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Non-resident property buyers in Spain can apply for a NIE (foreigner's identification number) in any of the Spanish consulates in Britain which could save them having to come to Spain a few days early and endure long queues in an often badly-managed (to put it politely) and over-crowded Oficina de Extranjeros in a Spanish police station.
Anyone intending to sell or buy property in Spain (or indeed anything else which involves paying tax to the Spanish inland revenue) needs a NIE by Spanish law for tax purposes. Applying at your nearest consulate is more expensive than getting a NIE in Spain but it still may be an advantage for alot of non-resident property-buyers.
If you do decide to apply while still in the UK, then you need to get together all necessary documentation and then go to the consulate where you will be asked to sign the NIE application forminfront of a consulate employee. Your signature will then be given an official validation stamp (which is where the fee comes in - £22).
You will need the following documents:
- A stamped (also at the consulate) photocopy of your passport
- 2 recent passport size photos. The background must be plain, and people who wear glasses and/or earrings must take them off for the photo
- An original copy + photocopy of a document which explains why you need your NIE. This may be the private sales contract you have signed with the estate agent, promotor or private vendor, if you are going to work in Spain, the job offer... We suggest ringing the consulate beforehand to find out what to take depending on your personal circumstances
- A self-addressed envelope
- An envelope big enough to contain all the above + NIE application form addressed to the central police HQ in Madrid: ComisarÃa General de ExtranjerÃa y Documentación, Dirección General de Policia, C/ General Pardiñas, 90, 28006 Madrid, Spain:
One the NIE application form with your signature and passport have been stamped, the consulate will send the envelope containing all the above to Madrid. Then you will have to wait to receive your NIE.
The consulate will not be able to provide you with an application form, so get someone to get one from their local police station in Spain and post it to you or simply download a NIE application form . This form is provided by the Spanish Interior Ministry. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the yellow IMPRIMIR button to print it out (Imprimir means Print).
There are 3 Spanish consulates in the UK.
If you live in:-
Northern Ireland, Cheshire, Cleveland, Clwyd, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Durham, Manchester, Gwynedd, Humberside, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, the Isle of Man, Merseyside, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Tyne & Wear or Yorkshire, please apply to:
The Spanish Consulate General, 1 Brooks House, 70 Spring Gardens, Manchester, M2 2BQ. Tel: 0161 236 1233
Scotland or the Scottish Islands, please apply to:
The Spanish Consulate General, 63 North Castle Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3LJ. Tel: 0131 220 1843
And if you live anywhere else within the UK apply to the London office: 20 Draycott Place, London SW3 2RZ, Tel: 020 7589 8989, Fax: 020 7581 7888
The Spanish Consulate in Britain's website gives no indication just how long it takes for the NIE to arrive from Madrid, so check with staff either by phone beforehand or while you are there to get an idea of how long you should expect to wait. |
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