NIE in Torrevieja

Sue:-   I went to the town hall today but the dept where you get the NIE was closed until tomorrow, i will go early in the morning and let you know what happens

Sue, sorry to hear you given the run around , but as I said, if you had gone to the National Police the first time,  you have been where you now, somewhat earlier, and  with less agro.

All the best with the application.

Hopefully to put this to rest once and for all.

We went to Zenia Boulevard this morning and passed the Ayuntaniento Orihuela Costa at Playa Flamenca. There is a foreigners office there and a local police station, all under the same roof. It was full of people waiting with NIE/foreign registration applications etc. The lady there does not just help you complete the forms (on the contrary, she only accepts correctly completed ones) but processes them for you. It's a magic thing called IT. She does not actually have to physically sit in an office with the National Police and the amazing world of PC networks means she can link up with them as I assume she works for them. Same as if you have to go to a national police station where a civilian clerk does the work, not a bloke in uniform.  What she can't do is actually print out the certificates which is why you have to go back a couple of weeks later.

It is only open in the mornings which is probably why it was closed when sue went there.

So, yes mariedv, you were perfectly correct in everything you said. Johnzx is getting the two Oriheula town halls mixed up. 

Hopefully the subject is now closed unless johnzx can find something else to query.

Despite my last, optimistic, attempt at putting this to rest once and for all, it would appear that some (?) people are still not happy.

Therefore, to close the subject, I admit to being wrong. There is no foreigners office located in the town hall at Orihuela Costa in Playa Flamenca. In fact, I now doubt there is even a town hall there at all. The office inside with "Oficina de Extranjeros does not exist and the lady sitting at the desk is a total figment of my imagination.

For all those who think they were given an NIE or a residents card (sorry, signed on the register of EU foreign nationals residing in Spain) then you will have to join me as I have made an appointment at the Policia Nacional in Orihuela. We have to tell them that the number they gave us, and the certificate issued, at that place that does not exist is not valid and we want a new, and proper, one. We know this because someone living some 500km in a different province to us has told us so.

I would also like to apologise to my neighbours who I helped complete the residence forms (much easier to say that) and took to that fictitious building in Playa Flamenca was not valid. The little green card they have is not worth a can of beans and they will now have to travel to a correct and proper Policia Nacional centre to get a real one issued.

Sorry for all the confusion and anyone who goes to that non-existent office in future will realise that the information given on the Orihuela Costa town hall (not to be confused with the Orihuela town hall in Orihuela which does actually exist) website, which is obviously an internet wind up, that :

Is not really there at all. If you could go there, but you can't because it's not there, then anything they give you will not be valid because everything in Spain is the same wherever you go.

Subject well and truly closed. (I hope, but doubt).

I needed a photograph to get my NIE at the police station in Torreviecha. That was 3 years ago. Don't forget to take one.

Very slightly off topic I'm afraid.

We are residents in Murcia and will need to change our documentation when we move to Alicante Region. Can we use any Oficina de Extranjeros or are we restricted to the office nearest to our new address?

Our new address will be Oasis/La Marina but were thinking of using either Torrevieja or Playa Flamenca.

If we use PF it is a great excuse for some retail theraby at the Boulevard.

I'd have thought Elche would have been better for you. You can book an appointment online and you will get the change straight away. You would need a lot of retail therapy at "the other place" as it's 3 trips, one to make the appointment, one to apply and one to collect the certificates.

Anyway, you can get your shopping fix in at L'Aljub centre which is indoors and all air conditioned. Even have a Primark.

Ayrez:      Can we use any Oficina de Extranjeros or are we restricted to the office nearest to our new address?

You are required to go to the Oficina de Extranjeros of the National Police for the area where you live or where you are staying, at the time you make the application, even if that is just temporarily in an apartment / hotel etc..   At the comisaria where I have worked for 15 years, people are sent away if they are not living/staying in the area our office covers. 

Inevitably, that said, I expect some here will say you can go to any National Police Office which you choose !!

As La Marina, Elche, Alicante, Torrevieja, Playa Flamenca and so on are all in the Alicante province then you can use any of them.

The translated rules from the National Police site states (and please note it says to the Foreigners Office)

Interested parties are required to apply in person to the Foreigners Office in the province where they intend to stay or fix their residence or , failing that , to the Police Station , registration in the Central Register of Foreigners

You can use the offices at any of these locations

ALCOY
ALICANTE
ALTEA
BENIDORM
DENIA
ELCHE
ELDA
ORIHUELA
ORIHUELA COSTA
TEULADA
TORREVIEJA

Alicante, Altea, Orihuela Costa and Teulada have foreigners offices provided by the National Police but are not located in a National Police station. Orihuela Costa and Teulada are located in the town halls of those places.

Somehow I just knew this topic wouldn't die

Thanks very much Marie.

I thought we could go anywhere in the region but could not manage to find anything on the website.

Will have to do the rounds to change our  paperwork / doctors etc in the new year.