Hi all,

fairly easy question if anyone knows, hopefully fairly easy answer ;-)

My wife and myself are European, we did an empadronamiento living with a friend in his home which he owns, all bills are in his name, we have no rent contract as he is our friend, we pick up the empadronamiento papers next week.

Can my wife get a NIE by presenting her British passport, photos and the empadronamiento papers?

Many thanks to anyone who knows and will reply. Nice day to you all :-) Richard

All you need for an NIE is your passport (and a reason for needing one) - no need to prove any thing else. Form EX15 is used to obtain one.

Do you actually mean just an NIE or 'residency'?

Hi many thanks for your answer. I have checked the form EX15 it is as you say, I got a NIE through a job I was employed at, first I got an employment offer and then my employer gave me a NIE, my wife on the other hand did a job interview and she was not offered the job because she didn't have a NIE and the employer wasn't willing to do one for her. My wife needs a NIE purely to apply for jobs as many employers (especially bigger ones) want this before considering to employ someone.

... though if the reason for wanting a NIE is for work I think we're going back to square one as when we went to the local police station they told us that if my wife wants a NIE for work she needs to show a job offer, they will not give her a NIE because she needs it to look for and apply for jobs.

Well if you are going to work surely you will also be residents and need to apply for residency........which comes with NIE (if you use the right form)

Quite confusing... especially when everything is new. I got my NIE and was working and still have no residence in Spain. I guess we'll understand it all with time...

If you are living in Spain, whether in rented accommodation or whatever, you need to sign on the list of foreigners and get your 'residency' card. Your wife should do the same.

For her NIE, just claim that you need her NIE to open a bank account - that usually suffices.

Many thanks for the information :-) I have everything you mention except a Soanish bank account and the residencia card for which I have an appointment at the local police station on the 25th of this month, my wife on the other hand has to do everything except empadronamiento.

Bureaucracy sure gives work, not that I enjoy doing it like most people, I know there are some advantages of going through this like health insurance in the long run, for my wife in particular getting permanent residence in two years and Spanish passport in five as she is Peruvian on British passport and will get these because of the Spanish convention with some south American countries.