NIE number
The beneficiaries of a Spanish inheritance will need to have a Spanish NIE number. We can assist with the application for NIE numbers for UK residents or advise on the steps to follow. Scroll down to read more.
Written by:
Javier Pérez-Manglano
UK-Spain legal specialist, with qualifications in both jurisdictions
More about Javier
NIE number stands for ‘foreign national identity number’. Beneficiaries of a Spanish inheritance need to get one of these NIEs if they don’t have one yet.
The NIE is personal and permanent, so you may already have one if, for instance, you have owned property in Spain before. You can apply for a Spanish NIE in person in Spain or at the Spanish consulate that covers the area where you live. An alternative is to have an agent apply for the NIE number on your behalf. This is something we can help you with.
Spanish NIE number application through a power of attorney
If you cannot apply for your NIE in Spain or at a Spanish consulate in person, you can appoint someone to handle the application under a power of attorney.
- The power of attorney needs to specifically mention the NIE number application
- The power of attorney will need to be notarised
- If issued outside Spain (or a Spanish consulate) the power of attorney will also need an apostille
- The power of attorney will need to be in Spanish or translated by an official sworn translator
- You will also need a notarised copy of your passport (we can advise on how to add this to the power of attorney cost-effectively)
Contact us to find out more about getting your NIE number through a power of attorney.
A few facts about NIE numbers – beware!
Where can you obtain a Spanish NIE number?
NIE numbers fall under the remit of the Spanish Ministry of Internal Affairs. In Spain, they are processed either at police stations or at dedicated foreign national offices. There is often confusion as to where exactly a non-resident can submit a NIE number application, particularly when this is done through an agent under a power of attorney:
For years, it has been very common for UK residents to apply for NIE numbers by appointing lawyers or agents in Spain to process their applications locally. There is, however, an interpretation of the rules that suggests that UK residents should apply via the Spanish consulate in their country. As a result, at least in some regions, Spanish police stations seem to have been rejecting powers of attorney, especially when executed outside Spain. Unfortunately, there seems to be a degree of inconsistency in the application of the criteria.
If you are considering the appointment of someone in Spain to obtain the NIE number for you, you should make sure they have been able to process NIE numbers for other applicants very recently. Otherwise, it may be safer to have it processed at the Spanish consulate. Speak to us about it to see if we can help!
Notarising the power of attorney
To appoint an agent to obtain your Spanish NIE number for you, you will need a notarised power of attorney. If you arrange your power of attorney with a notary in the UK, then it will also need an apostille. We can help with all this.
Although e-notarisation via remote certification is a reality, there are still limitations on the types of documents that notaries can certify without an in-person meeting. Notaries in Spain can certify only certain types of powers of attorney online, and the process will usually require that you have a qualified electronic signature recognised in Spain. An added complication is that, for your NIE application, you also need a notarised copy of your passport, and for this the notary would normally need to see the original physical passport. In practice, this means that a visit to a notary is usually still needed for this process, but for this you can use a local notary in the UK, which may still be more convenient than attending an in-person appointment at the Spanish consulate.
Be very careful with online platforms and services that promise a swift NIE application without you leaving home but do not explain the limitations and additional steps involved in the e-notarisation of powers of attorney. Speak to us if in doubt.
Common questions
What exactly does NIE stand for?
NIE stands for Número de Identidad de Extranjero (foreign national identity number). That is the official name, although sometimes you may encounter the slight variation Número de Identificación de Extranjero (foreign national identification number).
It has become common in English to refer to this as ‘NIE number’, although technically the ‘N’ in ‘NIE’ already stands for number.
Who needs a NIE?
You may need a NIE in Spain for a variety of reasons: if you are going to own property, pay certain taxes in Spain or operate a business, for example. For our purposes, if you are going to inherit assets in Spain, as a rule of thumb you will need a NIE if you are not a Spanish national. The NIE of each foreign beneficiary will be quoted in the notarial deed of inheritance, will appear on tax documentation and will be noted in the Land Registry if you are inheriting real property.
You may also need a NIE if you are not a beneficiary. For example, someone acting as an executor or an attorney for the beneficiaries will probably need one if they are signing official documentation, such as the deed of inheritance (escritura de herencia).
How is a NIE used when dealing with an inheritance matter in Spain?
If you are inheriting assets in Spain, your NIE will normally be needed when the notarial deed accepting the inheritance (escritura de aceptación de herencia) is signed. The number will then be used in other documentation, such as the forms required to deal with inheritance-related taxes and the documents submitted to the Land Registry (if real property is involved) or to banks (if the estate includes bank accounts). In some cases, you may need to provide a copy of the certificate confirming your NIE number. In others, you may be just asked to quote the number. Make sure you give it correctly to avoid problems later.
After the administration of the estate in Spain has finished, if you keep assets in Spain, you will continue using the same NIE number. It is your permanent identity number in Spain and you may need to use it, for instance, to liaise with a town hall in connection with your property.
Where is a NIE obtained?
The NIE is issued by offices or departments under the remit of the Spanish Ministry of Home Affairs. These are usually police stations or dedicated offices for foreign nationals. Outside Spain, there is a consular route to obtain a NIE. In the UK, in particular, the Spanish consulates in London, Manchester and Edinburgh offer this service.
For many years, it was common for British citizens to get their NIEs processed in Spain by an agent. This could be achieved by using a power of attorney that specifically granted authority to submit the NIE application. However, this is a method that has to be used with caution these days. There are reports in some areas of agents being told that they cannot use a power of attorney executed abroad. While there has been some confusion around this, it may be linked to an interpretation of the rules under which UK residents should apply through the Spanish consulate for their area.
Will my NIE need renewing in the future?
The NIE itself is a permanent number. You do not need to apply for another one if you have further dealings in Spain — for example if you keep an inherited property to use yourself — and the number does not need renewing. Your NIE number will always be the same, so it’s important to keep a record of it. You might be given a certificate that confirms your number and some of these certificates can contain a statement about a 3-month validity. This, however, is referring to the time during which that particular certificate can be used as evidence of your NIE number. It does not mean the number itself expires and you can obtain a new certificate in the future if needed. Usually the first certificate you get, likely to be in electronic form these days, is all you are going to need.
In some cases, the tax authorities may issue a foreign national with a ‘NIF M’. This may look similar to a NIE but it is not exactly the same and it is only provisional. It is issued precisely to allow for transactions to proceed while a NIE is obtained, particularly if there are delays. A lawyer or advisor in Spain may suggest this as a temporary solution if the NIE application is stuck for some reason.
Also different from a NIE is a TIE. This stands for Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (foreign national identity card) and is only relevant to those non-Spaniards who reside in Spain. A TIE card shows the NIE number and may need renewing from time to time. But this is not something you are going to need if you do not live in Spain. To deal with an inheritance in Spain, a UK resident needs a NIE but not a TIE.
What does a NIE look like?
A NIE consists of an initial letter, seven digits and a final letter. The initial letter is always an X, a Y or a Z, while the letter at the end can be any letter of the alphabet and is the result of a formula depending on the combination of numbers. A sample NIE would be: X1234567L.
How we can help
We can:
- Provide guidance on how to obtain a NIE number
- Arrange a power of attorney for a NIE application
- Liaise with agents in Spain who deal with NIE applications
- Apply for your NIE number at the Spanish Consulate in London
If you need help with other aspects of an inheritance in Spain,
see our Services page or send us an enquiry.