WHAT IS THE N.I.E?

The N.I.E (Foreigner Identification Number) is a personal, unique number that all foreigners must have for economic, professional, or social purposes related to Spain. Foreigners can apply for the N.I.E personally at the General Directorate of Police, or if they are not in Spain, at the embassy or honorary consulates in their home country.

If someone plans to buy a villa or an apartment in Spain before coming to Spain, they can apply for the N.I.E at the nearest Spanish embassy or consulate. To do this, they will need to make an appointment, of course, and complete the EX-15 form, duly filled out and signed. It's best to fill it out on a computer and print it afterward. For European Union members, an identity card is sufficient, with both the front and back sides on the same page, or a valid passport (original and copy). Finally, the payment of the administrative fee using form model 790, code 012, which is €9.64, must be made. If two people are purchasing, each must submit a separate application!

A piece of advice: if you ever plan to live in Spain, learn your N.I.E number by heart! It’s not too difficult, it consists of a letter at the beginning, a letter at the end, and 7 digits in the middle. For example, at the moment, we have letters like: Y-0000000-X. Even though as foreigners we still need to present an identity document, we are more often asked for our N.I.E number. When you apply for your residence card, it will be the same number, and it will be your number for life. Learning it is not a waste of time, believe me!