FOREIGNER IDENTITY NUMBER ( NIE )
INTRODUCTION
The "NÚMERO DE IDENTIDAD DE EXTRANJERO" (NIE) is a personal, unique, and permanent number that must be requested from the Spanish authorities by foreign citizens who, regardless of cial intel their place of residence, have ties to Spain due to their economic, professional, or social interests.
The NIE will be the foreigner's identifier and must appear on all documents issued or processed.
The NIE allows procedures to be carried out before Spanish public authorities, but it is not valid for residency or proof of residence in Spain.
The following must also be processed beforehand for the issuance of a NIE: -foreigners who apply for or have obtained a residence permit in Spain to carry out pald activities in Spain, including those who have obtained a residence permit in Spain under 14/2013, of September 27, on Entrepreneurs. Law -foreigners selected to participate in the Foreign Language Conversation Assistant programs ("Auxiliares de Conversación").
The for NIE can be applied for directly in Spain or at a Spanish Consular Office. However, it must be applied for at a Consular Office if the number is required for any consular procedure (for example, certain types of visas), or if the interested person does not plan to transfer his/her residence to Spain.
Only applications from residents of the territory of this consular district (which includes the states of Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria) will be processed at this Consular Office.
Documentation MUST be submitted IN PERSON for applicants of legal age and minors aged 12 or over:
-At this Consulate General, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays, without an appointment:
Consulate General of Spain
Level 7, 564 St. Kilda Road Melbourne, VIC 3004
-By registered post, EXCLUSIVELY for applicants residing in Western Australia. In this case, the interested party or their representatives must first have the copies of their identity documents or passports certified exclusively at the Honorary Consulate of Spain in Perth. This honorary consular office operates exclusively by appointment. Therefore, interested parties must request one by sending an email to ch.perth@maec.es, indicating:
General Consulate of Spain
Citizens Department ( Subject: NIE)
P.O. Box 6202 Melbourne, VIC 3004
With the following exceptions: -applicants of legal age may complete this procedure through a duly representative. accredited -applications for NIE numbers for minors under 12 years of age or persons with disabilities must be submitted in person by the parents or guardians. The minor or person with disabilities does not require physical presence at the Consular Office.
DOCUMENTATION TO BE PRESENTED
1. Application form EX-15 (original and photocopy), completed and signed by the applicant (or their representatives, in the case of minors or persons with disabilities), which must include their postal address and an email address for notification purposes. The applicant must also indicate, IN SPANISH, the economic, professional, or social reasons justifying their application (acquisition of property, opening a current account, inheritance, etc.).
Finally, if the applicant has previously held another NIE number, they must also state this on the form. The form must be completed online and printed once completed. This form can be downloaded from the following link ![]()
EX15. FORM EDITABLE.pdf in the subject line, their personal information, and contact telephone number. 6 A template showing how to complete this form is attached. Please, use the editable version of the form EX-15 to avoid misunderstandings with handwiting, however the signature must be handwritten in front to the consular officer.
2. Form 790/code 012, proof of payment of the corresponding fee. This form is numbered consecutively, so only the original may be submitted. This form can be downloaded from the following https://sede.policia.gob.es/Tasa790_012/ . Please print all the pages ( Ejemplar para la Administracion, Ejemplar para el interesado/a, Ejemplar identidad bancaria).
A template showing how to complete this form is attached in NOTE PROCEDURE NIE.
3. Valid ID or passport of the applicant (including minors and persons with disabilities) and a photocopy of the biographical data page of the passport (which will be certified against the original). For applicants of legal age, if the application is submitted through a representative, only a photocopy of said document, previously certified locally, must be submitted.
4. If the application is submitted through a representative, the original power of attorney signed in their favor by the interested party, and also a valid ID or passport (original and copy) of the representative.
5. If the application is submitted on behalf of a minor or a disabled person, any document that verifies kinship, a declaration of incapacity, or the establishment of guardianship, and also, and in all cases, the original and a photocopy of the valid ID or passport of the parents or guardians (these documents will be certified along with the originals).
6. Consular fee:
It will not be necessary to have this power of attorney apostilled or translated, but this Consulate General reserves the right to request it apostilled and translated if it deems appropriate.
7. As in the previous case, it is not, in principle, necessary to have these documents apostilled or translated, but this Consulate General reserves the right to request them apostilled and translated if itdeems appropriate.
8. Payments will only be accepted in cash or by money order made payable to the Spanish Consulate for the exact amount, unless certified copies are made at the Honorary Consulate of Spain in Perth, in which case ONLY money orders will be accepted. In this case, the money order will be included in the Registered Post mail mentioned in point 1.4. 7 - 16 AUD, NIE issuance fee. - 10 AUD, for the certified copy of each identity document or passport (one certified coору generally, and three certified copies in the case of applications from minors or persons with disabilities).
SUBSEQUENT STAGES CONSULAR OFFICES DO NOT ISSUE NIES.
NIE applications received at this Consular office will be forwarded electronically to the Spanish Ministry of the Interior for processing. The minimum timeframe for issuing the requested NIE is 4 weeks. The NIE will be sent directly to the applicant EXCLUSIVELY by email. The NIE does not expire.
Legislation
- Ley Orgánica 4/2000
, of 11th of January, providing the rights of foreigners and their social integration.
- Real Decreto 557/2011, of 20th of January, approving Regulation 4/2000 on the rights of foreigners in Spain and their social integration following its reform by Organic Law 2/2009.