What's this NIE all about?

Thanks for replies More & Pat.

We have had our NIE numbers for 2 years now, and have only recently come off builders supply. Before Christmas we were told that the only other thing we needed to get on the Padron was either an electric or water bill.  This week at the Orihuela Costa office they said we now need to be resident before we can sign on. Our problem is you need to be on Padron to apply for Residencia, unless that has changed aswell? We are going back to the office tomorrow to ask these questions, I just wondered if any one else in our area had experienced this. All we want to do is get legal so that we can get our vehicle matricated.

Val

Val.... does this help ?

Taken from the Coastrider for Tuesday 15th Jan 2008:

New padron rules for Orihuela

Residents who fall under the Orihuela municipality were told on Friday that the process for applying for a padron had now changed, and that in order to register, a residencia certificate must be produced.
The new rules, which were issued by the Institute of National Statistics, are aimed at municipalities which contain high concentrations of foreign residents. The fact that the numbers of people registered on padrons and the number who have got residence certificates do not correlate in many municipalities has caused the process to be changed.
People who wish to register on the padron in Orihuela will now have to obtain their certificate of residence from the National Police department situated in Orihuela City, at Calle Sol 34. With the rule change, a padron certificate is no longer a requirement. You will need to take with you a completed application form, a passport and photocopy, your NIE certificate and a photocopy, and proof that you have paid the necessary fee directly into the bank by using form Modelo 790. There is a national police representative based at Orihuela Costa Town Hall in Playa Flamenca, where applications can be processed, although I have been informed that this representative is unlikely to be available until the beginning of February. Until then, it will be necessary to make the trip to Orihuela City, or Alicante, if you require a new padron urgently.
Torrevieja Town Hall has yet to receive these instructions, although officials are expecting them to arrive shortly. Graham Knight from the Office for International Residents has assured me he will issue communications to the press when Torrevieja is ready to make the change. Residencia application forms are available at the Torrevieja Office for International Residents where staff will assist with completion.
Orihuela would appear to be the first in the region to adopt the new rules, with no other municipalities reporting changes to procedures so far.

CoastRider

Hi More,

That is a great help, many thanks for that!

Val

hI guys,

Just to let you know that in the Alicante region the NIE will now actually cost you 9€ per person,this has to be paid a the bank before you can collect them.

Also the residencia application has now gone up by 10c,if you have already filled out your form at the bank and paid in advance you have to get a new form to pay the extra,you cannot use the old form and pay the extra at the desk as some have tried.(that would be too easy!!!)

Also the Local Police office's are getting really strict about issuing NIE  out of area,ie if you are buying in torry use the torry office etc.....

Georgia

Hi Georgia,

We now have an appointment at Orihuela at the end of February to apply for our residencia. Is the amount 6.80 or is it 6.90 now each, because we have the form Modelo 790 to go and pay it at the bank before our appointment?

Many thanks

Val

Hi

 We applied to Motril police station for our NIE in September 2006 and the forms stamped etc, but because we changed our minds and didn't proceed with the purchase of the house, we didn't go back to collect our certificates (mistake). As we're now thinking of buying, does anyone know if the certificate will still be there to collect, or will we have to start again after all this time.

Thanks

Note that regardless of where or how you have applied for your NIE Number, the National Police (once the certificate is prepared) will only hold on to the document for a period of 3 months.  After that time, the certificate will be destroyed.

Therefore in your case, the answer is no, the certificate can no longer be collected.

As mariadecastro said however your NIE Numbers have already been allocated to you, and will never change (these numbers are yours for life) but in order to obtain the NIE Number certificate, you will need to go through the entire application process again. This can be done at any local branch of the National Police of Spain or through a service such as NIE Number Direct.