NIE number in Spain: what it is and how to get one

The NIE number in Spain explained: who needs one, how to apply in Spain, at a consulate or through a representative, the form, the fee and how long it takes.

Last checked 17 October 2026

What you will learn

Who needs an NIE and why a purchase cannot go ahead without it
The three ways to apply, the form and the fee
How the NIE differs from the TIE and from residency

An NIE number in Spain is the identification number that the Spanish police give to foreigners with economic, professional or social dealings in the country, and buying a house is one of them. It is personal and unique, and it is the number that appears on every Spanish document issued to you. It is a number, not a permit: it does not let you live or work in Spain. You apply with form EX-15 and a small fee, either in Spain or at a Spanish consulate abroad, in person or through a representative.

Who needs an NIE number in Spain

The rule. The legal basis is article 205 of the Spanish immigration regulation, Real Decreto 1155/2024, in force since 20 May 2025. It replaced the older regulation of 2011, which many websites still quote. A foreigner who deals with Spain for economic, professional or social reasons asks for the number, on two conditions: you are not in Spain irregularly, and you state why you need it.

For a property purchase. You need the NIE before the deed. Spanish notarial law requires everyone who signs a property deed to show their tax identification number, and the Spanish mortgage law forbids the land registry to register a deed unless the numbers of all parties appear in it. If two of you buy together, you both need one. Banks, utility companies and the tax agency will ask for it as well. Our guide to buying property in Spain step by step shows where it fits in the purchase.

Three ways to apply

In Spain. You apply in person at an immigration office (Oficina de Extranjería) or at a National Police station, after booking an appointment (cita previa) online. Appointments can take time to get, so book as early as you can.

At a Spanish consulate. If you are not in Spain, you apply through the Spanish consulate that covers the place where you live, and you show proof of residence in its area. The Spanish consulate in London books appointments by email and says the NIE is normally issued within three weeks; the consulate in Amsterdam says two weeks. Both send the NIE by email, so write a clear email address on the form.

Through a representative. Someone else, often your lawyer, can apply for you. They need a power of attorney that expressly authorises them to apply for your NIE, and the London consulate requires that power to carry an apostille. Our guide to the power of attorney for buying property in Spain explains how such a power is drawn up.

Whichever route you use, you or your representative must attend in person. Once the application is registered, the regulation gives the police a maximum of five days to decide, so most of the waiting is for the appointment, not for the decision. If no decision is notified within those five days, the regulation treats the application as refused, so follow it up if you hear nothing.

The form, the fee and the documents

Form EX-15. Use the official form, filled in on screen and printed. In the section on reasons, state the reason plainly, for example the purchase of a property. Consulates give their own instructions on whether to sign the form beforehand or at the appointment, so follow those of the office you go to.

The fee. You pay with form 790, code 012, choosing the line for the assignment of an NIE at the request of the applicant. On the National Police fee form that line showed €9.84 when we checked on 17 October 2026. In Spain you pay at a bank before the appointment and bring the stamped receipt. Consulates collect the fee in their own way: London charges £8.65 by card on the day.

The documents. Bring your valid passport and a copy of its photo page (EU citizens may use their national identity card), the form, the paid fee and proof of why you need the number, such as a reservation agreement or a letter from your lawyer about the purchase. Documents issued abroad may need an apostille and a sworn translation into Spanish.

NIE, TIE and residency are different things

The NIE is only a number. The London consulate states plainly that a consular NIE does not entitle you to live in Spain or prove that you live there. Owning a house in Spain does not change that.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens. If you stay in Spain for more than three months, you must register in person at the immigration office or the police within three months of arrival, under Real Decreto 240/2007, which also covers Swiss citizens. You receive a registration certificate that shows your NIE. The fee on the police form is €12.00.

Citizens of other countries. If you want to live in Spain, you need a visa or a residence authorisation first. Anyone granted a visa or an authorisation for more than six months must then apply in person for the foreigner identity card, the TIE, within one month. The TIE carries the same NIE number. British residents covered by the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement hold their own type of TIE.

Keep the paper. The NIE arrives as a certificate, or as a PDF by email from a consulate. Keep several copies, because the notary, the bank and the tax agency will each want to see it. The same procedure is used for certificates of residence and of non-residence, which you may be asked for later.

Procedures and fees change, so confirm the details with the consulate or office where you apply, and ask an independent lawyer if your case is unusual, for example a purchase through a company. The practical step: apply for your NIE as soon as you start looking seriously, so that it never holds up a purchase. Then look at the investment properties on the Costa Blanca North.

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Written by Nicolas Strebel.