Frequently asked questions

The number Spain uses to identify foreign nationals in any economic, professional or social matter.

It arrives as a paper certificate and works like a tax reference: property, taxes, contracts, bank accounts, vehicles.

Anyone with economic, professional or social interests in Spain. In practice: buying or selling property, working, starting a business, opening a bank account, buying a car, Spanish tax, or inheriting Spanish assets.

Each person needs their own. Couples cannot share one, and children named on a deed need one too.

Yes. Since Brexit, British citizens are third-country nationals in Spain, and they need an NIE for exactly the same reasons as before. What changed is the process: UK nationals now use the non-EU forms and routes, and it matters more than it used to that the correct route and form are used.

No. An NIE is an identification number, not a residence permit or a visa.

A consulate-issued non-resident certificate identifies you to Spanish administration but does not let you live in Spain. Consulates state it is not valid for work, residence or study. Residency is a separate application.

The number is permanent. It is assigned once, never expires, and there is nothing to renew.

The paper certificate is different. Some banks and notaries only accept one issued in the last three months or so, and may ask for a fresh copy. That is their policy, not an expiry.

Yes, two ways.

At a Spanish consulate covering where you live. London, Manchester and Edinburgh each cover different areas, and it is the catchment that matters, not which is nearest. Appointments are usually requested by email.

Through a representative in Spain submitting for you under a power of attorney.

Not necessarily, but somebody has to attend.

You or an accredited representative must be present when the application is submitted, at a police station in Spain or a consulate abroad. There is no route where nobody attends. A "fully remote" NIE means a representative goes in your place.

Yes, with a power of attorney authorising them to present the application, signed in front of a notary.

Sign it outside Spain at a local notary rather than a Spanish consulate and it normally needs an Apostille to be valid, often with a sworn Spanish translation. Those are third-party costs. No service fee includes them, including ours.

The core set: your passport plus a photocopy, form EX-15 completed in Spanish, proof of why you need the NIE, and a paid Modelo 790 código 012.

Extra requirements depend on your route. A cita previa in Spain, a consulate appointment from abroad, a power of attorney if using a representative. Our document checklist covers all of it.

Our package prices are all-inclusive: €195 + VAT for Standard, €320 + VAT for Priority, €499 + VAT for Express.

Each price includes the applicable government fees and our professional service, with no hidden fees. If a genuinely unavoidable third-party cost applies to your specific application, we explain it before you pay. See pricing.

The official Spanish form for assigning an NIE and related certificates. It must be completed in Spanish; English versions are translation aids only.

Your details must match your passport exactly, and it is filled in capitals. Some offices ask you to sign in front of the official rather than beforehand.

The fee form used by the Policía Nacional for foreigner documentation, including NIE assignment.

You generate it, select the procedure, then pay at a collaborating Spanish bank, or at the consulate from abroad. Selecting the procedure is the step people get wrong because the form covers more than ten, at different prices.

Keep the stamped proof of payment. You need it at the appointment.

Yes, and in practice you must. A Spanish notary will not complete the purchase deed without an NIE for every buyer named on it.

You will need it afterwards too, for transfer tax, utilities and the annual non-resident tax return. Start early: this is a common cause of delayed completions.

You get a receipt (resguardo) when the application is submitted.

Some offices issue the certificate the same day, some in a few days, some take weeks. It depends on the office and the route. Often someone else can collect it with the receipt.

We tell you what to expect for your route, and keep you updated.

Usually one of four things: a missing document, a form filled in wrongly, the wrong procedure on the fee form, or weak proof of why you need the NIE.

The fix is to correct it and reapply, which means a new appointment and often paying the fee again. Checking the paperwork beforehand is what reduces that risk, and it is the main thing we do.

No. QuickNIE is an independent private company, not affiliated with or endorsed by the Spanish Government, the Policía Nacional or any consulate.

You can always apply yourself, and the government fee is identical either way. We are here for people who would rather not do it alone.

On the Express package, yes: once we have your complete and valid application, we guarantee the official NIE certificate within 48 hours. That guarantee does not cover delays caused by incomplete or incorrect information from you.

On Standard and Priority we work to 10 and 5 business days respectively, and we tell you honestly if your deadline looks tight.

Documents are sent over an encrypted connection, used only to prepare and submit your application, shared only with the parties needed to do that, and kept no longer than we need them. You can ask us to delete your data at any time. The detail is in our privacy policy.