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spainmate
Consulate, not the police

Visa for Spain

  • We do not file visa applications.
  • The NIE is not a visa.
  • For a purchase or a company you can apply for the number separately.
NIE number FAQ

You apply for a national visa at the Spanish consulate in the country where you legally live. A short stay in the Schengen area is a different procedure from a visa for more than 90 days.

spainmate does not file visa applications and does not say which visa fits your situation. The NIE does not replace a visa. People who buy a home, found a company or open an account often still need the number. That is what the NIE application is for.

Separate procedures

  • Consulate

    The visa runs in your country of residence, not through the Policía Nacional and not through us.

  • More than 90 days

    For non-EU citizens that is a matter of the visa or the residence permit.

  • NIE alongside

    Notaries, banks and the companies register often ask for the number independently of the visa.

  • No recommendation

    The consulate decides which visa fits. This page does not.

FAQ

No.

The purchase itself is not a visa. The notary often still asks for the NIE. Whether you may enter depends on your passport and, where it applies, the consulate.

No. They are separate procedures.

The consulate or the extranjería. We explain the difference from the TIE and residencia. We do not file that application.

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