How to Get a NIE Number in Spain in 2026: Cost and Process

What is a NIE number in Spain and what is it used for?

The NIE is the personal, unique and exclusive number that the Spanish authorities assign to every foreign national who deals with Spain, and it must appear on every document issued or processed in that person's name. That is how article 205 of the Regulation implementing Organic Law 4/2000 (Ley Orgánica 4/2000), approved by Royal Decree 1155/2024, defines it. It is not a card and it is not a residence permit: it is a sequential identifier.

It is made up of nine characters: an initial letter, seven digits and an alphabetic check character, under Order INT/2058/2008, which brought its length into line with the Spanish NIF. That Order sets X as the initial letter and provides that, once the numerical series for X is exhausted, numbering continues in alphabetical order: hence the NIE numbers beginning with Y and, after those, with Z. Earlier numbers, with eight digits, remain valid.

For the tax authorities the NIE is simply the foreign national's tax identification number: article 20.1 of Royal Decree 1065/2007 provides that individuals without Spanish nationality have as their NIF the foreigner identity number assigned or issued to them under Ley Orgánica 4/2000 and its implementing legislation. Article 29.2.b) of the General Tax Act (Ley General Tributaria) also requires you to apply for and use the NIF in any dealing of tax relevance. Anyone who does not yet have a NIE but has to meet a tax obligation — filing the modelo 210, for example — can ask the Agencia Tributaria for a NIF beginning with 'M' (article 20.2 of Royal Decree 1065/2007), on a transitional basis where they are required to obtain the NIE.

NIE, TIE, green EU certificate and DNI: what is the difference?

These are four different things, and confusing them is the single most common mistake. The NIE is a number. The TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero, or Foreigner Identity Card) is the physical card that evidences the legal status in Spain of a non-EU national holding an authorisation. The EU registration certificate (certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión) — the so-called green NIE — is the paper document recording an EU citizen's entry in the Central Register of Foreign Nationals (Registro Central de Extranjeros). And the DNI is the identity document held by Spanish nationals.

The EU registration certificate contains the NIE inside it: article 7.5 of Royal Decree 240/2007 requires it to state name, nationality, address, foreigner identity number and date of registration. That is why an EU citizen who registers in the Registro Central de Extranjeros does not need to apply separately for a NIE: they already have it built into the certificate itself, which is issued immediately.

The practical difference lies in validity. The NIE number does not expire; the TIE does, because its validity matches that of the authorisation behind it, under article 209.7 of Royal Decree 1155/2024. The green registration certificate, for its part, is not biometric, which explains the problems it causes at automated border controls and the official recommendation to exchange it.

Who needs a NIE number and which transactions require it?

A NIE is needed by any foreign national with some connection to Spain, even if they do not live here and never intend to. Article 205.1 of Royal Decree 1155/2024 expressly covers anyone who, 'because of their economic, professional, social or any other interests, deals with Spain', so you do not need to hold a residence authorisation to apply; nor does the provision require any padrón registration. The only filters are not being in Spain unlawfully and properly explaining the reason for the application.

In practice the transactions that require it are buying or selling a property, accepting an inheritance, opening a bank account, registering as self-employed, setting up utility contracts, applying for a mortgage and any filing with the Agencia Tributaria. In a property purchase the critical point is the Land Registry: article 254.2 of the Ley Hipotecaria prevents a deed from being registered unless it states the tax identification numbers of every party appearing on it.

Each person needs their own. A married couple buying a home 50/50 in Torrevieja needs two NIE numbers, not one, because the requirement in the Ley Hipotecaria covers every party appearing on the deed, including the spouse who will not be living in Spain. The same applies to several heirs accepting an inheritance by public deed, even if only one of them lives in the country.

Which law governs the NIE in Spain today?

