NIE number (Número de Identidad de Extranjero)
Definition
The NIE (número de identidad de extranjero, foreigner identity number) is the personal, unique number Spain's National Police give foreign nationals for all their dealings with Spanish authorities. It is an identification number only: it does not give you the right to live or work in Spain.
Also called: NIE, número de identidad de extranjero, foreigner identity number Spain, NIE Spain, EX-15, certificado de NIE, NIE certificate
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What is an NIE?
Under article 205 of Spain's immigration regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024), foreign nationals who start a procedure for a document allowing them to stay in Spain, or who relate to Spain for economic, professional or social reasons, are given a personal, unique and exclusive number for identification. It must appear on every document issued to you. The NIE is assigned by the Dirección General de la Policía (National Police).
The NIE is the number; the TIE card is the physical residence card that shows it together with your immigration status. Many people confuse the two.
When health professionals meet it
- On a work or residence authorisation. The police assign the NIE automatically (de oficio) when your residence procedure starts, and for visas that let you stay more than 90 days in 180 without a separate authorisation. You then see it on your TIE.
- Before you have a permit. If you need a number earlier, for example to sign a contract or deal with a public body, you apply for it yourself and must explain why you need it. You must not be in Spain irregularly.
- During recognition and registration. Expect the number to be asked for in Spanish paperwork after homologación, such as colegiación and your employment contract.
How to get an NIE
- In Spain: apply in person to the police, through an Oficina de Extranjería or a police station (comisaría), usually by appointment.
- From abroad: apply through a Spanish consulate, which forwards the request to the Comisaría General de Extranjería y Fronteras.
- Complete form EX-15 (original and copy), bring your passport and a copy of the photo page, and evidence of why you need the number.
- Pay the fee on form 790 código 012, under "Asignación de Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE) a instancia del interesado".
The Spanish consulate in Edinburgh, for example, also asks for proof of address in its consular area and sends the NIE by email.
How long it takes and what it costs
The regulation says the police must decide within five days of the application being registered. If you hear nothing in that time, the application is treated as refused. Consulates take longer because of the forwarding: Edinburgh says the NIE is normally issued within three to four weeks.
The police fee form lists €9.84 for assignment of an NIE and €7.31 for each certificate or report. Consulates charge a local-currency equivalent (Edinburgh lists £8.65 in 2026, paid by card at the appointment).
Common problems
- Treating the NIE as permission to work. The Edinburgh consulate states that an NIE certificate issued by a consulate is not valid for work, residence or study. You still need a work or residence authorisation and, once in Spain, a TIE.
- Applying twice. If your residence procedure is under way, the NIE is assigned automatically; you do not need a separate application.
- Name mismatches. Make sure the name on your EX-15 matches your passport and your homologación credential, because the number follows you through every procedure.
Questions
No. The NIE is your foreigner identity number. The TIE is the plastic card the police issue to people with a visa or authorisation for more than six months, and it shows your NIE and your residence status.
Not always. If you enter on a work or residence visa, the police assign the number automatically as part of the procedure. You only apply separately if you need a number before your permit procedure starts.
No. The number identifies you but does not authorise residence or work. The Spanish consulate in Edinburgh states this explicitly for consular NIEs.
No. The regulation describes it as a personal, unique and exclusive number that must appear on all documents issued to you, so it stays the same through renewals and new cards.
Consulates accept representatives with a power of attorney that expressly covers the NIE application, according to the Edinburgh consulate. In Spain the regulation says the application is made personally, so check with the office before sending someone.
The regulation says an application not resolved and notified within five days is treated as refused. You can apply again or ask the office what was missing.