How to fill in the Spanish EX-15 (NIE application)

The EX-15 is the official form to apply for a Spanish foreigner identity number (NIE), or for a certificate of resident or non-resident. You fill it in if you are not Spanish and need the number for an economic, professional or social reason, such as buying property, opening a bank account or signing a contract.

Last checked against the official form: October 19, 2026

Form: EX-15
Edition: EX-15 (LO 4/2000 y RD 1155/2024)
Issued by: Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones
Form language: Español

Where it goes: In Spain, a police station (Comisaría de Policía) or an immigration office (Oficina de Extranjería), usually by appointment; from abroad, the Spanish consulate for where you live
What to bring: The EX-15 signed, in original and 1 copy; your valid passport (EU citizens: national ID card) and a copy; the paid fee form (Modelo 790, código 012); and proof of your reason
Cost: The form is free; the fee is paid with Modelo 790, código 012. Check the amount on the official page
Decision time by law: 5 days from the day your application is registered; no answer in that time means it is refused
What you receive: A document with your NIE number. It is not a card and does not give you the right to live or work in Spain

What this form is

The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is a personal, unique number that Spain gives foreigners so the authorities can identify them. It goes on every document issued to you. The EX-15 is the official form to ask for it, and also for a certificate stating that you are resident or not resident in Spain.

Under the immigration regulation (RD 1155/2024), people who deal with Spain for economic, professional or social reasons must ask for the number themselves. You must not be in Spain irregularly, and you must say why you need it. You apply in person, or through a representative, at a police station or an immigration office in Spain, or at a Spanish consulate if you are abroad.

The form has two pages to fill in and a page of instructions. Write in capitals with a black pen or fill it in on a computer, and bring the original and a copy. This guide follows the edition that cites RD 1155/2024; a copy that cites RD 557/2011 is an older edition, so download the current one from the ministry.

Who has to fill it in

You fill in the EX-15 if:

You are not Spanish and need an NIE to buy or sell property, open a bank account, sign a contract, accept an inheritance or represent a company.
You are in Spain on a short stay or with a residence permit, or you live abroad and apply through a Spanish consulate.
You already have an NIE and need a certificate of resident or non-resident.

You do not need this form if:

You have a Spanish long-stay visa: the NIE is given to you without asking and is usually printed on the visa. You then apply for the card (TIE) with form EX-17.
You are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen moving to Spain to live for more than 3 months: you register in the Central Register of Foreigners with form EX-18, and the certificate you get shows your NIE.

Field-by-field instructions

1) Your personal details

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
1PASAPORTE	The number of your passport.	Copy the number exactly from the photo page of your valid passport. EU citizens may use their national ID card instead; write that card’s number.
1N.I.E.	Your NIE, if you already have one.	Write it only if you were given an NIE before, for example when you apply for a certificate. If you have never had one, leave it blank.
11er Apellido	Your first (or only) surname.	Write it as in your passport, in capitals. Spanish forms have room for two surnames; if you have one, it goes here.
12º Apellido	Your second surname, if you have one.	Fill it in only if your passport shows a second surname. Otherwise leave it blank; do not repeat the first one.
1Nombre	Your first name or names.	Write every first name as in your passport, in the same order and spelling.
1Sexo (H / M / X)	Your sex: H (hombre, man), M (mujer, woman) or X (indefinido, unspecified).	Tick one box. X may be ticked only by people whose country of origin recognises it.
1Fecha de nacimiento	Your date of birth.	Use 2 digits for the day, 2 for the month and 4 for the year, in that order: 3 July 1990 is 03/07/1990.
1Lugar / País	The town (Lugar) and the country (País) where you were born.	Write the town and the country as in your passport.
1Nacionalidad	Your citizenship.	Write the country of the passport you are applying with.
1Estado civil (S / C / V / D / Sp)	Your marital status.	Tick one box: S (soltero/a, single), C (casado/a, married), V (viudo/a, widowed), D (divorciado/a, divorced) or Sp (separado/a, separated).
1Nombre del padre / Nombre de la madre	Your father’s and your mother’s first names.	Write their first names; consulates’ sample forms ask for the first name only, not the surname.
1Domicilio de residencia, Nº, Piso, Localidad, C.P., Provincia	The address where you live now.	Write street, number (Nº), floor (Piso), town (Localidad), postcode (C.P.) and province or region. If you apply from abroad, this is your address in the country where you live.
1Teléfono móvil / E-mail	Your mobile phone number and email address.	Fill in both. The office can use them to tell you that a notification is waiting for you; some consulates send the NIE by email.
1Representante legal, en su caso / DNI/NIE/PAS / Título	The parent or guardian who acts for you if you are a minor or under guardianship.	Fill it in only in that case: the representative’s name, their ID, passport or NIE number (DNI/NIE/PAS) and the capacity they act in (Título), for example Padre/Madre del menor or Tutor. Otherwise leave it blank.

