How to get your NIE in Palma de Mallorca: 2026 guide

The NIE (Foreigner Identity Number) is one of the first things anyone needs in order to live, work, study or carry out financial business in Spain. Here is what it is, what it is for, which documents to prepare, what it costs and how to get an appointment in Palma de Mallorca.

First: which document do you actually need?

This is where most people lose time.

If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen planning to live in Spain for more than three months, the document you need is not the white NIE certificate but the CUE — the EU citizen registration certificate, known as the “green NIE”. It contains your NIE number anyway. See our CUE (green NIE) service.

If you are British, American, Canadian or from any other non-EU country, the picture is different. Buying a property or settling an estate as a non-resident means the white NIE. Moving here to live means an NIE plus, once you hold a residence authorisation, a TIE card.

The white NIE is also the standard route for non-residents buying a second home in Mallorca, whatever their nationality.

What the NIE is and what it does

The NIE is a personal, unique and permanent number identifying foreign nationals in their dealings with the Spanish authorities: eight digits and a letter. It is governed by articles 29 to 31 of Ley Orgánica 4/2000.

The distinction that trips people up: the NIE is the number, not the card. The physical card is the TIE, and that is a separate procedure. We cover it in our NIE, TIE and CUE comparison.

You will need it to:

• sign an employment contract or register as self-employed;
• open a bank account;
• buy or rent a property;
• pay tax or accept an inheritance;
• apply for any residence authorisation;
• enrol at a university or official college.

Documents you need

1. Form EX-15, completed and signed.
2. Passport or ID document, valid, original plus a copy. If it is close to expiry, renew it before the appointment.
3. Evidence of the reason for the application: job offer or contract, purchase agreement, probate documents, company incorporation, bank statement.
4. Proof of payment of the fee, form 790, code 012.
5. In some cases, a criminal record certificate from your country of origin, legalised or apostilled.

Bring the original and a photocopy of everything. The Policía Nacional routinely ask for both, and one missing sheet can cost you the whole appointment.

What it costs

Fees are set by Orden PJC/617/2025, in force since 16 June 2025:

Procedure	Fee 790-012
NIE allocation at the applicant’s request	€9.84
EU citizen registration certificate (CUE)	€12.00
TIE — first grant of temporary residence	€16.08
TIE — renewal of temporary residence	€19.30
TIE — long-term residence	€21.87

Form 790-012 is generated only through the Policía Nacional’s official portal, ticking the box for your specific procedure: each option produces a different amount automatically. Paying the wrong fee is one of the most common reasons for an application being returned.

Step by step

1. Book the appointment. Applications are made online through the public administration portal, selecting the province of Illes Balears and the NIE procedure.

2. Prepare the paperwork. This is the critical step. Turning up without everything in order means starting again from scratch, appointment included.

3. Attend in person. You submit the documents at the assigned office and your details are recorded.

4. Decision. If everything is in order, a resolution is issued with your NIE number.

5. Collection. The white NIE is issued on paper — it is a certificate, not a card. Cards are for people applying for a TIE, which is a separate process.

The real bottleneck in Palma: the appointment

In the Balearics the problem is usually not the paperwork but getting a slot. Appointments go quickly and many people spend weeks trying.

It also pays to know which office does what, because turning up at the wrong one costs you a morning:

• The Oficina de Extranjería (the main Palma office is at calle Felicià Fuster, 7) handles residence and work authorisations, arraigo, family reunification, renewals and extensions.
• The Policía Nacional handles the physical side of the document: fingerprints, TIE issuance, NIE allocation and EU registration certificates.

General opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 14:00, except local holidays, with some afternoons by appointment and concentrated morning hours in summer.

Most common mistakes

• Filling in form EX-15 incorrectly, or ticking the wrong fee box.
• Turning up without evidence of the reason for the application.
• Confusing the NIE with the TIE and applying for the wrong thing.
• Being an EU citizen and applying for the white NIE when the CUE is what applies.
• Letting your passport expire before the appointment date.

FAQ

Does the NIE expire? The number does not. It is personal and permanent: once allocated, it is yours. What expires is the document evidencing your residence, which is a different thing.

Can I get an NIE without living in Spain? Yes. The white NIE exists precisely for non-residents who need the number for a specific transaction, such as buying a property in Mallorca.

Can I apply from my home country? Yes, through the Spanish Consulate or Embassy.

Do I need a lawyer or gestor? It is not compulsory. It helps where the situation is complex, where you do not speak Spanish, or where you have spent weeks failing to get an appointment.

Sources

• Ley Orgánica 4/2000 of 11 January, articles 29 to 31
• Orden PJC/617/2025 of 13 June on immigration fees (BOE)
• Real Decreto 1119/1986 of 26 May

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At Extranjería Palma we handle your NIE end to end: the form, the correct fee, the appointment and someone with you on the day. Tell us about your case and we will give you a fixed quote.

You may also want our NIE service page and the NIE and TIE FAQ.