Since 20 May 2025 the NIE has been governed by article 205 of the Regulation implementing Ley Orgánica 4/2000, approved by Royal Decree 1155/2024 of 19 November. Its sole repealing provision struck down Royal Decree 557/2011, which is the rule most guides and estate agency portals still cite. If a page places the NIE in article 206 of Royal Decree 557/2011, it is working from repealed legislation.

The new article 205 keeps the definition of the NIE as a personal, unique and exclusive number, and governs its automatic granting to anyone obtaining an authorisation, applications made at the applicant's own request, the consular route, the time limit for resolution and the effect of administrative silence. Article 206 of the Regulation now in force deals with something else entirely: it lists the documents that evidence a foreign national's status in Spain.

The rest of the framework is completed by Ley Orgánica 4/2000 (articles 4, 44 and 48), Order INT/2058/2008 for the composition of the number, Royal Decree 240/2007 for EU citizens, and Orden PJC/617/2025 of 13 June, which sets the immigration fees and repealed the earlier Orden PRE/1803/2011. The official procedure page on the National Police electronic office already cites Royal Decree 1155/2024 as the applicable legislation.

How much does a NIE number cost in 2026 and how do you pay the 790-012 fee?

Assignment of a NIE at the applicant's own request costs €9.84, under fee 5.12 of the annex to Orden PJC/617/2025. It is paid using form 790, code 012, ticking the item within the form that corresponds to NIE assignment. That is the amount in force at the date of this guide: the Order itself makes any increase conditional on an annual State Budget Act providing for it.

Take care not to confuse that fee with the other immigration fees. A resident or non-resident certificate, applied for using the same form EX-15, costs €7.31 (fee 5.13). The EU registration certificate and the Withdrawal Agreement TIE cost €12.00 (fee 4.6), an amount that article 1.3 of the Order equates by law to what Spanish nationals pay to obtain and renew the DNI.

Foreigner identity cards have their own scale: €16.08 for a first issue, €19.30 for renewal or extension and €21.87 for long-term residence. The TIE for a family member of a Spanish national costs €12.00, and the card for minors under the guardianship of a public body is exempt. The return authorisation is €10.72.

The form is downloaded from the electronic office and paid at any collaborating bank, with no need to be a customer, or online. On the consular route you pay the equivalent in local currency set by each office: the Consulate General of Spain in London, for example, charges £8.65 by card at the appointment itself. That figure cannot be extrapolated to other consulates.

Where do you apply: consulate, police station or power of attorney?

There are three routes, and which one suits you depends on where you are. If you are outside Spain, the application is filed at the consulate or consular section of the Spanish Embassy for your place of residence, which forwards it to the Comisaría General de Extranjería y Fronteras. If you are already in Spain, it is filed at the Immigration Office (Oficina de Extranjería) or at an authorised National Police station in the province.

The third route is representation. A third party — usually the solicitor or gestoría handling the purchase or the estate — can file the application provided they hold a notarised power of attorney that expressly empowers them to apply for the NIE. A general power of administration is not enough: the power must be stated specifically, and if the deed is granted before a foreign notary it must carry the Hague apostille or the relevant legalisation.

Each consular office sets its own requirements: the Consulate General of Spain in London, for example, requires the physical presence of the applicant or of their representative in every case and does not accept applications by post, so it is worth checking the instructions of the relevant consulate first. That office, the point of reference for many British buyers on the Costa Blanca, then sends the number by email, so you must put a valid and regularly checked address on the form.

Which form do you need, the EX-15 or the EX-18?

The EX-15 is the application for a Foreigner Identity Number and certificates, and it is the form that applies in the overwhelming majority of cases: any foreign national, EU or not, who needs the number in order to buy, sell, inherit, invest or meet a tax obligation without living in Spain. The same form is later used to apply for the resident and non-resident certificates issued by the National Police.

The EX-18 is the application for an EU registration certificate and only applies if you are a citizen of the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland and are going to live in Spain for more than three months. In that case article 7 of Royal Decree 240/2007 requires you to register in person in the Registro Central de Extranjeros within three months of entry, evidencing employment, or sufficient resources plus sickness insurance, or enrolment in studies.

