Your NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is your personal ID number for any economic, professional, or social dealing with Spain. It is not a residence permit — just an ID number.
How to get it
From abroad, through your Spanish consulate; in Spain, at the Oficina de Extranjería covering where you live, by appointment only. If you’re on the Digital Nomad Visa, it’s usually issued as part of the visa/residence bundle rather than requested separately.
Booking the appointment (cita previa) — the hardest part of the whole process
This is the single most-complained-about bottleneck in Spanish bureaucracy. Practical tips that come up repeatedly:
- Slots release at unpredictable times, often midnight or early morning, and disappear within seconds — check daily, right after midnight or first thing in the morning, and keep refreshing.
- Some provinces release new batches on a specific weekday.
- If your province has no slots, some people book in a neighboring province where they also have a genuine connection.
- A gestoría or immigration lawyer who monitors releases professionally is a common (paid) shortcut if you’re stuck.
Documents
Form EX-15, valid passport (original + copy), justification for why you need it (property contract, job offer, visa notification — a weak justification is reportedly the top reason for denial), and your paid fee receipt.
Fee
Modelo 790, código 012 — around €9.84. Pay at a participating bank before your appointment; it can’t be paid at the police station. ⚠ Don’t confuse this with the separate, higher TIE fee — they’re different tax codes.
Processing time
Often same-day to ~5 business days in Spain; 3–4 weeks via a consulate abroad.
Next step: once you’re in Spain, you’ll also need your TIE card and to get empadronado — get the empadronamiento first, since you’ll need it for the TIE appointment.