A step-by-step guide to obtaining an NIE number in Spain.

You arrive in Spain in order to live here and from everywhere you hear that you need to obtain NIE number. You learn with time that this secret number is translated to Número de Identidad de Extranjero – Foreign Identity Number. Then you search the Internet to find information on how to do it. But you quickly discover everybody writes something different! I’ve just got my NIE so I decided to share my experience. Please note, I am in the Valencian Community. Spain is a huge country (4. largest in Europe) and procedures may vary from region to region. It is also possible to apply for NIE in the Spanish Embassy, however, we were told we should do it in Spain. So how did we do it?

Cita previa.

A date with the office. (“Cita” means “date, appointment”.) You should apply online: https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/icpplus/

You can also check the website every day and wait for a free place in the city you prefer most. I’ve heard it works.

The other option is to pay for help with formalities. The price varies from 50 to 90 euros per person and you can count on faster handling of the case. I don’t know how can they do it but I know that I’d rather wait and spend that money differently.

Documents.

1. Passport + copy of the page with a photo. Theoretically, the identity card should be enough. In practice, not always. Passport is a safer option, so make one before you move.
2. One photo.
3. Completed EX-15 form. Here’s the website you can download it. You write your name, address in Spain and the reason why you need NIE. I was advised to say “purchase of the house” or “opening bank account” but I’ve already had the latter.
4. Paid tasa (around 10 euros), the form you can download here. (I’ve received a direct link in a confirmation e-mail. Sadly, it didn’t work so we found it ourselves and went to the bank to pay the fee.)

1. Passport number.
2. Surnames and name.
3. Address in Spain: type of the street, its name, number, your telephone, municipality, province, postcode.

1. Place.
2. Date.
3. Payment method: cash or debit the account.
4. Code from the picture.

Preparations.

We set off to Alcoi early in the morning. We arrived with more than half an hour to spare. And here is very important advice! Be earlier! Much earlier. GPS led us to the police station but there was no parking space for visitors. We were circling narrow, one-way streets, up and down. Very interesting city, I must admit, but we were short of time. We drove again through the center and I spotted underground parking. Unfortunately, we were in the wrong lane. So again, one-way streets, right turn only, and we found ourselves on the other side of the bridge. Somehow I found that parking on the maps and set GPS. We parked the car and with less than 10 minutes left, hurried to the police station.

Our date.

We entered the building. A very polite policeman asked for the purpose of the visit and showed us the waiting area. We met a Polish couple who paid someone for help with gaining NIE number. It should be less stressful than doing it by yourself, however, that person didn’t show up. Maybe forgot the date. I am not sure how did it end because we were called to the desk.

Another nice gentleman took Tomek’s documents first. I wasn’t sure if we completed everything well and I still had to write the place and the date, but the officer just said “tranquilo“, put the stamps, entered data to the computer and printed NIE number. Then the same for me and Jurek. And that’s it! I couldn’t believe it was done and so easy. But I was happy even more that we won’t have to sleep in the car because it was quite cold in Alcoi in the morning.

Hurra!