# NIE Number



## irenemcl (Jan 23, 2010)

Hi,

We are moving down to the Alicante area next week. We are currently looking for a rental property and a car and I understand we need to register in the area we will be living in and need this registration cert to buy a car, send the children to school etc. Can someone please tell me how long it takes to get one and if we need to go in person (i.e could my husband get both of ours or do we both need to go? ) Also, I understand we might need some kind of EU residency certificate- we are both Irish citizens but have been living in NZ so Im not really up to date with what is happening in Europe:confused2:. Also, we are learning spanish but its pretty minimal at the moment. Do we need a translator to go with us to get the certificates? If we are renting a house through an agent should we get someone (ie a lawyer) to look over the rental contract for us or are they all pretty standard ? finally, we have a 6 year old that we would like to start in a local school in septmeber. Can we register just before school opens as we might not be in a place until after the school holidays?

Many Thanks for your help!!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Hi, 
Yes you need to register to get a NIE number (Número de Identidad de Extranjero). As far as I understand you have to register within the first three months if you're going to stay _*more*_ than 3 months. After that you need to go to the Town Hall (ayuntamiento) to register there, but that you can only do once you have an address as the whole point of registering (empadronarse) is so that the pertinent authorities receive money according to the amount of people living in the district. Until you have the above documents, you won't be able to put your daughter down for a place in a school. You'll be able to do it in September as children enter throughout the school year, but there might not be any places left in the school of your choice.
Does this make sense????
There's a sticky on this on the main page and you can also search for threads about cars, education etc


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

The NIE and Residencia are now done as one process, and is done at the police station. In our area, we had to telephone and make an appointment which had a couple of weeks delay. The children were required to get their residencia as well. Once you have the residencia certificate, and you have a long term rental agreement (in Spanish) you can go to the town hall and register on the padron. This is the document you need to purchase a car and register your daughter for a school place. However, the dealer who were purchased the car from was able to issue temporary cover for two months until we had the paperwork in place. Hope this helps.. I would see if the local town hall has a foreigner's office. The one here in Mijas is fantastic, and helped us with all the forms.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

lynn said:


> The NIE and Residencia are now done as one process, and is done at the police station. In our area, we had to telephone and make an appointment which had a couple of weeks delay. The children were required to get their residencia as well. Once you have the residencia certificate, and you have a long term rental agreement (in Spanish) you can go to the town hall and register on the padron. This is the document you need to purchase a car and register your daughter for a school place. However, the dealer who were purchased the car from was able to issue temporary cover for two months until we had the paperwork in place. Hope this helps.. I would see if the local town hall has a foreigner's office. The one here in Mijas is fantastic, and helped us with all the forms.


Hi Lynn, I'm a little confused by what you're saying


> The NIE and Residencia are now done as one process, and is done at the police station


There is NO residencia. It doesn't exist.

What you have to get (and for anyone who isn't sure, it's a legal requirement) is a registration certificate which gives your NIE number.
After that, as you said, you register at the town hall.

To avoid confusion, especially for people who are new to Spain, I propose that we never talk about residencia again because, in the words of Monty Python (Dead Parrot sketch) It is no more, it has passed away, it has gone to a better life, it is DEAD.


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Hi Lynn, I'm a little confused by what you're saying
> 
> 
> There is NO residencia. It doesn't exist.
> ...


Sorry Pesky, I've used the wrong terminology, but basically, the certificate issues a NIE number, but also certifies that you are a resident in Spain. There is a separate process for people who say, are buying a holiday home in Spain and just need an NIE but won't be living here.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

lynn said:


> Sorry Pesky, I've used the wrong terminology, but basically, the certificate issues a NIE number, but also certifies that you are a resident in Spain. There is a separate process for people who say, are buying a holiday home in Spain and just need an NIE but won't be living here.


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## donz (May 5, 2010)

ooh interesting, so what happens if I am buying a property in Spain, will be living there, but need the NIE for the purchase to go through? I won't be living there until the completion has occurred and we travel over


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

donz said:


> ooh interesting, so what happens if I am buying a property in Spain, will be living there, but need the NIE for the purchase to go through? I won't be living there until the completion has occurred and we travel over


The short answer is 'I don't know'! and its something I was trying to do before we moved over. In the end, I just did the process when we got here. I would contact your lawyer and see how its done these days.


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## donz (May 5, 2010)

ahhh ok, thanks, we are coming out July again anyway to see the bank and I had intended to do it then you see so will see what they say


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

donz said:


> ahhh ok, thanks, we are coming out July again anyway to see the bank and I had intended to do it then you see so will see what they say


yes, you need the NIE (or have a t least applied for it - it could sometimes take months in the past, but I think most areas are more efficient now) - you can't make any big purchases without it.


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