The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) number in Spain is the tax identification number assigned to any foreign citizen to carry out procedures with the Spanish government.
Therefore, if you are thinking of investing in Spain – for example, with the purchase of a property or a vehicle – the first step is to obtain the NIE number. This would be assigned to you by the Foreign Office.
However, it is important to understand that the NIE number does not mean that you are legally a resident in Spain. Obtaining the NIE certificate in Spain implies carrying out commercial or business operations in Spain as a non-resident citizen. The following are some of the procedures for which it is necessary to obtain the NIE:
As mentioned, obtaining the NIE is a different procedure to obtaining Spanish residency – the NIE does not grant residence in Spain. There are other visas for residency such as non-lucrative residence permits. British citizens who are looking for Spanish residency must process an application for a TIE card at the immigration office. The document that grants residence in the European Union is called the European Union Citizen Registration Certificate.
It will be necessary to obtain a NIE number for any procedure that you want to carry out in Spain, such as buying a property or a car, opening a bank account, or working/starting a business there. You will also need to obtain your NIE as part of your process for your residence in Spain.
In this sense, it must be understood that all these procedures have serious tax implications, such as the payment of taxes and the signing of a public document at a notary’s office. It is therefore extremely important to have the NIE certificate before starting these procedures.
How can I get my NIE number?
There are many different ways to obtain your NIE number; you can obtain it from the Spanish embassy in your country, or, when you arrive in Spain, you can obtain it by going in person to the Foreigners Office or your nearest police station.
If you are interested in this particular process, please do not hesitate to contact the Tejada Solicitors team. We will be more than happy to help you.
Getting your NIE number is simple. You need to make an appointment with one of the institutions above, and bring the following along:
You can also obtain your NIE number by signing a power of attorney in favour of a legal representative. This authorisation allows your legal representative or lawyer to carry out the procedure on your behalf.
At the Tejada Solicitors office, we can manage this procedure without the need for you to travel either to our office or to the Foreigners Office – once you send us the necessary Power of Attorney by post or courier, we will take care of everything. In addition, we can help you to draw up the corresponding power of attorney, so that you can sign it at a notary’s office in your country.
The NIE number assigned by the Foreigners Office has no expiry date, once obtained it is permanent, you do not need to renew it, but it is important to specify here that obtaining an NIE number does not prove that you have obtained residence in Spain.
Among the different ways of obtaining the NIE number, you can obtain it through a legal representative in Spain whilst remaining in the UK, who, through the corresponding power of attorney granted for this purpose, will be able to process your application and obtain the aforementioned NIE certificate. On the other hand, you can also obtain it by going to the Spanish consulate in the UK.
When you apply for your NIE number for the first time, the Foreigners Office will issue a white A4 document containing your personal details and your assigned N.I.E. number.
If you have lost this document, you can request a duplicate from the Foreigners Office by following the same procedure as before – you must state in the request that you already have your NIE number, but have lost it.
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