*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. 
Here also is another great source of information: Step by Step Guide to Apply for a NIE or TIE in Madrid

Living in Madrid is a great experience that every young international should live! You have the chance to get in touch with many young internationals from all over the world, discover new cultures and enjoy one of the liveliest cities in the world!

But, before the adventure starts, you should know what living abroad implies: first of all, you should know how to get settled in Madrid obtaining a Spanish NIE (Número Identificativo de Extranjero).

And here we explain to EU citizens why it is quite important to get a NIE in Madrid, if you decided to live here for a medium or long time. Well, if you want to obtain things like get a job contract or opening a bank account, but also a telephone contract, you’ll need it.

Who are those who need the NIE number in Spain? 

European Union citizens that are planning to live in Spain for more than 90 days. These are the cases to get a NIE: 

1. If you work in a Spanish company or you are an intern in a Spanish company.
2. If you work in Spain as a freelance or as self-employed.
3. If you are a student, you can apply for the student NIE (NIE estudiantil) if your stay in the country is going to be longer than 3 months.
4. Erasmus program: if you’re in Madrid with an Erasmus scholarship, there’s nothing to worry about!

Proceedings

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

Let’s have a brief overview of the steps:

1. You have to apply for the NIE, by clicking here to request the appointment (NIE cita previa in Spanish).
2. Fill out the forms and send the necessary documentation.
3. You’ll receive an email with the day and hour of your appointment: go to the office taking all your documents.
4. Pay the tax fee for the NIE. 
5. On the day of your appointment, go to the office showing the proof of the payment.
6. You’re ready to leave with your Spanish NIE!

Detailed proceedings for the NIE in Madrid

The first step to get your NIE in Spain is requesting an appointment at the Government official website. Click on this link and select «Certificados UE» among the available options. Then, click “Aceptar” to switch to the new page and download and fill out this form. Then click “Entrar” to move to the next page and type the information about your name and the passport number. Click “Aceptar”” and 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.

On the day of your appointment, show up at the office with all the compulsory documentation. You’ll have to pick a number and wait for your turn. Once you asked for your NIE, you’ll receive it within the next 5 days.

Documents for your NIE in Spain 

The documents below are the ones you need to take on the day of your appointment. They may change whether you are a worker or a student in Spain.

 Anyway, in all cases, you have to take with you at the office:

• 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 have to show based on your status:

Working for a company or a private - documents:

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

Self-employment - documents:

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

 If you don’t work in Spain - documents:

• A document that demonstrate you have a private or public insurance (a spanish one or an international one). 
• A certification that you have the financial resources, enough to afford the reside in Spain (properties, income tax, credit card with a document that shows the amount of money in your bank account). 

Student - documents:

• Certification of your enrollment in a public or private educational institution.
• Certification of a private or public health insurance (the European Health Insurance Card is also valid if the expiration date is after the end of your stay in Madrid).
• Official declaration that demonstrates that you have the financial resources to live in the country. 
• If you shows a document that certifies that you’re part of an Exchange program of the European Union for students and teacher (such as the Erasmus), you don’t need to take none 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 useful tip: apply for the NIE in Madrid beforehand, cause it will take a long to obtain an appointment.

Are you still unsure if you really need to apply for a NIE in Madrid or how to get the empadronamiento done online? Then check out the updated guide on how to apply for your NIE, TIE & Empadronamiento.

For any doubt, contact us and we will be glad to help you! 

See you soon,

helpHousing team