelo 790, Código 012 and pay the amount shown.
4. Prepare your identity document, a copy, proof of payment and evidence of the reason for the application.

Appointment and competent office in Spain

Applications are addressed to the Dirección General de la Policía. They can be submitted directly or through an Oficina de Extranjería or a competent Comisaría de Policía, that is, a police station. The division of responsibilities varies between provinces. It is therefore not enough to choose any police station.

An in-person appointment usually requires a Cita previa, or advance booking. First select the province in the government appointment portal, then explicitly select the NIE allocation procedure. Depending on the portal view, the displayed name may be, for example, Asignación de NIE or Policía – Asignación de NIE. An appointment for EU residence registration or a Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero cannot be used instead.

The official maximum period for a decision and notification is five days from the application’s receipt by the competent processing body. This period does not begin when you start looking for an appointment. If no notification is received within the procedural time limit, the official description provides for a tacit refusal.

1. Check which office in your province actually processes the application.
2. Book a Cita previa for a separate NIE allocation.
3. Bring your appointment confirmation and all original documents, copies and forms.
4. Keep proof that you submitted the application.

Applying through a Spanish consulate

Anyone outside Spain when applying can apply for a NIE through the Spanish Oficina Consular, or consular office, responsible for their area. The diplomatic mission does not allocate the number itself, but forwards the application to the Comisaría General de Extranjería y Fronteras in Spain.

The competent Spanish diplomatic mission is the one responsible for the applicant’s actual place of residence. Jurisdiction is not determined by nationality or by which consulate is easier to reach. Consulates in Germany publish their own consular districts and specific requirements for booking appointments, payment, the number of copies and the form of identity documents.

Official consular information confirms that the core documents are EX-15, identity documents, the reason for the application and the fee or the associated form 790, Código 012. However, details vary. For example, a current certificate of residence, a specific number of copies, cash payment or prior electronic submission may be required. Therefore, use only the current instructions from the consulate responsible for your place of residence. A consular NIE application is not the right way to replace the required residence registration after moving to Spain for an extended period.

1. Use your place of residence to identify the competent consular district.
2. Read the NIE instructions published there in full.
3. Follow the local requirements for appointments, payment and copies exactly.
4. Allow time for the application to be forwarded to Spain.

Application by an authorised representative

Official consular information provides for applications to be made by a representative where sufficient authorisation has been granted. It must explicitly state that the authorised person may submit the application for allocation of the NIE. The representative’s identity documents and the applicant’s documents are also required.

The exact form should be checked in advance with the office processing the application. For example, the Spanish Consulate General in Frankfurt specifies a notarised power of attorney or a private power of attorney with an officially certified signature, as well as a certified copy of the applicant’s identity document. Such detailed requirements should not automatically be applied to other consulates or police stations. Depending on the document, a power of attorney issued abroad may be subject to additional requirements for certification, an Apostille or translation.

1. Explicitly state in the power of attorney that it authorises the application for a NIE.
2. Ask the intended office about its formal requirements before the power of attorney is issued.
3. Prepare the required identity documents for the applicant and representative.

Common mistakes and regional practice

Common mistakes include booking an appointment for the wrong procedure, an incomplete EX-15, inconsistent name spellings, unconfirmed fee payment or a reason for the application that is too general. You should also avoid confusing the NIE with the Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión or the Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero.

Regional differences mainly concern appointment booking, the competent office, the copies required and the practical form of supporting documents. They do not change the nationwide basic requirements. Check the local information again shortly before your appointment. Private advice or appointment services are no substitute for official information.

The NIE generally remains the same identification number. Keep the certificate. If you later move to Spain for more than three months, you must apply for registration as an EU citizen regardless of whether you already have the number.

1. Check all personal details against your identity document.
2. Check the procedure, location and time on your appointment confirmation.
3. Check that proof of payment has been properly confirmed.
4. Read the local office’s requirements again the day before.