# Getting an NIE before going to Spain



## SueJB (Aug 4, 2012)

Hello all

Apologies if my questions have been answered before (probably many times!) but I've spent the last goodness-knows-how-long reading the forum and can't find what I need.

We're planning ahead for a move to Spain, initially for up to 3 months at a time but later (c3 years from now) possibly full time. For the first couple of years at least we want to rent a property to make sure it's right for us. 

Rental agents we've spoken to have told us we need NIEs to get a long term rental apartment, so we're trying to organise it from the UK. I've found all the info on forms, where to go in the UK to get one etc but have two remaining questions:


Can we get the NIE sent to a UK address (obviously we don't have one in Spain yet)?
Does the NIE expire after three months, and if so can we renew it? (and how?)

Many thanks in advance, this forum is pure gold!

Best wishes
SueJB


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

SueJB said:


> Hello all
> 
> Apologies if my questions have been answered before (probably many times!) but I've spent the last goodness-knows-how-long reading the forum and can't find what I need.
> 
> ...


:welcome:

as far as I know, you can only now get NIE from a Spanish consulate in the UK in order to buy a property

you shouldn't need a NIE to rent a property - you can usually do that with your passport as ID - but of course all that could change in the next few years

the NIE number itself doesn't expire, but at the moment thay are issuing NIE _certificates_ with an expiry date of 3 months - the assumption being that if you need the cert after that you are probably resident

I wouldn't get your bragas in a bunch about it - & agents shouldn't really be insisting on a NIE for a temporary let

and in any case, they are usually issued on the day - maybe you could get a rental agent to take you to sort it out 

it's a renter's market, after all


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## callie (Jun 15, 2012)

Hello Sue

We're in the same position as you and are going out to Mallorca for 2 months next year as a short 'trial'. I'll try to explain my understanding of the situation and then someone more knowledgeable can correct it 

In theory you can apply for a 'non-resident' NIE from the UK via the Spanish Embassy but in practice they send it to Madrid for processing so it all takes a long time. It would need to be exchanged for a 'residents' NIE document once you are in Spain and then renewed after 90 days (which is when you have to apply for registration on the EU residents register, prove income, health cover etc.) . You might need to check with the agents you are dealing with if they will accept a non-resident NIE for a long-term let

Depending on where you are planning to stay in Spain the issuing of an NIE can be pretty quick - we're going to get ours done in Palma when we're out there next year which is why we've gone for a short-term let first. 

Callie


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## callie (Jun 15, 2012)

xabiachica knows far more than me about this stuff - so take her reply over mine any day


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

callie said:


> xabiachica knows far more than me about this stuff - so take her reply over mine any day


thanks

everything you write is correct afaik - but towards the end of last year iirc they started asking why you wanted a NIE when you apply from outside Spain

the main valid reasons were to buy or inherit property


much easier to wait til you get here - & possibly quicker too...........


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## tonyinspain (Jul 18, 2011)

Totally agree with the above wait till you arrive good luck and your doing it right make sure you like it before settling and Dont cut your ties with the UK


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## stevesainty (Jan 7, 2011)

We got ours via the Spanish Consulate in Edinburgh. We applied just before Christmas 2011 and received the NIE's at our UK address at end of January 2012.

We wanted ours before we arrived as we understood that you needed one to buy a car and we did not want the added complication of getting one whilst looking for a long term rental and buying a car.

You may apply for an NIE via a consulate if you
a) are not intending to be a permanent resident in Spain and 
b) you want to buy a Spanish property or shares in a Spanish company.

We completed the application stating that we wished to buy a property in Spain.

There are only 2 consulates in UK and you have to attend in person. You may only attend the consulate that deals with your UK address and it is basically a north south divide. South is dealt with in London North in Edinburgh, their websites give a more precise list of areas.

We did ours in Edinburgh,perfectly painless and straightforward. The lady we dealt with, Adela Perez, completed the forms for us, although we had already completed the forms and took copies. We needed passports only but we did take birth, marriage and divorce certs and photocopies just in case. Cost £8 each cash.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

stevesainty said:


> We got ours via the Spanish Consulate in Edinburgh. We applied just before Christmas 2011 and received the NIE's at our UK address at end of January 2012.
> 
> We wanted ours before we arrived as we understood that you needed one to buy a car and we did not want the added complication of getting one whilst looking for a long term rental and buying a car.
> 
> ...


so I'm right then - you can only get a NIE now from a consulate in the UK in order to buy property in Spain as a non-resident

but they don't actually check - because you _are_ intending to live here & you _don't_ intend to buy property (yet) :confused2:


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## stevesainty (Jan 7, 2011)

That is very true Xabia, but surely we only deceided to come and rent after we had obtained our NIE's


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

stevesainty said:


> That is very true Xabia, but surely we only deceided to come and rent after we had obtained our NIE's


:eyebrows:


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## rossob (Jun 17, 2014)

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I'm in a similar situation where I'm applying for an NIE from the UK before arriving in Spain, to make things easier with regards to paperwork (utility bills, bank accounts, etc).

If someone were in fact applying for an NIE to buy a house as a non-resident, am I right in saying the part of the EX15 "Situación en España" would be marked "Estancia (Temp stay)" rather than "Residencia (resident)"?

I'm assuming the situation in this case would be people looking to buy a house in Spain, but not stay permanently in it, like a holiday house, or a house rented out to others? Just want to get my facts straight on that point... ;-)


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

rossob said:


> Sorry to bump an old thread, but I'm in a similar situation where I'm applying for an NIE from the UK before arriving in Spain, to make things easier with regards to paperwork (utility bills, bank accounts, etc).
> 
> If someone were in fact applying for an NIE to buy a house as a non-resident, am I right in saying the part of the EX15 "Situación en España" would be marked "Estancia (Temp stay)" rather than "Residencia (resident)"?
> 
> I'm assuming the situation in this case would be people looking to buy a house in Spain, but not stay permanently in it, like a holiday house, or a house rented out to others? Just want to get my facts straight on that point... ;-)


yes, tick 'estancia'

bear in mind though, that the certificate has a 'shelf life' of just 3 months - so if it went past that date when you needed it, you'd have to get a new one - & pay again


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## rossob (Jun 17, 2014)

xabiachica said:


> yes, tick 'estancia'
> 
> bear in mind though, that the certificate has a 'shelf life' of just 3 months - so if it went past that date when you needed it, you'd have to get a new one - & pay again


Great, thanks xabiachica. By the time is has expired I will very likely have changed my mind and decided to become a resident ;-)


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

rossob said:


> Great, thanks xabiachica. By the time is has expired I will very likely have changed my mind and decided to become a resident ;-)


lol - that's _more _paperwork!!


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## rossob (Jun 17, 2014)

xabiachica said:


> lol - that's _more _paperwork!!


Haha, yes unfortunately it is but I need an NIE to sign on as Autonomo, I need Autonomo for health insurance, and I need health insurance for residency. Strange game of paperwork, but there you have it. I went and applied for an NIE today at the Edinburgh consulate -- took about 60 seconds, I was shocked by how easy it was.

Also, I hear it's a lot easier to to get utilities sorted with an NIE -- and I need them sorted before I arrive, so I can get the internet running ASAP (my work depends on it).


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