banter182

Hi all,

I have received a work contract to start work on 8th January in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.

The employers say I need to provide my NIE before I start and the Spanish Consulate in London have advised I need to go to the Police Station in Las Palmas.

I have booked a flight to go over for a week on 8th December to get my NIE - I have a pre-contract employment offer indicating 12 months work, letter in Spanish from the employer and a completed NIE form. I hope also to arrange to view rental properties.

*HOWEVER* my local Canary Island consultant advises that depending on who I get at the police station, they might wave me away.

My employers are not being very helpful with suggestions.

As I will need to resign from my UK work shortly and give notice on my accommodation, it seems like a mighty big risk to quit and then find they don't want to issue me with an NIE number (and therefore can't work).

Is my consultant just being weird?

banter182

For NEI, please read NIE!

1sexsmith

Sounds like you are confused. Anyone can get a NIE. It is very easy and has no real conditions. My sister in law got one as she had a joint share in a Spanish inheritance. She never even had to come to Spain. I think you are confusing this with residence which is slightly more difficult and can be rejected

snikpoh

The reason the London consulate told you to do it in Spain is because they believe you are moving to Spain. Hence, you need a residency certificate and not just an NIE.

For you it's a little "chicken-and-egg" to get residency you need proof of income, to do that you need a job and to get that you need an NIE.

I would go for NIE first (passport and reason), then get your work contract and then residency (proof of income, health care etc.)

Rosemary

I have changed the title for you.

Rosemary

missile

No need to go to Police Station, I would employ a Gestor or Abogado to get it for you.

snikpoh

But they would have to be given POA first though surely and that can be expensive

Loafing Along

yes - you can get a NIE through the Spanish Consulate in the country where you live no need to be in Spain - assume UK but not specified.
http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Portal/...%20Inglés.pdf

Above is the form. Notice in the completion instructions on address there is no need to have an address in Spain to get one.
You can be notifed by email if you tick the right box

Loafing Along

La solicitud deberá ser presentada en la Oficina Consular en cuya demarcación resida el extranjero, personalmente o a través de representante debidamente acreditado, adjuntando a la solicitud una copia de la página biográfica del pasaporte en la que consten los datos de su titular (si se trata de Ciudadanos de la Unión se podrá aportar copia de la tarjeta de identidad), y acreditar los intereses económicos, profesionales o sociales que justifican la petición.
Basically confirms - you can present your application at the Spanish Consulate with a copy of the photo page of your passport and a justification for the request - economic, professional or social.

PS . Form must be the original Spanish one english one for guide only

missile

Not unless there has been a change or different regions have different requirements? When I first went to Spain, my agent got NIE for me. He also got my Spanish driving license. The cost was very reasonable and saved me a lot of hassle. I did not give him PoA.

owned

I got my NIE number about 10 days ago in Gran Canaria, but Maspalomas not Las Palmas.

It took less than an hour. I went with my estate agent as she speaks English and Spanish. On arrival we took a ticket to be seen and sat down. I started filling out the application form with the help of the estate agent. We were called to the desk and an officer took my filled out form, passport and tenancy agreement. The tenancy agreement for Gran Canaria is very important as you will get tuned away without one. I'm not sure if that rule applies to Las Pamas, but it does in Maspalomas and I know it doesn't apply to the rest of Spain as I posted a thread about.

The officer typed in some stuff on a PC and asked why I came here. I said I would go self employed at some point. He then gave me a form which I had to take to a bank to pay. Luckily the nearest bank was a 5 min walk away. After I got the form paid in the bank I returned to the National Police Station and went up to the same officer when he was free and he gave me an A4 sheet of paper with my NIE number on it.

It was that easy. The most difficult and time consuming part was waiting in the bank to make the payment. If Las Pamas is like the south of the island then you will need a tenancy agreement. I'm not sure if an employment contract would do instead of the tenancy agreement as I didn't have a employment contract to give them.

minouette

This may help
https://www.expatica.com/new/es/about/gov-law-admin/nie-number-849449/