When the consulate route makes sense
- You are buying property in the Region of Murcia and the notary needs your number
- A company in Murcia wants to register you before you arrive
- You are setting up a bank account or an inheritance from outside Spain
- You would rather not hunt for a cita previa in Murcia during your first week
What the consulate asks for
The ingredients barely change from those used in Spain: the EX-15, your passport and a copy, the reason behind the request and the fee. How you book and how you pay vary from one consulate to the next, so trust its own website over any general guide.
Prefer to start remotely? You can also start a Spanish NIE online with Gestoraz, which handles the request without a visit to a consulate counter.
Once you arrive
The number you received abroad is the one you will use for life. If you then settle in Murcia, the next step is residence: Europeans then ask for the EX-18 green certificate, while other nationals start their TIE with the toma de huellas, both at the offices of the region.
In Murcia
Many people who buy around San Javier, Los Alcázares or in the city itself start with a consulate NIE, then book the green certificate or the TIE at Cabezo Cortado once they have moved. Whichever office assigned it, the number is valid everywhere in Spain.
Questions people ask
Does a NIE from a consulate let me live in Spain?
No. It is only the number. Living here requires registering as an EU resident or holding the right visa and TIE.
Can a non-EU citizen use this route?
Yes. Requesting the number at a consulate is open to non-residents of any nationality who have a reason to deal with Spain.