Gaillimh

I have just signed a contract to rent an apartment for one year in Spain. I am not domiciled in Spain, I just intend to visit for a few months during the summer. All my tax affairs are back at home.

However, the rental agency here in Spain tells me I need an NIE number in order to put my name on the electricity and water bills. I don't have an NIE. I have non-resident bank account with La Caixa and a NIF number.

Having searched online, it seems I may need a non-resident NIE. Has anyone heard of this? From what I've read online, this non-res NIE is only valid for 3 months. What will happen after 3 months with the electricity company? Will they cancel my account?

Thanks.

Rosemary

As Concierge for the Spanish section of BE I would like to say hello and welcome.

BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

lynnxa

the NIE number won't expire - it's for life, so your bills & your bank account will be fine

it's only the paper recording the number which has an expiry date - so if, after the 3 months you need to show your NIE 'certificate' you'd need to go & get a new one

which will have the same NIE number on it as the previous one

snikpoh

Actually, you already have one.


NIE and NIF are the same thing! One is to identify you and the other is your 'fiscal' identification but they are identical.

lynnxa

missed that


Gaillimh - do you not remember applying for the NIE/NIF?

Pocaloca

Deleted

Gaillimh

Thanks for the replies.

I thought NIF/NIE were different.

When I opened a non-resident bank account with La Caixa last week, they gave me a bank booklet (libreta) with all my details in it and a NIF number. They applied for a CERTIFICADO DE NO RESIDENTE on my behalf. I thought this was different to the NIE

Look at the EX-15 form, section 4) Tipo de documento. It has two check boxes; one for NÚMERO DE IDENTIDAD DE EXTRANJERO (NIE) and another for CERTIFICADO. The form suggests to me that these are two different things!

I assume I should be getting my NIE certificate in the post or maybe the bank have it? I need the NIE urgently at this stage.

You guys are suggesting that the NIF is the same and I can just use that. However, my NIF starts with 'TD' followed by seven numbers, but I've read online that the NIE consists of an 'X' or 'Y' followed by 7 or 8 digits and then another letter. Can anyone shed some light on that? Do I just subsitute 'TD' for 'X' or 'Y'. Why doesn't my NIF end with a letter?

Thanks for the help.

Pocaloca

No you can't just substitute it. Every letter means something - there is an explanation here.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%BA...%C3%B3n_fiscal

NIE stands for Numero Identitad de Extranjeros - i.e. it's for foreigners. I don't understand why you managed to get an NIF (Numero de identifcación fiscal) which is for people with a DNI (documento nacional de identidad). I think you might need to visit a gestor!

snikpoh

Actually, as I stated previously, for foreigners, NIE and NIF are the same and interchangeable! Form EX18 explains this.

Back in the 1990's, these numbers were different but today (for us foreigners) they are the same.

lynnxa

my NIE is what my gestor says to use as my NIF......... so it's the same...

Pocaloca

So the OP should just tell the rental agency to use his NIF?

Gaillimh

My NIF starts with 'TD' but I can't find anything about that on the wiki page above. Maybe it stands for Temporal? I received it immediatly when I opened the non-resident bank account with La Caixa last week. Also, the NIE ends with a letter but my NIF does not. The rental agency won't accept it.

My understanding is that the bank have submitted an EX-15 application for CERTIFICADO DE NO RESIDENTE on my behalf. Does this certificate come with an NIE? That's where I'm confused..

Either way, I'll go into the bank tomorrow morning and ask.

lynnxa

that's the best plan - you have to sign the forms for the NIE so it will be interesting to hear what you find out

Gaillimh

I went into La Caixa today and they confirmed that they only applied for the Certificado de No Residente on my behalf, not the NIE. I have to apply for that myself at the comisaría.

The NIF in my Libreta is actually my passport number but marked as NIF. No wonder I was confused!

Teed Up

We are looking to complete on a property next week in Spain,and been told to bring the original NIE,doc's to the notary,but think we only have copies of them,will the notary accept them?.

Thanks,

Ken.