NIE form required for long term rental?

Hi my wife and I have our house on the market in UK and once it sells (whenever that happens in this climate!!) we intend to move to Spain and initially rent long term to give us time to look around and purchase wisely. Do we need NIE numbers for this rental and if so can I come over with completed forms and both passports (for my wife and myself) and attend the police atation on our behalf or does my wife also have to attend.

I assume if these numbers are needed that we should do this asap since there is obviously a few weeks wait to get the numbers.

Welcome any thoughts.

.

Good idea to get NIE sorted but do it yourself - plenty of DIY guides on interent.

The requirement for the NIE depends whether the tenancy agrement is registered with Junta Andalucia.

Both you and your wife will need to attend

Fuengirola police station is processing on a next day basis at the moment but never any more than 3 - 5 days and there an old ex-British army guy there who will even help you fill the forms in. H eis very very helpful.

Don't believe all the stories of queueing for hours or days and needing to engage experts!!!!!

Say where you intend applying and someone will tell you the procedure for that police station

You can apply for it yourself at the Spanish Consulate, i still belive this is the easiest way.

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Joan

No way - it takes weeks!

Much easier to do it in Spain at police station.

Even when I have clients execute POA before Spanish Consulate General I imake sure they don't do NIE applications there and that's not becuase I make any money out of NIE applications as I do most for free if being paid for other work.

Faro,

Are you a gestor?

hendy,

there is more chyance of Malaga winning La Liga than there is of you needing a NIE for a long-term rental although if you are planning to be in Spain for more than three months you should, strictly speaking, register as resident and you do need a NIE for that.

If you apply in the UK you should be aware that there are 3 Spanish consulates in the UK. If you live in Northern Ireland, Wales or the North of England, you should apply to: The Spanish Consulate General at 1 Brooks House,70 Spring Gardens, Manchester M2 2BQ. Tel: 0161 236 1233.   If you live in Scotland or the Scottish Islands , you should apply to: The Spanish Consulate General, 63 North Castle Street ,Edinburgh , EH2 3LJ . Tel: 0131 220 1843.  And if you live anywhere else within the UK you should apply to the London office.  But faro is right - the Consulate does not issue NIEs nor will it get involved with enquiries on NIE applications.  It is simply a post office and sends the application via diplomatic bag to a Madrid Office of the National Police.  If you have the option much better to apply in Spain.

But Faro is wrong in saying ignore tales of long queues.  That may be the case on the Costa del Sol but in Torrevieja for example it wasd certainly the case a year or two ago that they were issuing tickets to the fiorst 70 or so applicants and turning the rest away.  And that was a 7 o'clock in the morning!  So get advice for the National Police local to where you are staying.

I only process NIE applications in either Fuengirola or Malaga because both are efficient.

I refuse to go to Torremolinos - they may have changed but I have not been there for 2 years.

I use whatever address is convenient for the police station. That's a tip fudge the address to suit police station!

Fuengerola introduced a ticket system 6 months ago but there is no need to queue at 7am. I drop in just after 9 and get a ticket and pop back anythime between 12 & 1pm and will be in and out in 15 minutes. I have never not got a ticket.

Malaga used to be able to walk in but I have not been there for a while.

If Fuengirola refuse to process you can usually process in Malaga if you avoid one person who will always deny on some very minor detail!

Hi thanks for the replies. A recent post about NIE forms seemed to indicate that it takes 4 weeks from attending the Police Station to going back to get your numbers but I appreciate that might well depend on region. For clarity we will be initially renting in the Valencia region in or near a little place called Busot, a few miles north of Alicante, where our friends live. Despite not very many people apparently having heard of it house prices are not exactly cheap!!

I can't comment about that area but on Costa del Sol and Costa Luz I am seeing some real jaw dropping bargains.

Forget about listed prices - I'm talking about sold!

and good quality properties in good locations.

The obstacle is mortgage so if you have cash you should be able to find a really good property at an absolute bargain price.

The outlook for 2011-2012 is very bleak and we will see further price reductions ...................

Thanks Faro, yes if we can sell our own place I think it is a good time to be looking in Spain!

I obtain NIE numbers for clients in the Costa Blanca South and generally use the police station in Elda as most of my clients are purchasing properties in the Hondon / La Romana areas.

A note of caution though. On a recent trip armed with all the paperwork required and at an un-godly hour we queued for our ticket and went for a coffee whilst we waited for the office to open.

When we presented all the paperwork the official pronounced that it was in perfect order and then asked for a pre-contracto. Of course we did not have such a thing as it had never been requested before and no mention of its requirement had ever been raised.

My solicitor has also mentioned that they have even had to provide copies of flight tickets when applying for NIE numbers with power of attorney.

The rules regarding the application process are once again fluid, but then again c'est la vie

No - about a year ago all this changed and the police now (even if applying under a POA) are no longer allowed to ask for proof - they have to accept the reason stated on the application.

But that said we do get kicked out of one police station and then just head on to the next and process there - just use an address to suit whatever police station you are attending.

The main police station in Malaga is where you will encounter least problems - unless served by one particular woman and then you don't produce any questionable applications.

The problem is and I have tried argueing the law with them and it gets you no where - so just smile and move on and let the littlel people have their day!