Here are the steps to request the asignación de NIE por motivos económicos in Spain (white NIE):
1) Download and fill in the form to pay the NIE fee.
Before applying for the NIE, go to the bank and pay the NIE fee which currently amounts to € 9.45. You simply need to go online and fill in the form with your name, surname, and passport number or ID number. Then tick the box that says “Asignación de Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE) a instancia del interesado” and enter your data. The program will generate a pdf that you can then print and take to the bank in order to pay the NIE fee before going to the Comisaría de Policía to apply for the white NIE.
2) Fill in the NIE application form direcly online and then download it.
Fill in section 1 with your personal data. Indicate an address in Spain (careful: an address in Spain, not your residence – which is still abroad) in section 2 and then fill in section 4 by ticking the box “Número de identidad de extranjero”. In section 4.2 you also need to tick the box that says “por intereses económicos” and write down the reason why you are requesting the NIE. Until recently, citizens of the European Community had not been asked to explain what kind of financial interest motivated their request, but, according to information coming from some police stations, it seems that now also European citizens are requested to specify that. In this case, the lawyer or firm that follows the case (concerning the establishment of a company, the sale or purchase of shareholdings, the corporate restructuring, etc.) will issue a declaration to the interested party that certifies the financial reason for the request under their own responsibility. Alternatively, a letter from a bank manager, for example, will suffice.
3) Make an appointment (cita) online.
You will need to schedule an appointment to go to the Comisaría de Policía and bring a copy of your ID (as well as the original), a copy of the proof of payment for the NIE fee, and the NIE application form that you filled in online and printed. You will have to sign the application form in person and in the presence of the police officer. This is the link to request an appointment online:
If you follow every step, the procedure is extremely simple. However, the so-called “NIE mafia” has sniffed out a very lucrative business and made things slightly more complicated. Thanks to the use of automated technology, they are able to book all the appointments (cita previa) available to resell them to their customers. Spanish authorities have been unable to fix this situation, which has caused the whole system to collapse and be monopolized. A true case of extortion.
Regrettably, for this reason, you will have no choice but to “buy” an appointment on one of the many pages available on the Internet (even we have given in and buy an appointment for our customers when we need one). When you buy an appointment, you cannot choose the location: it can be anywhere in Barcelona.
Now remember: beware of any lawyer who wants money from you to apply for the NIE. There is no need for that. If you follow our instructions, you can do it all by yourself!
