Residencia and NIE
Overview
NIE - Numero de Identificacion de Extranjeros
An NIE number is essentially a tax number for foreigners in Spain. You need one if you are going to buy a house or a car, if you are going to work for a Spanish company or if you want to apply for residencia (a residency card).
To get an NIE number, you need to go to the extranjeros department at your nearest Comisaria (the police station for the national police force, not the local police).You will need to take your passport and a photocopy of it. Fill in the form which is fairly straightforward, keep the copy given to you and you should have your NIE number within 2-6 weeks of applying.
Residencia
The rules on residencia cards in Spain have been changed recently, and if you are an EU citizen and you have a job in Spain - either as an employee or as a self employed person - you do not have to apply for a residencia card. If however you are from outside the EU or if you are retired/unemployed, then you should apply if you stay in Spain for more than 6 months.
Whether you need a residency card or not, the British consulate advise you to get one anyway because, among other things, it saves you from carrying your passport around as ID and makes many bureaucratic processes much easier If you don't get a residency card, you will need a NIE (numero de identificacion de extranjeros, or foreigner's ID number) before you can open a bank account or get a job, and you will need a NIE before you can apply for residency. Forms for both are available from the extranjeros department at the local Comisaria, or police station (for the national police force that is, not the local police), but you can get a gestor to apply for you.
For residency you will need:
- proof of income (a job, very healthy savings account, pension etc)
- proof of either social security payments or private medical insurance
- your passport
- finally if you are married and one of you will be dependent on the other, you will need your marriage certificate.
If you are not moving to one of the coastal areas you may need official translations of your documents. It's a good idea to check.
If you feel unsure about the process or applying for both of the above get your lawyer or gestor to apply for you.