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How to apply for a NIE as a property owner in Spain: what you need and in what order

The form is not the problem. The appointment is.

Anyone who buys, inherits or sells a home in Spain without living here needs a NIE. The application is three papers and one appointment. What takes the time is almost always the appointment, not the paperwork.

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What a NIE is, and what it is not

The NIE is the identification number by which the Spanish administration recognises foreigners with an economic, professional or social interest in Spain. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes it that way on the pages of its consulates. Buying, inheriting or selling a home is an interest of that kind: without the number no deed is signed and no contract changes name.

A NIE is not a residence permit. The consulate says so itself on that page: with a NIE you can deal with the Spanish administration, but it does not prove residence in Spain. Anyone who wants to live here must first check whether a visa is needed.

You may already have one

Anyone who bought a property almost always received a NIE with the purchase: without that number the notary does not sign the deed. It is often on the deed itself, or on a paper the seller's or developer's gestoría arranged and which then disappeared into a folder.

So look first: in the purchase folder, in the notary's emails, in the papers of the sale. If the number is there, do not apply for another. The number never expires; only the paper that shows it carries a date. If an office wants a more recent proof, what you ask for is a new certificate of the same number, not a new NIE.

Step 1: the EX-15 form

The application goes through form EX-15, officially the «Solicitud de Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE) y Certificados». The Spanish Embassy in Dublin publishes it as a PDF. You tick that you are applying for a NIE, whether you are resident or non-resident, and where you are filing it.

On the form you give the reason for the application: the economic, professional or social interest. For an owner that is the property, whether by purchase, inheritance or sale. You file the original and a copy, signed by you or by your representative.

Step 2: the fee, form 790 code 012

The police charge €9.84 for assigning a NIE at the applicant's request. It appears in the «Tasas de trámites de extranjería» table on the Policía Nacional's website, and it is the administration's own amount, with no middleman.

You generate the payment form online, the «modelo 790, código 012», and tick the right box on it: «Asignación de Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE) a instancia del interesado». The same form serves dozens of other procedures with other amounts. A wrong box gives a wrong amount: compare the amount on your form with the official table on the day you pay, because fees can change.

Step 3: the appointment, cita previa

For the NIE you need an appointment, booked through the Spanish administration's central system for «cita previa de extranjería». Sometimes there is no slot at your police office. You then look again at another time, or at another office in the province.

That slots can be scarce is also shown by the NIE page of the Spanish Consulate in Miami: the wait there, because of demand, is at least four weeks. That is one consulate and not Spain as a whole, but it gives an idea.

In December two more closed days are added: 8 and 25 December 2026 are national holidays that no region can move, according to the Official Gazette. Anyone who wants it settled in December does well to book in November.

What to bring, and who can go for you

To the appointment you bring: your passport in the original plus a copy of the page with your details (EU citizens may use their ID card), the completed and signed EX-15 in original and copy, and the proof of payment of the fee.

If you cannot come, a representative can file it. They need a power of attorney that expressly authorises the NIE application, a copy of your document and their own ID. The presence of the applicant or the representative is always required. You can also apply at the Spanish consulate in your country. It asks for a little more: the Miami one, for example, also wants proof that you live in its district. Read the page of your own consulate.

What this guide cannot tell you

How long the police will take over your application, because it varies by office and by time of year. And whether your office will ask for one more document on the day: it can happen, because the police assign the NIE and decide what they need.

We are not a gestoría and not a law firm. What we do for owners is check whether a NIE already exists, fill in the EX-15, generate the fee form and watch the official appointment calendar. We do not sell appointments or guarantee them: anyone who does is selling something they cannot promise.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to apply for a NIE?

The official fee is €9.84, according to the Policía Nacional table. That is the administration's amount; whatever an intermediary charges comes on top.

Do I have to come to Spain myself?

Someone has to be present: you, or a representative with a power of attorney that expressly authorises the NIE application. You can also apply at the Spanish consulate in your country.

Does a NIE expire?

The number does not. The paper that shows it carries a date, and some offices want a recent one. You then ask for a new certificate of the same number.

Is a NIE the same as residency?

No. A NIE identifies you to the Spanish administration but does not prove residence in Spain. You can hold a NIE and remain non-resident for life.