A German or Dutch buyer who only purchases an apartment in Guardamar and carries on living in their own country uses the EX-15, exactly like any other foreign national: the EX-18 does not apply because they are not going to reside here. Conversely, anyone who registers using the EX-18 does not then need to file an EX-15, because the certificate they receive already has their NIE built into it.

What documents do you need to apply for a NIE number?

The basic paperwork is short but leaves no room for improvisation: a completed and signed EX-15 form, a valid passport or EU identity document with a copy of the biographical page, evidence of the reason the number is being requested, and proof of payment of the fee. The original and the copy are handed over together at the appointment: the copy alone is not accepted, and an expired passport invalidates the application.

Evidencing the reason is the part that delays the most applications. A deposit contract, a formal purchase offer, a letter from the notary's office, inheritance paperwork (death certificate, will or declaration of heirs), an employment contract or a letter of admission from a place of study will all do. It must be a verifiable document, not a general statement of intent.

If a representative is acting for you, add their identity document and the power of attorney with express powers, apostilled where it was granted outside Spain. On the consular route you must also prove residence within that consulate's district and provide a valid email address, because that is the channel several offices use to deliver the document once the application has been resolved.

How to book a cita previa appointment in Alicante, Torrevieja and the Costa Blanca

In Spain applications are filed by prior appointment (cita previa), obtained through the official immigration appointment system by selecting the procedure for assignment of a NIE at the applicant's own request within the National Police procedures. There is no walk-in service, and the appointment is personal: it is booked in the name of whoever will attend, whether that is the applicant or their representative under a power of attorney.

In the province of Alicante the offices available for the procedure are whichever ones the appointment system itself lists at any given time: besides the Immigration Office in the capital, at Polígono de Babel, locations across the province such as Benidorm, Dénia, Elche or Torrevieja usually appear. Availability is not the same at all of them and is not released on a predictable pattern, so it is worth checking several offices across the province, and at different times of day, before concluding that there are no slots.

For anyone buying in Orihuela Costa, Guardamar or Pilar de la Horadada, the advantage of the Vega Baja offices is how close they are; the drawback is that they serve very seasonal demand. If the completion timetable is tight, the consular route in your home country or representation under a power of attorney usually proves more predictable than waiting for a local appointment.

How long does it take to get a NIE number?

The maximum time for a decision is five days from the moment the application enters the register of the competent body, under article 205.4 of Royal Decree 1155/2024. That clock starts with that entry in the register — which on the consular route comes after the appointment, because the consular office then forwards the application to the competent body — not on the day you request the appointment: the wait to get an appointment forms no part of the legal deadline and, in practice, is usually the longest stage of the whole process.

If the deadline passes with no reply, the application is deemed refused. Silence is negative, not positive, as the procedure page on the National Police electronic office confirms. It is therefore worth keeping the filing receipt and actively following up the file, rather than assuming the number has been granted simply because time has passed.

In practice many offices hand over the certificate on the day of the appointment or within a few working days. On the consular route the pace is different: the Consulate General of Spain in London states that the number is issued in around three weeks, although that is the consulate's own estimate and not a statutory deadline. For EU citizens registering with the EX-18, the certificate is issued immediately.

Does the NIE number expire, and what if you lose the certificate?

The NIE number never expires. Article 205 of Royal Decree 1155/2024 defines it as personal, unique, exclusive and sequential in nature, and no provision contemplates its expiry or renewal: once assigned it stays with the person for life and is the same number that will appear on every document issued or processed for them in Spain.

What does have a limited life are the documents that evidence it. The TIE lasts as long as the authorisation behind it, under article 209.7 of Royal Decree 1155/2024, and is renewed when that authorisation is renewed. The EU registration certificate evidences a registration that took place on a specific date, and the non-resident certificate reflects a situation that can change over time.

