# Applying for NIE number from England



## BBillington (Sep 12, 2013)

Can anyone tell me please whether they've used services offering to process your NIE application from the UK, saving a trip to Spain? Your feedback would be hugely appreciated.


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## stevesainty (Jan 7, 2011)

We obtained ours in January 2012.

We visited one of the only 2 Spanish Consulates in UK, Edinburgh; the other one is in London. The Manchester one closed during the summer of 2012.

We told a small lie saying that we were going to buy a property in Spain, the only other reason you can give, to be issued with NIE in UK, is that you are going to buy Spanish shares or bonds. We were in fact going to live in Spain but only renting at first. We are now in the process of buying somewhere so it was really only a small fib.

We were processed by a very nice Spanish lady with a Scots accent. She filled in all the paperwork, we paid the required fee of less than £10 each, in cash. We were all done and dusted in about half an hour, in the week before Christmas 2011.

We took with us passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce certificates and copies, and utility bills. We had heard all about Spanish bureaucracy even then.

I believe we only needed passports and birth certificates in the end, but it is better to be well armed with paperwork

The NIE's were delivered to our UK address 6-7 weeks in total.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

BBillington said:


> Can anyone tell me please whether they've used services offering to process your NIE application from the UK, saving a trip to Spain? Your feedback would be hugely appreciated.


:welcome:


it can be done - you can do it yourself, you don't need any 'service' to do it


you have to fill in the EX15 form (downloadable from here) & take it to the nearest Spanish Consulate - you have to attend in person

as long as you have good reason to need one, without being in Spain, for example to buy or inherit property, then you'll be issued one - not on the spot, but I'm not sure if they will post it or if you need to go back to collect it


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## BBillington (Sep 12, 2013)

Thank you for your advice. B. Billington


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## BriN (Sep 15, 2013)

xabiachica said:


> :welcome:
> 
> 
> it can be done - you can do it yourself, you don't need any 'service' to do it
> ...


Once you do this, can you open a bank account in Spain without having to be there in person?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

BriN said:


> Once you do this, can you open a bank account in Spain without having to be there in person?


I don't think so - not sure

but many/most banks will let you open a non-resident account with just your passport as ID in any case


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## pizzacheaze (Oct 29, 2012)

I used an online service for €165. nienumber direct from lawbird

They were very professional and helpful and I would recommend them.

You have to go to see a UK notary and mine charged me around £100.

whole process took around 3 weeks.

You don't need a NIE to open a bank account only to buy a house/car.

If you have not found a property yet then it may be cheaper to get the NIE in person when you are over there viewing.

It was cheaper for me to do it this way than to go in person.

If you have any questions just send me a pm.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

pizzacheaze said:


> I used an online service for €165. nienumber direct from lawbird
> 
> They were very professional and helpful and I would recommend them.
> 
> ...


A NIE costs about 10€



just saying............. 


how do they get a NIE for you when you have to apply in person :confused2:


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## pizzacheaze (Oct 29, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> A NIE costs about 10€
> 
> just saying.............
> 
> how do they get a NIE for you when you have to apply in person :confused2:


You have to see a UK notary to give limited power of attorney to the person (lawyer) in Spain who will stand in the line for you.

I should of got my NIE on a viewing trip or a previous holiday, but it was overlooked and when I needed one I had 2 options... visit from the UK just for this purpose or get someone else to do it for me. It was cheaper and easier to do the latter.

As per the previous poster, I did consider visiting the Edinburgh or London Spanish consulate, but I needed mine quicker than 6-7 weeks.

This type of service will not suit everyone, as you say it can cost 10 euros in person, but if you are in the UK and you have no other reason to visit Spain then it can (in my case) save you a lot of £££ in flights, hotels, expenses and time.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

pizzacheaze said:


> You have to see a UK notary to give limited power of attorney to the person (lawyer) in Spain who will stand in the line for you.
> 
> I should of got my NIE on a viewing trip or a previous holiday, but it was overlooked and when I needed one I had 2 options... visit from the UK just for this purpose or get someone else to do it for me. It was cheaper and easier to do the latter.
> 
> ...


yes, I can see that in an 'emergency' that would be the only option - a costly oversight!


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## BBillington (Sep 12, 2013)

Thanks for your guidance. B Billington


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## BBillington (Sep 12, 2013)

Thank you. Very helpful. B. Billington


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## sharon woods (Sep 1, 2013)

thats good to no i am in glasgow edinburgh is not that far for us to go will the kids need one they are 9 and 8 also will they need to go through with us


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

sharon woods said:


> thats good to no i am in glasgow edinburgh is not that far for us to go will the kids need one they are 9 and 8 also will they need to go through with us


if you're moving here just wait til you get here - you will all have to register as resident & they'll issue NIE numbers then

much quicker in the long run & saves money too


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