Is the number on your visa or approval letter your NIE?

Key rules

• Long-stay visas and approvals: If you hold one, your NIE is generally already assigned when your application is registered.
• Visa sticker: A sticker with no number does not mean you have no NIE; check your approval resolution.
• Short-stay Schengen visa: It gives you no NIE.
• NIE format: A letter X, Y or Z, seven digits, then a letter.

Check before you apply again

Many visas and residence approvals already carry your NIE. Look for it before you book an appointment to request a new one.

The NIE is assigned when the immigration office registers your application. So if you hold a long-stay visa or a residence approval, you probably already have a number.

Where the number appears

Your NIE can appear on these documents:

• The residence approval resolution, which is the notification of the favourable decision.
• The application receipt (justificante de presentación).
• The NIE certificate, the green paper certificate.
• The TIE card, once you have it.
• The EU citizen registration certificate, if you are an EU or EEA citizen.

It is usually near your name and personal data, often at the top of the document. The layout differs between documents, so look carefully.

Why the visa sticker may not help

The visa sticker in your passport often does not show the NIE. A blank sticker does not mean you have no NIE. Open your approval resolution instead, because that is where the number usually is.

A short-stay Schengen visa gives you no NIE. If that is your only document, you will need to apply for one separately.

How to recognise an NIE

An NIE starts with X, Y or Z, then seven digits, then a letter. For example, X1234567L. If the number on your document fits this pattern, it is your NIE.

Use the checklist below to go through your papers in order. If none of your documents shows a number in this format, ask the immigration office that handled your application.

Documents you need

• Residence approval resolution (the favourable decision notification), issued by the immigration office. It usually shows your NIE.

• Application receipt (justificante de presentación), given when your application is filed. It shows your NIE.

• NIE certificate (the green paper certificate), if you already have one.

• TIE card, if you already hold one. It shows your NIE.

• EU citizen registration certificate (Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión), if you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen. It shows your NIE.

Checklist

• Confirm your visa is a long-stay visa or residence approval, not a short-stay Schengen visa, which carries no NIE.

• Open your residence approval resolution and look near your name and personal data for the number.

• Check your application receipt, NIE certificate, TIE card or EU registration certificate if you have them.

• Compare the number with the NIE format: X, Y or Z, seven digits, then a letter.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I look on a document to find my NIE?

Look at the top of the document, near your name and personal data. It starts with X, Y or Z, followed by seven digits and a letter, like X1234567L.

My visa sticker shows no NIE. Does that mean I don't have one?

Not necessarily. Many visa stickers do not show it, but the approval resolution usually does. Check that document before you apply again.