Getting a Spanish NIE Number from the US
The NIE, or Número de Identidad de Extranjero, is the identification number Spain gives foreigners. Sooner or later, almost every American with plans in Spain needs one, whether to buy a home, inherit, open a bank account or sign a work contract.
Below we explain what the number is, when you get it automatically and how to request it from the US. We also cover the documents that need a Spanish translation along the way.
What the NIE Is
Under article 205 of Spain's immigration regulation, anyone with economic, professional or social interests in Spain can ask for an NIE. The number is personal and permanent, and it appears on every Spanish document issued to you.
An NIE is not a residence permit. The Spanish consulates in Washington and Houston both state that a consular NIE does not entitle you to live in Spain or prove residence there. If you plan to live in Spain, you need a visa as well.
When You Do Not Need to Apply Separately
If you are moving to Spain on a residence visa, such as the non-lucrative visa or the digital nomad visa, you normally receive your NIE with your residence permit. It is printed on your foreigner identity card, the TIE.
The separate NIE application is for people who need the number before they move, or without moving at all: buyers of a holiday home, heirs of property in Spain, investors and people with business in Spain.
Applying at a Spanish Consulate in the US
You apply at the consulate that covers the state where you live. The applicant or a representative must appear in person, and a representative needs a power of attorney that expressly authorizes the NIE application. The consulates in Washington and Houston require these documents:
- Form EX-15, completed and signed, giving the economic, professional or social reason for the request.
- Form 790, code 012, for the fee.
- Your valid passport, with a copy of the photo page.
- Proof that you live in the consular district, such as a driver's license or state ID.
- For a minor, a birth certificate or guardianship document and the parent's or guardian's passport.
Each consulate sets its own hours, fee and delivery time, so check its NIE page before you go. The Washington embassy and the Houston consulate both send the NIE to the applicant by email.
Which Documents Need a Spanish Translation
The consular NIE request itself uses few documents, and the reason on form EX-15 goes in Spanish. The translations concern the documents that go with it:
- A birth certificate, when you apply for a child. US birth certificates also need an apostille from the issuing state (see birth certificate translation).
- A power of attorney signed in the US, if someone in Spain will act for you. Spanish notaries and offices usually ask for it apostilled and translated, which our legal document translation team handles.
- Documents that prove your reason, such as a purchase agreement, a will or an employment offer, when the office asks for them.
Authorities inside Spain usually expect a traductor jurado, a translator appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ask the office that will receive the document which form it accepts.
NIE, TIE and DNI
- The NIE is the number. It never changes once assigned.
- The TIE is the plastic residence card that non-EU residents receive, and it carries the NIE.
- The DNI is the national identity card of Spanish citizens. As a foreigner, you will not receive one.
How BeTranslated Can Help
Our Spanish translation team translates the US documents that come with an NIE request or a move to Spain: birth certificates, powers of attorney, wills, contracts and civil records. We can also arrange the apostille for the documents that need one.
When a Spanish authority asks for a traductor jurado, we work with translators appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Tell us which office will receive your documents, and we will prepare each translation in the form it accepts.
Send us your documents for a free translation quote. We reply with a price and delivery date within 12 hours.
Moving to Valencia?
If Valencia is where you are headed, our relocation partner ValenciaMove helps Americans with the rest of the move: visas, the NIE, finding a home and the paperwork after you arrive. Read their guide to moving to Valencia from the USA.
FAQs
Does an NIE Let Me Live in Spain?
No. The NIE identifies you to the Spanish administration, but residence requires a visa and a residence permit.
Can Someone Apply for My NIE in My Place?
Yes. A representative can file the request with a power of attorney that expressly authorizes it. A power of attorney signed in the US usually needs an apostille and a Spanish translation for use in Spain.
Do I Need an NIE If I Move on a Residence Visa?
You do not usually apply separately. Visa holders normally receive the NIE with their residence permit, printed on the TIE card.
Does the NIE Expire?
No. The number stays the same for life. The TIE card that carries it has an expiry date tied to your residence permit.
