How do I get a Identification Number
 

Hi Jeff my husband a I have bought a off plan apartment in san Juan De Los Terros in the nearest town is Majagua which won't be ready till 2009. Do we need to get our ID cards to open a bank account in Spain? and if we do what is the procedure /documentation needed,for ID card and Bank account.Can we do it within a week as we are coming over to Spain 2 weeks this monday for a week's holiday.Any help with any of the legal/paperwork that will speed up the process will be great, Thanks Louise:confused: :confused:

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

I think you can open a non residents account with most banks, Halifax have branches in Spain that you can move money to from your UK account, they also have english speakers on the phone. It is worth phoning them before you come out.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

You don't need ID cards to open a bank account but you will need NIE numbers.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

Thanks beachcomber, What is a NIE number and what do I have to do to obtain one?louise

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

you apply at the police station, you will need a couple of passport photos and copies of yuor passports, usually takes about 4 weeks then you can collect them

there are websites that you can download the form so have a search

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

here you go - have a look here

http://www.idealspain.com/Pages/Info...ingToSpain.htm

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

Are you using a solicitor to purchase the property?

If you are, then obtaining your NIE numbers is usually part of their conveyancing package, so you won´t even need to lift a finger.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

Hi Louise Griffin

Have a look at the two attachments. Thats how we did it cost us €6.50 for each NIE but for that we learnt a lot about Spanish bureaucracy and that has been invaluable since.

Regards, :thumbup:

John.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

didnt they change the rules a few years ago and now you have to apply in person ?

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

Thanks John All information can take some of the worries out of not knowing the prodedures in advance,and the answer to your ? we havent got to the stage of useing a solicitor yet, but we will be useing one,again we don't know if its better to use the property solicitor or to get our own.:unsure:

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

Have a browse through the top thread..........

FREE BEER, just joking, no beer but HANDY INFO.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

Correcto..........

You may have been told that you can get a Gestor or Solicitor to apply for your number, this was true in the past but from 5th November 2003, all applications for NIE numbers have to be presented in person by each individual applicant.

They hold your passport open at the pic and scrutinize your face, lol

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

what can I say, I will be reading all the afternoon Thanks very much;)

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

Download the form directly from the MIR web site here:

http://www.mir.es/SGACAVT/modelos/ex...anje/ex_14.pdf

The format and wording of the form changes subtlety from time to time and unless you have the current one it will not be accepted.

You can fill it in online then print it out.

Be extremely careful in your choice of lawyer and don't use one recommended by any agent. You have no comeback if they mess it up.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

The NIE (abbreviation for Número de identidad de extranjero, which translates as ‘Identification number for foreigners) can also be obtained from a Spanish Consulate in the UK:

http://www.spanishpropertyinsight.co...operty_nie.htm

Go to No. 2. Applying for an NIE number in person via a Spanish Consulate abroad

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

Not true. We opened our account with Solbank just with photocopies of passports at their London branch before we left the UK and hadn't even heard of N.I.E numbers.All done by post.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

You DON'T need photos for an N.I.E application.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

Thats what I keep telling people, but they think the little official stamping boxes are for photos. ;-)

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

Hhmmmm. I know of people who have been successfully getting their solicitors to apply on their behalf as recently as a few months ago.

Does it vary from region to region perhaps? Like the photos - here we don´t need passport size photos for just the NIE, but I see people posting in other areas that they were needed.

Isn´t there anyone of this forum who has obtained their NIE post 2003 without actually doing it in person?

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

Perhaps the solicitors get them from an embassy link and not the Police station, or maybe it varies depending where you are, as you say.
Or maybe the NIE`s aren`t legal, lol.
What stamp do they have on them ?

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

I´ve never looked at one so I don´t know what the stamp is - but I know of people at Costa Esuri who have been getting their solicitors to do it all so as far as I know you still don´t need to actually go in person.

I think those solicitors go to somewhere in Huelva, but couldn´t tell you what type of office it is.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

Hi Louise Griffin,

GET YOUR OWN!! Read a few of the Chiclana threads and you will see why.

Post on here where you intend to purchase and ask for personal recommendations of reliable firms in the area.

You could manage to make the NIE application in the week you will be out but you might have to pick it up next time you are over. They will keep it for you or post it to a Spanish address.

Regards,

John.

</IMG>

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

Hi keithwalters,

Yes we did ours early 2004 in Huelva and we definitely had to have the photos and I paperclipped them to the little boxes but JDR is right they took them off and put a very official stamp in there and clipped them elsewhere but it was in person.

I would agree with Beechcomber get the latest form from the ministry website to be certain you have the right edition thats what I mean about the Spanish system.

Regards,

John.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

We also opened our account with Bankinter from the UK with copies of passports. We did our applications online and sent the photocopies to Madrid.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

It should have an official police stamp on it.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

I doubt I will ever lay eyes on one, so I have nothing to compare that to - I only know from chatting to people at Costa Esuri they have said that they didn´t apply for the NIE themselves, their solicitor did it all for them.

We applied directly for the Tarjeta de Residencia so never had one of these NIE forms.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

I think it might be a regional variation and there are loads!! Here in Valencia, last year, my daughter needed two passport photos with her NIE application.

I notice 'Spain' lives here as well.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

We had to supply photos as well.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

I think this just sums up everything in Spain

ask 1 questions and get 10 different answers


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

Absolutamente!!

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

What do they want the photos for ? cos they are certainly not on the paperwork anywhere.
Perhaps their family work at the photo shop, lol

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

we had to supply photos when we applied here, application was in Alicante, but apparently the requirements were different in Torrevieja and different again in Orihuela, so we were taken to the place the people knew the requirements as the other two places seemed to change on a day to day basis, or perhaps person to person basis.

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

To enable our Lawyer in Spain to obtain our NIE's we had to give her Power of Attorney and go before a Notary in England

Re: How do I get a Identification Number
 

Oh Derek Its going to be fantastic living in Spain,just reading all these kind replys to my what I thought was quiet a simple question became quiet a topic.I think from replys it obviously depends were you live. I will come over on the 26 with all documentation and just hope for the best.Is there anyone on this site that lives near San Juan Des los Terros Almeria?:thumbup: