Getting an NIE to buy property in Spain from abroad
You need an NIE, Spain's identity number for foreigners, before you can sign a purchase deed, open a Spanish bank account or pay Spanish tax. You can apply from home through the Spanish consulate, in person in Spain, or through a lawyer acting for you. Start as soon as you are serious about buying, because a consulate can take from a few weeks to a couple of months.
What the NIE is, and what it is not
NIE stands for Número de Identidad de Extranjero. Every Spanish authority uses it to identify you. It is only an identification number, and it gives you no right to live or work in Spain.
Where to apply
- From your own country: apply at the Spanish consulate responsible for where you live. The consulate sends the application on to the Spanish police.
- In Spain: book an appointment at a foreigners' office or a police station that deals with these applications.
- Through someone else: a lawyer can apply on your behalf, provided you have given them a power of attorney that specifically covers it.
What you need to provide
At the time of writing (October 2026), you need:
- Form EX-15, the application form.
- The fee, paid on form 790 code 012, which is around €10.
- Your passport and a copy of it.
- Something that shows why you need the number, for example a reservation or purchase agreement.
If you have not yet signed a reservation, ask the consulate what it will accept as evidence of your reason for applying.
How long it takes
At a consulate, the wait depends heavily on the country and the time of year, and can run from a few weeks to a couple of months. In Spain the number is often issued on the day of the appointment, but getting an appointment can be difficult in busy places. Apply once you have decided to buy, not once you have found the house.
A Spanish bank account
The NIE is one of three things that take time to arrange from abroad and can delay completion if left late. The others are a bank account and, if you may miss the signing, a power of attorney.
It is legal to buy without a Spanish account, but owning a home without one is awkward. You will need it for direct debits for local taxes and utilities, and, if you sell one day, it is the simplest place to receive back any excess of the 3% your buyer pays to the tax agency on your behalf. Banks open non-resident accounts with your NIE and passport, and usually ask for a certificate confirming that you are not resident in Spain.
Opening the account is rarely the problem. Proving where your money comes from is. Banks and notaries must follow anti-money-laundering rules, so gather evidence of the source of your funds, such as a property sale, savings, an inheritance or a mortgage, before you transfer anything. Send it from an account in your own name and keep every statement. The notary records in the deed how the price was paid, usually by bank transfer or banker's draft. Paying in cash is restricted, so do not plan on it.
A power of attorney
Someone you trust in Spain, usually your lawyer, can apply for your NIE, open accounts, sign the purchase and pay the taxes for you under a power of attorney. You can grant one in two ways:
- Before the Spanish consul where you live. This is already a Spanish document and needs nothing further.
- Before a notary in your own country. This needs an apostille under the Hague Convention and, if it is not in Spanish, a sworn Spanish translation.
The document must set out each power: buying a particular property or any property, signing a mortgage, applying for an NIE, paying taxes, opening a bank account. A Spanish notary may refuse a power that is loosely worded, so have your lawyer send the draft to the notary handling the purchase before you sign it.
Do you need a tax representative?
A tax representative is a person or firm in Spain, usually a gestoría or a lawyer, who deals with the Spanish tax agency for you. Some guides say every non-EU owner needs one, but the Spanish tax agency does not.
- If you live in an EU country, or in Iceland, Norway or Liechtenstein, you do not have to appoint one.
- If you live elsewhere, for example the UK, Switzerland or the US, you only have to in specific cases, including when the tax agency asks you to because of your Spanish income or property.
- If you live in a jurisdiction that Spain classes as non-cooperative, you must appoint one if you own assets in Spain.
Failing to appoint one when required carries a €2,000 fine, or €6,000 if you live in a non-cooperative jurisdiction. Even when it is optional, a representative can be useful. Tax letters arrive in Spanish, deadlines are short, and a local adviser who receives them and files your yearly form 210 lowers the risk of missing something.
Once the paperwork is moving, the free calculators for the Balearic Islands and the Costa Blanca will estimate your purchase taxes and fees.
More detail in the book. Chapter 1 of Buying a Home in the Balearic Islands as a Non-Resident cover this with worked examples, deadlines and the risks behind the figures.
More detail in the book. Chapter 1 of Buying a Home on the Costa Blanca as a Non-Resident cover this with worked examples, deadlines and the risks behind the figures.
General information based on the rules in force in October 2026, not legal or tax advice. Rules change often: check your own case with an independent Spanish lawyer or tax adviser before you act.
Related: How much does it cost to buy a home in the Balearic Islands? · How much does it cost to buy a home on the Costa Blanca?