That is where the myth that the NIE expires after three months comes from. No rule says so. What happens is that banks, notaries and some authorities ask for a recently issued certificate to evidence the holder's current situation, and that requirement is theirs, not the law's. If you are asked for one, the certificate is applied for using the same EX-15 form and the certificates fee of €7.31.

If what you lose is the piece of paper, the number is never lost: you simply request a new certificate using the EX-15. If what you lose is the TIE, you apply for a duplicate which, under article 209.9 of Royal Decree 1155/2024, does not count as a renewal and is valid only for the time left on the card it replaces. To travel in the meantime there is the return authorisation.

How do you get a NIE number for a child or an heir?

Foreign minors can also hold a NIE and there is no minimum age: the application is filed by their legal representative. The EX-15 form itself provides for the signature of the father, the mother or the guardian, stating the basis of the representation, and offices also ask for the child's birth certificate, translated and apostilled where applicable, together with the parents' identity documents.

This comes up more often than you might think on the Costa Blanca. If a child is named as the heir to a property in Torrevieja or as a co-owner in a family purchase, they need their own number for the deed to be registered at the Land Registry, exactly like an adult. Planning for it avoids having to postpone a completion date already fixed with the notary.

In estates, each heir and, where applicable, each legatee needs a NIE in order to accept the inheritance by deed, self-assess Inheritance and Gift Tax (Impuesto sobre Sucesiones y Donaciones) and register the property in their name. Because heirs usually live outside Spain while the tax deadlines are running, the usual route is a consulate or an apostilled power of attorney in favour of the solicitor or adviser handling the estate.

Which NIE do British citizens need after Brexit?

Since the end of the transition period, British citizens are non-EU foreign nationals for immigration purposes, with two very different situations depending on the date. Those legally resident in Spain before 31 December 2020 are Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries and keep their residence rights; those who arrived afterwards fall under the general immigration regime, like any other third-country national.

Beneficiaries still holding the old paper registration certificate continue to use it to evidence their legal residence, but the right document today is the TIE under article 18.4 of the Withdrawal Agreement, whose fee is €12.00. Exchanging it is strongly advisable: the green certificate is not biometric and does not automatically communicate beneficiary status at automated border controls.

A British citizen who does not live in Spain and is only buying a home in Torrevieja or Jávea is in exactly the same position as any other non-EU national: EX-15 and a fee of €9.84. If, on the other hand, they obtain a residence authorisation of more than six months, the NIE is granted automatically along with the authorisation and what they must apply for within one month is the TIE (article 209.1).

The tax consequence is independent of the immigration document. As a non-resident owner, a British citizen must file the modelo 210 for Non-Resident Income Tax (Impuesto sobre la Renta de no Residentes) on their Spanish property every year, and many owners also appoint a fiscal representative in Spain to deal with the Agencia Tributaria. Holding a NIE makes nobody a tax resident, and not holding one does not exempt anyone from filing.

Which mistakes invalidate or delay a NIE application?

The costliest mistake is the wrong form: filing the EX-18 when the EX-15 applies, or the other way round. The second is failing to evidence the economic, professional or social interest required by article 205 of Royal Decree 1155/2024, turning up to the appointment with nothing to document the transaction. In both cases the application cannot be corrected on the spot and you have to book another appointment.

Two things go wrong with payment: choosing a fee code that does not apply, or ticking an item other than NIE assignment inside form 790-012, and letting more than fifteen days pass between payment and sending it to the competent body, the deadline set by article 2.2 of Orden PJC/617/2025. Applications are also rejected for an expired passport or for producing a copy without showing the original.

With representation the typical failure is a generic power of attorney. A broad power of administration does not authorise someone to apply for the NIE: the power must be stated expressly, and a power granted before a foreign notary needs an apostille. Finally, article 205.3 rules out assignment at the applicant's own request where the person is in Spain unlawfully, a genuine ground for refusal that almost no guide mentions.