What is a NIE number?

According to Spanish law, you will need a NIE number to open a bank account, buy or sell a property, arrange a loan or a mortgage, pay tax, get a work contract, receive payments for unemployment or from a social service, to register with social services, to start a business, to apply for a driver’s licence or to inherit assets.

The NIE number is a tax identification number, similar to the NI (National Insurance number) in UK and equivalent to the NIF (Numero de Identificación Fiscal) for Spanish nationals. NIE numbers are issued by the National Police of Spain (same authority that issues Spanish passports and ID cards).

How to apply for an NIE number

You can apply for a NIE number in person, at the Consulate of Spain. There are three Spanish consulates in UK: London, Manchester and Edinburg. You will need to gather all necessary documents and a completed NIE application form and two copies, which you will be asked to sign there and not before, and the official from the consulate will validate your signature with a stamp (and the Spanish government fee). Our advice is that you check with the Consulate what they require before you travel there. The Consulate acts as a courier and will send the application to Spain, and then you have to wait for the authorities in Spain to return it to you.

You can also apply for a NIE number in person in Spain when you visit the National Police station with the relevant documents and Spanish government’s fee.

But if you need help, you can apply for a NIE number from England, by means of a Power of Attorney. I will prepare a Power of Attorney, valid in Spain, and you can sign at a Notary Public’s office near you, therefore you don’t need to travel outside your town.

I will provide a fixed fee estimate for the application of the NIE number with power of attorney.

If you need to apply for your NIE number from England, I will send you a very simple form, and we will prepare a Power of Attorney that you need to sign at a local notary. Once the document has been signed and legalised, we will send it to the agent in Spain. Within 10 days from receipt, the agent will return a scanned copy of your NIE document to us and the original directly to you, unless otherwise arranged.

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Whatever your problems, call me to speak to a Spanish solicitor today on 01273 222 912 or contact us online and we’ll be happy to help you.