Guides to the NIE, Spain's foreigner identification number — the first piece of paperwork almost every expat needs.
NIE
The Spanish office you walk into can turn a one-week NIE into a three-month wait. A grounded 2026 ranking of nine cities, from Valencia's reliable slots to Zaragoza as the Madrid applicant's back door.
NIE
The NIE is the first piece of Spanish bureaucracy you’ll meet, and almost nothing else works until you have one. Here is the step-by-step for both application routes in 2026, with the exact documents and city-specific cita previa tips.