2) The representative who files the application

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
2Nombre/Razón Social / DNI/NIE/PAS	The person or company that hands in the application for you.	Fill in section 2 only if someone other than you files it, for example a lawyer or an agency. Write their name or company name and their DNI, NIE or passport number. They need a power of attorney that expressly allows them to apply for your NIE.
2Domicilio de residencia, Nº, Piso, Localidad, C.P., Provincia, Teléfono móvil, E-mail	The representative’s address, mobile phone and email.	Write the representative’s full address and contact details. Leave the whole section blank if you file yourself.
2Representante legal, en su caso / DNI/NIE/PAS / Título	The legal representative of the representative, for example the person who signs for a company.	Fill it in only if the representative is a company or cannot act alone: that person’s name, ID number and the capacity they act in.

3) Address for notifications

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
3Nombre/Razón Social / DNI/NIE/PAS	The person who should receive letters about the application.	Write the name and the DNI, NIE or passport number of that person: yourself or your representative. If you leave section 3 blank, notifications go to you as the applicant.
3Domicilio de residencia, Nº, Piso, Localidad, C.P., Provincia, Teléfono móvil, E-mail	The address, mobile phone and email for notifications.	Write a full address where post reaches that person, plus a phone number and an email, so that you get a notice when something is waiting.
3CONSIENTO que las comunicaciones y notificaciones se realicen mediante puesta a disposición en la Dirección electrónica habilitada Única (Dehú)	Your consent to receive notifications electronically through the government’s single electronic address (DEHú).	Tick it only if the person in section 3 has a valid electronic certificate or Cl@ve, because you need one to open the notification. Companies must receive notifications electronically even without ticking it.

4) What you are asking for, and signature

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
DIRIGIDA A / Código DIR3 / PROVINCIA	The office the application is addressed to, its DIR3 code and its province.	Write the name of the office where you hand it in and its province. The DIR3 code identifies that office; ask the office if you do not know it. Consulates’ sample forms leave this line empty.
4.1TIPO DE DOCUMENTO: NÚMERO DE IDENTIDAD DE EXTRANJERO (NIE) / CERTIFICADO (De residente / De no residente)	What you are asking for: an NIE, or a certificate of resident or of non-resident.	Tick NÚMERO DE IDENTIDAD DE EXTRANJERO (NIE) if you need the number. Tick CERTIFICADO and then De residente or De no residente only if you need that certificate.
4.2MOTIVOS: Por intereses económicos / profesionales / sociales / Por otros motivos (Especificar)	Why you need the NIE.	Tick the box that fits: económicos, profesionales, sociales or otros. Consulates’ sample forms tick económicos for buying property or opening a bank account. Write the concrete reason under Especificar, for example COMPRAR PROPIEDAD or ABRIR CUENTA BANCARIA, and bring a document that proves it.
4.3LUGAR DE PRESENTACIÓN: Oficina de Extranjería / Comisaría de Policía / Oficina Consular	Where you hand in the application.	Tick Oficina de Extranjería or Comisaría de Policía if you apply in Spain, or Oficina Consular if you apply at a Spanish consulate abroad.
4.4SITUACIÓN EN ESPAÑA: Estancia / Residencia	Your situation in Spain at the moment you apply.	Tick Estancia if you are visiting or applying from abroad without a Spanish residence permit. Tick Residencia if you hold a Spanish residence permit.
(lugar), a (día) de (mes) de (año) / FIRMA DEL SOLICITANTE (o representante legal, en su caso)	The place and date, and your signature.	Write the town, the day, the month and the year, for example “Málaga, a 14 de marzo de 2026”, and sign. A parent or guardian signs for a minor.

