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Get Your NIE (Foreign Identity Number)

Theimportance of timescales

Property buyers must have an NIE in place, any delay getting your NIE can hold up the completion, your NIE must by law be on the deed of sale (Escritura).

If for any reason you are not able to complete the sale on the agreed date this can cost you money with a financial penalty.

The best option for buyers right now is to apply for their NIE as soon as possible, ideally before you have found a property you wish to buy.

Spanish Residency: How to get your Residence Permit in Spain

Short-stay, allow you to stay from 90 to 180 days in the country, but without the legal capacity to work.

The Non-Lucrative Visa – Apply for a long-term residency. If you are considering living in Spain for longer than 90 days

If you are planning to work in the country, then you must apply for a regular work permit as an employee (porcuentaajena in Spanish).

Digital Nomad Visa – Spain’s new startup law, if you are working for a foreign company or self-employed registered in another country you can apply for a Nomad Visa

The Golden Visa – a permanent residency visa, issued to individuals who invest in the country. That investment is usually undertaken through the purchasing of a property. The permit will be given to those non-EU citizens who invest at least 500.000€ in Spanish real estate.

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Applying in person

Applications must be made at any police station that has an immigration office, or ‘Oficina de Extranjeros’.
You’ll need to submit your completed NIE application forms (EX-15) along with supporting documentation. You’ll also need to pay the small application fee (approximately €10) at a bank using a Model 790 form, showing proof of payment at the police station.
Supporting documents typically includes your passport and photocopy of the main page, a document (and photocopy) that validates your reason for getting an NIE (eg a notarised letter or deposit contract for a property) and a passport photo.
We will make sure that you have the the right papers, but in some instances, you may need to make an appointment, otherwise you can simply turn up, but be prepared to wait.
Once your application is submitted, you must wait for your NIE certificate to be issued, ready for collection from the police station or sent by post to an address in Spain.

The importance of timescales

It’s not unknown for NIE certificates to be ready for collection or posted the same day as the application was submitted in parts of Spain.
For buyers who have committed to a property purchase, a delay getting your NIE can hold up completion, as your NIE must by law be on your Escritura (deed).

In addition, not being able to complete on the agreed date can also land you with a financial penalty.

The best option for buyers right now is to apply for their NIE as soon as possible, ideally before you have found a property you wish to buy.

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