Applying for your NIE (numero de identificación de extranjero) in Spain is the first step to living in Spain. This number is necessary to buy a car or a house, to open a bank account or apply for a job.
The application is made at your nearest National Police station (Comisaría de Policía). Applicants must first queue for a numbered ticket at 9 am. It is recommended to arrive earlier (especially in summer).
Once you have the ticket, you will be presented with a form (here) which you will need to take to any bank and pay the official fee of 16 €. The bank will stamp the form and give you a copy.
Then you will need to return to the Police station and wait for your numbered ticket to be called, in order to make your application. You will need to bring the following:
2 completed copies of the application form
2 passport photos.
A copy of your passport or national ID along with the original.
The amount of time before you can collect your NIE will depend on each particular Police station. Some Police stations will give you the NIE straight away whereas others will take up to 5 days to process the application.
During the summer months, the process will be longer, due to the number of people coming to work for the season. If you have any questions, please contact us.