Key terms

Term on the form	What it means
Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE)	Foreigner identity number: a personal, unique number that identifies a foreigner to the Spanish authorities.
Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE)	Foreigner identity card: the physical residence card for people with a permit to stay in Spain for more than 6 months. It shows the NIE, and you apply for it with form EX-17.
Modelo 790, código 012	The government fee form for immigration procedures. For an NIE you choose the option for assigning an NIE at your own request, pay it at a bank before your appointment and bring the receipt.
Cita previa	An appointment booked in advance on the government’s online appointment system. For an NIE in Spain, choose your province and the police option for assigning an NIE.
Oficina de Extranjería	Immigration office: the government office that handles foreigners’ applications.
Comisaría de Policía	A police station of the National Police with an immigration desk, where NIE applications are also handed in.
Oficina Consular	A Spanish consulate abroad. It passes your application on to the police in Spain.
Estancia	Stay: being in Spain for a short time, for example as a visitor, without a residence permit.
Residencia	Residence: living in Spain with a residence permit.
Certificado de residente / de no residente	A certificate stating whether you are resident or not resident in Spain, applied for on the same form.
Dirección electrónica habilitada única (DEHú)	The government’s single electronic address, where notifications are made available online.
Cl@ve	The Spanish government’s system for signing in online; an electronic certificate also works.
Registro Central de Extranjeros (EX-18)	The Central Register of Foreigners where EU, EEA and Swiss citizens register when they live in Spain, using form EX-18.

Common mistakes

1
Using the EX-15 when you need another form
If you are an EU citizen moving to Spain to live, you register with the EX-18. If you have a long-stay visa, your NIE is already assigned; you apply for the TIE with the EX-17.
2
Giving no concrete reason
The law requires you to say why you need the NIE. Tick the right box, write the reason under Especificar and bring proof, for example a property reservation contract or a letter from your bank.
3
Names that do not match your passport
Write your names and surnames exactly as in your passport, in the same order and spelling. A difference can delay your application.
4
Paying the wrong fee
On Modelo 790, código 012, choose the option for assigning an NIE, not the one for the TIE card. The two fees are different.
5
Bringing one unsigned copy
Bring the form in original and 1 copy, signed, together with your original passport and a photocopy. An unsigned form is one of the most common mistakes.
6
Writing the date the wrong way round
Write dates as day, month, year with 4 digits for the year: 03/07/1990, not 07/03/1990.
7
Ticking the electronic notification box without a certificate
Tick the DEHú consent only if you have an electronic certificate or Cl@ve; without one, you cannot open the notification.
8
Booking the wrong appointment
In Spain, book the police appointment for assigning an NIE in your province, not one for the TIE card, and bring the appointment confirmation.

Questions and answers

Do I need the EX-15 or the EX-18?

The EX-15 gives you the NIE number only. If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen and will live in Spain for more than 3 months, you register with the EX-18 instead, and your registration certificate shows the NIE.

Can I apply for an NIE from outside Spain?

Yes. You apply at the Spanish consulate for the country where you live, which sends the application to the police in Spain. It takes longer than in Spain; ask your consulate how long and how it sends the number.

How much does the NIE cost?

The form itself is free. The fee is paid with Modelo 790, código 012, at a bank before the appointment. The amount is set by the government and can change, so check it on the official page.

How long does it take to get an NIE?

By law the office decides within 5 days of registering your application; no answer in that time means it is refused. Some offices give you the document the same day. Getting an appointment often takes longer than the decision.

Can someone apply for me?

Yes. A representative, such as a lawyer or an agency, can hand it in with a power of attorney that expressly allows them to apply for your NIE. They fill in section 2 and bring their own ID.

Does an NIE let me live or work in Spain?

No. The NIE only identifies you. It does not give you the right to live or work in Spain, and it is not proof of residence.

Does the NIE expire?

The number is personal and unique, and it does not expire. Some offices, banks or notaries may ask for a recent certificate showing it.

What reason should I write?

The concrete purpose, for example buying a home, opening a bank account, an inheritance or a job. Tick the matching box in section 4.2 and bring a document that proves it.

What is the difference between the NIE and the TIE?

The NIE is the number; the TIE is the card for people allowed to stay in Spain for more than 6 months. The TIE shows your NIE and is applied for with form EX-17.

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