The NIE number
TL;DR
- The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is the identification number Spain assigns to every foreigner with economic, professional or social ties to the country.
- It is issued by the Dirección General de la Policía on form EX-15, for a fee of €9.84 (tasa 790, código 012).
- A registered application must be resolved within a maximum of five days.
- There are four routes: a police station in Spain, a Spanish consulate abroad, a representative with power of attorney, or a long-stay visa application.
- A NIE does not grant residency and does not grant the right to work; the number itself never expires.
Facts verified 9 August 2026 against the Sede Electrónica de la Policía Nacional
Almost everything you will do in Spain with legal or financial weight — buying property, opening a bank account, signing a contract, inheriting, starting a business — begins with one nine-character code. This guide brings the whole subject into one place and points you to the exact page for your situation as part of moving to Spain.
Updated 10 August 2026
Key facts
| Full name | Número de Identidad de Extranjero |
|---|---|
| Issued by | Dirección General de la Policía |
| Application form | EX-15 |
| Official fee | Tasa 790/012 — €9.84 |
| Resolution deadline | 5 days from registration |
| Number validity | For life; never reassigned |
| Grants residency or work rights? | No |
Find your question
| Your question | Where the answer is |
|---|---|
| What is this number and do I actually need it? | What a NIE number is |
| What does a valid NIE look like? Is mine real? | What a NIE number looks like |
| What’s the fastest way to get one in my situation? | How to get a NIE: four routes compared |
| Which papers, which form, which fee exactly? | NIE documents, forms and the fee |
| NIE, NIF, TIE, DNI — which one is which? | NIE, NIF, TIE and DNI compared |
| I’m in the UK / Ireland / US — what changes for me? | Applying from the UK, Ireland or the US |
The shape of the process
Whichever route you take, the mechanics are identical, because they are set by the same rules — Real Decreto 557/2011 defines who qualifies (economic, professional or social interests, stated in the application), and the Policía Nacional processes every request the same way:
- Form EX-15 — the application itself, two copies
- Tasa 790/012, €9.84 — paid at a collaborating bank, which stamps the form
- Passport + evidence of your reason — a purchase contract, a job offer, a notary letter
- Resolution within five days of the application being registered
The differences between the four routes are only where you stand while this happens: in a Spanish police station, in a consulate in your country, or nowhere at all — under Ley 39/2015 a representative with an apostilled power of attorney can file and collect everything without you travelling. The trade-offs are compared route by route in how to get a NIE: four routes compared.
Once the number is issued, the NIE is step one of a longer chain — the rest of the documents, in the right order, are mapped in paperwork after you arrive.
What the NIE will not do for you
The NIE is an identification number — not a residence permit. It does not grant residency, does not grant the right to work, and holding one says nothing about your immigration status. It also never expires: only the paper certificate "ages" in the eyes of some banks and notaries, and only the TIE card is a document with an expiry date. If any of that surprises you, start with what a NIE number is.
⚠ Scams to avoid
- Paid "guaranteed cita" offers — police appointment slots are free of charge.
- "Official express NIE" — no express track exists; the five-day resolution rule is the same for everyone.
- "Check anyone’s NIE by name" — there is no public NIE registry.
- Online "NIE generators" — a string that passes the checksum but exists in no police database.
Who handles it if you don’t want to
This guide is maintained by the team behind the NIE application service at e-residence: preparation of the EX-15, the fee, the appointment — or the full remote route by power of attorney. Everything on these pages works whether you use the service or file on your own; the official fee and the deadlines are the same either way.
FAQ
How much does a NIE cost?
The official fee is €9.84 (tasa 790, código 012). Anything above that is the cost of help — consular fees, apostilles, translations or a representative’s service.
How long does it take?
The police must resolve a registered application within five days. End-to-end, the realistic range is same-day (in person, with an appointment) to several weeks (consulate).
Can I get a NIE without coming to Spain?
Yes — at a Spanish consulate in your country, or fully remotely through a representative under Ley 39/2015.
Is the NIE the same as residency?
No. The NIE identifies you; residency is a separate authorisation with its own process.
Sources
Sources: Sede Electrónica de la Policía Nacional — Asignación de NIE a instancia del interesado and the official fee schedule (tasa 790/012), retrieved 9 August 2026; Real Decreto 557/2011; Ley 39/2015.
Reviewed by the Happy Residence S.L. team. Every figure on this page is checked against the official source on the date shown above; we re-verify after each annual fee order.
We are an administrative assistance service, not a public administration.