NIE Numbers

[dido72]

Ours cost 22 pounds each but that was at the spanish consulate in uk. I believe they are cheaper/free(?) in spain.

[malagaman2005]

Yes free in Spain but of course there's the solicitors charges for their time of sending the office lacky to queue at the police station !!

[sueb]

our agent (house buying) told us to take two photos with us, dont remember if we needed them or not now. perhaps the photos were for something else. sorry for the confusion
sue

[jwc]

How does 225 euros seem I thought is was a bit steep. Will have a word.

[Babby]

On the form, the old form that is, it made a difference whether you ticket "NIE Number" or "NIE CARD".

[Retro P]

What's an Nie "card"

[El Cid]

On the form, the old form that is, it made a difference whether you ticket "NIE Number" or "NIE CARD".

There is no such thing as an NIE card - it's just a piece of paper.

Sid

[Beachcomber]

NIE cards were withdrawn not long after they were first issued in the early 1990s. They were blue credit card sized cards and showed your NIE number and name.

[Babby]

This is a very confusing subject. the card that I have has a number beginning with X and a letter at the end and it is an identity card - the number on it is my identifying number, correct?

[Babby]

Although not officially known as NIE card, that is what it is often referred to as. Officially it is a residency card, even though the word RESIDENTE comes under "observaciones". I believe the card is only given out to residents in Spain.

[peteroldracer]

The number you are issued with as your NIE - Numero Identificacion Extranjero - will be your number on your residencia, if, and when you get it. It is a bit like a National Insurance number in the UK, except there they are too stupid to make that the number of your passport, National Health Card and so on - one number fits all.

[Lavanda]

My solicitor got my NIE for me five years ago in Marbella while I was in England. I needed the NIE to buy my house. The solicitor charged £90.

My husband now needs an NIE. We are buying a house together. In fact we have just bought a car and it had to be registered in my name as he doesn't have an NIE. He also cannot get his Certificado de Patrimonio from our local Ayuntamiento without the NIE. So they are vital if you want to buy a house!!!

As for "... go to the local police station ..." Yes. Go to the nearest National Police Station - nearest to the house you are buying or place you are/will live. The National Police are not the Local Police or the Guardia Civil but another force entirely. Our nearest National Police Station is 40 kms away.

You will need the application form, a photocopy of this (completed) form, a (colour) photocopy of your passport, supporting documents as to WHY you want an NIE - we photocopied the compraventa of the house we are buying. You do not need photographs.

You then need a short, personal interview with your original passport.

We were told to expect the NIE within 10 days.

The law, according to my solicitor who I hoped would do all this for us, has been changed. Applications for NIEs must now be done IN PERSON. The NIE is free.

[jwc]

We have just got NIE numbers last week which our solicitor got for us we were not there in person but he has P o A so this may make a difference.

[Lavanda]

Yes, it may. There is a space on the form for a legal representative to represent ... in an 'emergency'. Thanks for that reminder.

[Perky]

Hi, don,t know if this is any help, I obtained my my nie and never left the uk but it costs.
I used a law firm in Marbella all the staff speak excellent english and most of the legal team are english speaking nationals.
I was first sent a power of attorney form via email this has to be notarized together with a copy of your passport in the uk by a qualified solicitor cost £50.
Then this has to be taken to the foreign Commonwealth and office who authenticate both documents. This is the real frustrating bit I took my documents to London myself be prepared for a long wait get there early take a book and refreshments it can take up to 4 hours in my case 1 hour. You can get the solicitor who notarized the documents to do this for you but he will charge for this and from what I saw at the foreign office they just employ a courier. cost to me was £19 plus train fair but I think the charge for the service by the F.O. has gone up to £23 approx.
I then sent the documents by recorded mail to the legal firm in Spain cost £5 approx they received them within 4 days.
Seven days later got a call that the NIE was at the law firm which they said they would send to me but I collected it from there office in Spain. costs euro 100
Sorry if this is a bit long winded but I hope it adds to the picture.
The total cost to me was approx £170 plus my time but as I am not living in Spain permanently at the moment it was the best way for me to go.

[ian.wilson]

Our NIES's took 2 weeks and cost €6 each here in Marbella. They do not require photos just your Passport and an address in Spain.

Again we know in Spain things can be different from region to region.

Regards
Ian

[malagaman2005]

My solicitor got my NIE for me five years ago in Marbella while I was in England...

Gisela,
If you're based in Coin, why can't you go to Marbella or Malaga? or have I got the wrong Coin?

[Lavanda]

Yes. Sorry. My 'location' still flags up Coin but I'm not there much now - one week a month at the moment - as I've relocated to Extremadura (the 'Almoharin' on the location). Hence Caceres as the 'local' National Police Station.

[wendyakemp]

Dont know if this is relevant,

was told by legals that the rules with nei numbers changed in april 07 and u have to give checkable spanish address as they have problems with lots of eastern european immigrants
erhaps u could double chck with embassy, as also told need to go in person now.

[tillymint]

we got our NIE number's on the same day from torremolinos police station we cued for a couple of hour's handed our form's over then we were handed our NIE certificate's no problem