How to Get a NIE Number in Spain (2026): Forms, Fees and Appointments

The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is the foreigner's identification number the Spanish state assigns to anyone who has "economic, professional or social interests" in Spain. You cannot open a proper bank account, sign a work contract, buy property, register as self-employed or pay taxes without it. It is the first piece of Spanish paperwork almost every expat needs, and one of the simplest to get — if you know the exact steps. This guide gives you the 2026 process with the official forms and the current fee.

1. What the NIE is

The NIE is a personal, unique and exclusive identification number (format: a letter, seven digits and a check letter, e.g. X1234567A) assigned by the Dirección General de la Policía. By law it must be given to foreigners who relate to Spain for economic, professional or social reasons.

Two things people get wrong about it:

• The NIE is not a residence permit. It is just a number on a white A4 certificate. It grants no right to live or work in Spain.
• The number never expires and never changes. The paper certificate can be reissued, but your NIE stays with you for life.

The legal basis is Ley Orgánica 4/2000 (rights and freedoms of foreigners in Spain) and its regulation, Real Decreto 1155/2024. The procedure is legally required to be resolved within five days of your application entering the registry of the competent office; if you get no answer in that period, the application is considered rejected (you can appeal, but in practice in-person applications are usually resolved on the spot or within days).

2. Who needs one

You need a NIE for almost any formal transaction in Spain:

• Opening most bank accounts and signing utilities or phone contracts.
• Working (employment contract, social security) or registering as self-employed (autónomo).
• Buying or selling property, a car, or a business.
• Paying taxes, inheriting assets, setting up a company.
• Applying for visas and residence permits (the digital nomad visa, non-lucrative visa, student visa — the NIE is assigned or required as part of these processes).

If you are moving to Spain on a visa, you will get a NIE as part of that process. This guide is for people who need the number before or outside a visa: property buyers, future autónomos, people opening accounts or signing contracts ahead of a move.

3. NIE vs TIE vs the green certificate

Three documents that get constantly confused:

• NIE — the number itself, printed on a white certificate. Identification only, no photo, no residency rights.
• TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) — the physical residence card with photo and fingerprints for non-EU nationals with a residence permit. Your NIE is printed on it.
• EU registration certificate (certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión) — the green paper/card EU citizens get when registering as residents in Spain. It also carries your NIE.

Rule of thumb: the NIE is always the number; the TIE and the green certificate are residency documents for people staying longer than 3 months.

4. Documents you need

Per the Policía Nacional's official procedure ("Asignación de NIE a instancia de interesado"), the documentation is:

• Form EX-15 (Solicitud de Número de Identidad de Extranjero y Certificados) — filled in and signed. Available from the Policía Nacional website; you can fill it online and print it.
• Proof of payment of the fee — modelo 790, código 012 (see next section).
• Your passport (original) — and bring a photocopy of the bio page; offices routinely ask for one.
• A statement of your reasons — you must state the economic, professional or social reasons for requesting the NIE (the EX-15 has a field for this: "buying a property", "starting a job", "opening a business", etc.). Some offices ask for supporting evidence (a job offer, a property reservation contract); bring it if you have it.

Requirements that apply to everyone: you must not be in Spain in an irregular situation, and you must state your reasons for the request.

5. The €9.84 fee (modelo 790, código 012)

The NIE assignment fee is €9.84 (2026 rate, per the Policía Nacional's official fee table). It is paid with the modelo 790, código 012 form:

1. Go to the Policía Nacional's online generator for the 790-012 form (sede.policia.gob.es/Tasa790_012).
2. Fill in your details, select the NIE assignment option, and print the form (it generates a PDF with barcode).
3. Pay it at almost any Spanish bank (in branch or at many ATMs) — keep the stamped receipt as your proof of payment.

The 790 is one form per person per procedure: family members each need their own form and fee.

6. Applying inside Spain

You apply to the Dirección General de la Policía, directly or through the Oficinas de Extranjería or Comisarías de Policía that handle foreigner procedures.

In most provinces you first need a cita previa (online appointment) through the government's appointment portal (sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es, "Cita previa de extranjería"): select your province, then the procedure "Policía - Asignación de NIE".

On the day: bring the EX-15 (signed), the paid 790-012, your passport and a copy, and your supporting reason. If everything is in order, many offices issue the NIE certificate on the spot or tell you to collect it a few days later (the legal resolution window is five days).

7. Applying from abroad

If you are not in Spain when you apply, the request goes to the Comisaría General de Extranjería y Fronteras through the Spanish consular offices in your country. In practice:

• Book an appointment with your nearest Spanish consulate (each consulate has its own booking system and requirements page).
• Bring the same core documents: EX-15, your passport, and your stated reasons. Consulates collect the fee their own way (consular fee in local currency, not the 790 form) — check your consulate's instructions.
• Processing takes longer than in Spain — expect weeks, not days, since the consulate forwards the request to Madrid.

If you will be in Spain soon anyway, applying there is usually faster.

8. Mistakes that get you rejected

• No cita previa — showing up without an appointment in offices that require one. Check your province first.
• Wrong fee form — the NIE uses modelo 790 código 012. Other extranjería procedures use different forms (EX-model codes) and fees; a wrong or unpaid fee is an instant rejection.
• Vague reasons on the EX-15 — "tourism" is not a valid reason. State the concrete economic, professional or social interest (property purchase, job, business, studies).
• Unsigned forms or missing passport copies — bring originals and copies.
• Confusing the NIE with residency — if you need a visa or residence permit, the NIE alone does not give you one; apply for the right permit (see our digital nomad visa guide).
• Silence means rejection — if five days pass with no answer, the law treats the application as rejected. Follow up at the office where you applied.

9. Step-by-step plan

1. Decide where you'll apply: in Spain (faster) or at a Spanish consulate abroad.
2. Fill in form EX-15 with a concrete reason (property, work, business, studies).
3. Generate and pay the modelo 790 código 012 fee (€9.84) — one per person.
4. If applying in Spain, book a cita previa ("Policía - Asignación de NIE") for your province; check at 8:00 for new slots.
5. Prepare: EX-15 (signed, in duplicate), paid 790, passport + bio-page copy, supporting evidence of your reason.
6. Attend the appointment; if all is in order, collect your NIE certificate on the spot or within days (legal maximum: five days).
7. Keep the certificate safe — the number is yours for life and you will use it constantly (bank, taxes, contracts, empadronamiento).

This guide is free and independent. It contains no sponsored links. If we recommend services in the future and have a commercial relationship with them, we will label it clearly. This is not legal advice — confirm your case with the Policía Nacional or a licensed gestor.