Sorting Out a NIE (Spanish Insurance Number)

Once you've been in Spain for a little while and have sorted all the most pressing issues such as where you'll live and how you'll be travelling to and from uni/work, you'll want to get your hands on a NIE or Spanish insurance number. Without one you won't be able to open an account in most banks and apparently it's actually a legal requirement to get one before you've been living in Spain for 3 months so don't faff about!

I remember being told something about going to the police station to get one in an induction lecture back in Southampton but it's actually a bit more complicated than that. For a start you can't just go to any old police station... In this post I'll talk you through how I got hold of mine step by step - I hope you find it helpful.

Step 1: Making an Appointment

Like everything in Spain you can't just turn up with your documents and ask for what you want; you need to make an appointment online first.

Go to this website: https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/icpplus/citar

You will need to select your province from the first drop down menu (in my case Madrid) and then from the second menu choose "CERTIFICADOS UE". The next page is terms and conditions, give these a quick read if you like and then skip forwards to input your data. This involves selecting "pasaporte" from the available documents (seeing as you won't have a NIE yet) and inputting your passport number and full name. After proving you're not a robot with one of those little letter test thingies you'll be taken to a page where it asks you to either "solicitar una cita" or "anular" an appointment you've already made. Select "solicitar una cita". The next few pages will take you through booking an appointment; there may be a choice of police stations or there may be just one and you may have to wait a while for a free slot. Make sure you select the FULL NIE that costs 10 euros and NOT the 9 euro one that means you won't have everything you need. Once you've got your appointment booked print off the confirmation email/print screen the page or write down the booking reference - you'll need it later! :)

Step 2 (optional): Getting the Bank Form Ahead of Time

A NIE costs money and you need to pay for it in advance at a bank and then bring the bank receipt as proof of payment to your appointment at the Police Station. Before you head to the bank though you need to go to the Police Station to get hold of the NIE form you'll need to take to the bank... bear with me people. For some this might mean a separate trip to the station and then the bank if they're quite far apart (hence why this step is optional) but in Madrid it can all be done in the same day. I'll explain exactly how I did this in the following few steps:

Step 3: Things You Will Need

• 2 copies of a document that provides a reason for you to be in Spain e.g. your work contract or your uni forms etc. Original and photocopy
• Your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
• Your Passport and a photocopy
• Proof you have an appointment (this is where the printed off email/reference number comes in!)
• The 10 euros to pay for your NIE
• (Then later the bank receipt as proof of payment for your NIE)
• You may also be asked for a copy of your housing contract to prove you are resident in Spain.

Step 4: Appointment Time!!

You will need to set aside a good few hours or more to get your NIE. I took the whole morning off work and, due to the amount of waiting around, was glad I did!

Make sure to arrive at least an hour before your appointment time at the Police Station (in Madrid this was the Comisería General de Extranjería y Fronteras in calle Padre Piquer, 18). During this time you will need to ask for the bank form at the front desk, fill it in and take it to the nearest bank with your 10 euros. They will then sign it, stamp it and issue you with a receipt (guard this with your life!!)

Return to the Police Station with your receipt and all the other documents mentioned above.

Ask at the front desk for the EX-18 form (or ask for the NIE form - they're sure to understand) and fill this in while you are waiting. They will then give you your queue number.

When your number comes up it's your turn to get your NIE. The appointment itself was actually incredibly straightforward; I just handed my documents over one by one and after about 15 minutes I emerged clutching my little green card.

Now you are officially registered to live and work in Spain! Woohoo!

I hope this was useful; if you have any questions just leave them down below, fb me or tweet me using +MadridAdrift :)