NIE number from the UK: how to apply at the Spanish consulate
The NIE is the foreigner identification number Spain gives anyone who is not Spanish and has dealings there: buying a home, opening an account, inheriting, setting up a company. You can apply in Spain or, if you live in the UK, at the consulate of your district.
It is not lodged at BLS. And the applicant or a representative must appear in person: it is not done by post.
How each consulate books it
London: by email to [email protected]; the £8.65 fee is paid by card on the day. Manchester: through its booking page; bring proof of why you need the number (emails from a bank, lawyer or estate agent).
Edinburgh: by email, attaching proof of address (council tax), a copy of your passport and proof of why you need it.
What to bring
Form EX-15, original and copy, ideally filled in online and printed; your valid passport and a copy of the data page; form 790 code 012 and the fee, £8.65.
Through a representative: their ID and a power of attorney that expressly allows them to apply for the NIE; a power signed before a UK notary must be apostilled.
London's page adds three details that send people back. On the EX-15 you have to state the economic, professional or social reason for the number. You need a document proving that you live in the consulate's district.
And for a minor, add the family book or the birth certificate, with the parent's or guardian's valid passport or DNI. Nationals of EU countries can use their ID card instead of the passport.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fee | £8.65 |
| Form | EX-15 and 790 code 012 |
| Average time | about two weeks |
| Delivery | by email |
- Form EX-15, original and copy
- Valid passport and a copy of the data page
- Form 790 code 012 and the fee
- Proof of why you need the NIE (Edinburgh and Manchester ask for it)
- If a representative goes: their ID and the power of attorney
How long it takes
The number is assigned by Spain's national police, not by the consulate, which cannot speed it up. On average it takes about two weeks, and the NIE certificate arrives by email, so put an address you check on the form.
NIE, TIE and DNI are not the same
The NIE is the number. The TIE is the card a foreign resident gets in Spain, which carries it. The DNI is the Spanish citizen's card, only issued in Spain. If you are moving on a digital nomad visa, the NIE is applied for together with the visa.
Each consulate, one by one
Open the consulate that covers your area to see what its page says about this procedure.
Official sources, checked on 10 November 2026: the page for this procedure at the consulates in London, Manchester and Edinburgh (exteriores.gob.es).
Related guides
Checked against the official pages on 10 November 2026.
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We do not book or sell appointments: consular appointments are free. Details are checked regularly and can change without notice.