The Spanish National Police has quietly rolled out an overhauled electronic procedure for obtaining a Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE) – the tax and identity number every foreigner needs to open a bank account, sign a lease or commence work in Spain. The revised guidance, published on the Police e-administration portal on 29 July, clarifies eligibility, introduces English and French language toggles and reaffirms a statutory five-day decision deadline. Under the new format, applicants can download the EX-15 form, pay the €9.84 fee online through the 790-012 payment code and book an appointment at their nearest foreigners’ office or Spanish consulate abroad. Crucially, the portal now sets out explicit instructions for non-residents who need a NIE for property purchases or company formations, an area that previously generated confusion and brokerage fees. The National Police says the refresh is part of a wider digitisation drive aimed at reducing in-person queues and harmonising processing across Spain’s 52 provinces. According to legal-tech start-up CitaPing, cita previa (appointment) availability for NIE and residency slots has improved by 15 % since May, but bottlenecks persist in Madrid and Barcelona at peak times. For multinational HR and mobility teams the clearer workflow is a welcome development: obtaining a NIE early is a prerequisite for onboarding assignees, registering with social security and signing rental contracts. Companies should update relocation checklists to include the new payment link and remind assignees that failure to secure a resolution within five working days constitutes tacit refusal, after which an administrative appeal must be lodged. Law firms expect the changes to cut consultancy costs for straightforward cases, although complex corporate restructurings will still require professional support. The Police plan to extend the revamp to residence-permit renewals later this year, paving the way for full end-to-end digital filing by 2027.
