tie and nie

NIE is a number for life not unlike you national insurance number. TIE is your residencia identification card. 

You need an NIE in order to apply for residencia (TIE).

BUT, my advice is for something as important as this consult a professional to avoid misunderstandings.

You do not need an NIE to apply for a TIE.

The application will generate an NIE if you do not already have one.

You do need an N.I.E.!!! Also needed for a bank account and medical insurance in order to get your TIE/Residencia!!!

An N.I.E. like someone has already said, is like a National Insurance number and definitely needed in Spain. 

Post-Brexit, when a Brit is granted the NLV before moving to Spain, they’re issued with the NIE automatically. There is no need  to apply for NIE first. 

Thank you all for your advice. We are asking the question on behalf of our daughter who is applying for a none lucrative visa. Two estate agents said she didn't need an nie as this would be generated from the tie.  However in our mind she needs the nie as she won't be able to get residency for five years. Can you advise. 

The NIE is issued at the same time as the NLV. The advice she was given by the agents is correct. 

Hi Sandra,

By obtaining an NLV and TIE for the first 5 years, your daughter will be granted "residencia temporal".  Once she's been resident in Spain for 5 years, she will no longer need to apply for an NLV and can apply for a new TIE giving her "residencia permanente".  As Annie has already correctly confirmed, if your daughter does not already have an NIE, it will be issued as part of her NLV application.

I think the confusion is because people are muddling the change in rules.  Prior to Brexit, it was common for UK citizens moving to Spain to obtain the NIE in advance of registering their residency on the EU Foreigners' list, so that they could buy or rent property here, but the post-Brexit visa applications have to be approved prior to moving to Spain, so there's no advantage to obtaining the NIE in advance, unless someone wants to buy a property here as a non-resident.

Kind regards,

Kim

Kim, thank you so much for the helpful advice. Now it all makes sense. 

Hi there Kimmie. Our daughter is asking about her application for the NLV. She asks when she arrives in Spain having obtained the NLV and goes to the police station to get her NIE what address will they require. Could it be our address?