How to get your NIE in Spain: a plain-English 2026 guide

If you're settling in Spain, the NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is the very first thing you'll need. It's your foreigner's identification number, and almost nothing happens without it.

What can't you do without it?

The NIE is required to open a bank account, sign a rental or purchase contract, set up utilities, pay taxes, buy a car, or start work. Treating it as something to "sort out later" is one of the most common — and costly — mistakes new arrivals make.

The documents you'll usually need

• A completed EX-15 application form
• Your passport (plus a photocopy)
• Proof of why you need the NIE (e.g. a property reservation, work offer or economic reasons)
• The Modelo 790 Código 012 tax form, paid at a bank (a small fee, around €10)

The real hurdle: the cita previa

The paperwork itself is rarely the problem — getting an appointment is. Slots for the police station or foreigners' office are booked through the online cita previa system, and in 2026 they vanish within seconds and vary wildly by province. Booking the wrong type of appointment (an NIE slot when you actually need EU registration, for example) can cost you weeks.

This is exactly where having someone who knows the system saves you time and tears — finding the right slot, for the right office, first time.