# Does NIE allow one to stay in Spain longer?



## Mrs.Rawles (Apr 24, 2014)

Hola, 

Our family has been in Spain for about 2 months and we fell in love with this country! We would love to buy property and spend some time here every year. We'd like to stay another 3 - 4 months and look for a house but we are U.S. citizens and the tourist visa expires after 90 days. 

I heard that if we apply for NIE cards that would allow us to stay in Spain another 90 days. Is this true? I'm hoping we can avoid applying for residency since we only want to stay for another few months. 

Gracias!


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

No you must comply with your visa requirments.


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

Mrs.Rawles said:


> Hola,
> 
> Our family has been in Spain for about 2 months and we fell in love with this country! We would love to buy property and spend some time here every year. We'd like to stay another 3 - 4 months and look for a house but we are U.S. citizens and the tourist visa expires after 90 days.
> 
> ...


You would have to go back to the US and apply for a residence visa first.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Mrs.Rawles said:


> Hola,
> 
> Our family has been in Spain for about 2 months and we fell in love with this country! We would love to buy property and spend some time here every year. We'd like to stay another 3 - 4 months and look for a house but we are U.S. citizens and the tourist visa expires after 90 days.
> 
> ...


No, as the others have said, that isn't true & you can only stay for 90 days

However, if you buy a property for 500,000€ or more, free of financing, you can then apply for what has become known as a 'golden visa' - but you would have to return to the US to apply. That would then give you right to residency for (I think) a year which you can then extend twice for 2 more years & after the 5 years is up , apply for permanent residency 

that would obviously give you the right to spend as much time here as you like, but I believe that you also have to spend a_ minimum_ amount of time here per year as well (6 months???)


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