The information below has been collected by helpHousing team. Please, keep in mind that we are not directly related to any legal or government office and the information may change.

Living in Barcelona as a young international has many advantages: you’ll enjoy such a vibrant and charming city with an incredible nightlife. But, you should know that there also are some stuffs that you have to do in order to get settled in Spain: getting a NIE (Número Identificativo de Extranjero).

Why getting a NIE in Barcelona? First of all, it’s the most important process you have to deal with if you want to obtain many other things such as: opening a bank account, signing a job contract, getting a telephone contract, etc.

Who needs the NIE number in Spain? All the European citizens that are going to live in Spain or stay here for more than 90 days for any of this reasons:

1. To work in a Spanish company or doing an internship in a Spanish company.
2. To work in Spain as a freelance or as self-employed.
3. If you are a student you can ask for the NIE estudiantil (student NIE) if your stay is longer than 3 months.
4. If you’re in Spain thanks to an Erasmus scholarship you have nothing to worry about! 

Proceedings

You can obtain your NIE in to ways: apply for it in Spain or while you’re still in your country.

Let’s have a brief overview of the steps:

1. You have to request an appointment (NIE cita previa in Spanish) here.
2. Fill out the forms and submit all the compulsory documentation.
3. You’ll receive an email with the day and hour of your appointment: go to the office taking all your documents.
4. You have to pay a tax fee for the NIE.
5. Then, come back to the office and show the proof of the payment.
6. You’re ready to leave with your Spanish NIE!

Detailed proceedings for the NIE in Barcelona

In order to get your NIE in Barcelona, first of all, you need to request an appointment at the Government official website. After clicking on this link, you have to select «Certificados UE» among the available options. Then click “Aceptar” for the new page and download and fill out this form . Then click “Entrar” for the new page and fill the information about your name and the passport number. Click “Aceptar” and you can select the appointment “Solicitar cita”.

Download and fill the tax form Tasa modelo 790 Código 012 before going to the appointment. This is the tax fee you need to pay and show on the day of the appointment. 

The day of the appointment, show up at the office with all the necessary documentation. Get your number and wait for your turn. Once you asked for it, you’ll receive it within the next 5 days.

The office for the foreigners (Oficina de Extranjería) is in Rambla de Guipuzcoa 74 (Sant Martí), and the metro stop is Bac de Roda or Sant Martí (Línea 2).

Documents for your NIE in Spain

The following documents are what you need to bring on the day of your appointment and they may vary if you are a student or a worker in Spain.

In any of these cases, when you arrive at the office, you have to take with you:

• Original identification document / passport.
• Copy of the ID / passport.
• Form EX-18 or Form EX-15 print and filled. 

Now, a quick overview of the documents you need depending on your status: 

Working for a company or a private - documents:

• Job contract or recruitment commitment with the main data of the company, name of the company and tax identification.
• Job contract as State Employment Service.
• A document that proves the social security as a worker (seguridad social).

Self-employment - documents:

• Registration in the Censo de Actividades Económicas.
• Registration in the Mercantile Registry (Registro Mercantil).
• Proof of the registration as a autonomous worker in the social security. 

If you don’t work in Spain - documents:

• Proof of a private or public insurance (a spanish one or an international one). 
• A proof that you have the financial resources to afford the stay in Spain (properties, income tax, credit card with a certificate that shows the amount of your bank account).  

Student - documents:

• Proof of your enrollment in a public or private educational institution.
• Proof of a private or public health insurance (the European Health Insurance Card is enough if it’s valid till the end of your stay in Barcelona).
• Official declaration that proves that you have the financial resources to stay in the country. 
• If you shows a document that proves you’re part of an Exchange program of the European Union for students and teacher (such as the Erasmus), you don’t have to bring any other of the previous documentation.

*Note to the Non EU citizens: if you are from a non European country, click here to collect information about the documents you need to stay in Spain.

Just a last little tip: apply for the NIE in Barcelona way before your arrival, because it takes a lot to get an appointment. Click here for professional support to get your NIE, TIE or Empadronamiento in Barcelona.
And, for any doubts contact us and we will be glad to help you!

See you soon,

helpHousing team