Who gets asked for it
Anyone without Spanish nationality who has economic, professional or social business here: a new hire joining a payroll, a buyer before a notary, a student opening an account, a retired owner settling the local taxes on a holiday flat.
Holders of an EU, EEA or Swiss passport who stay beyond three months get their number through the EU registration certificate (EX-18) instead. The EX-15 by itself therefore serves short stays and non-residents.
Inside the file
- The EX-15, filled in and signed in your hand
- Passport or ID card, plus a photocopy of the page with your details
- A paper giving the reason: an employer’s offer, a deposit on a flat, a university letter
- The fee form, Modelo 790 código 012, validated by the bank
- Your cita previa confirmation for that station
At the counter
An officer sets the copies beside the originals and reads the form against the reason you give. The certificate showing your number is handed over on the spot or later, as each station arranges it. For a non-resident it records the number and nothing more: living in Spain has its own procedure.
Still abroad? The Spanish consulate serving your country of residence accepts the same request, which suits buyers and incoming staff who want the number settled before the flight.
Queries on this procedure
Will my number change later?
Never. The NIE stays attached to you for life, whichever certificate or card displays it afterwards.
Home is in Salou. May I book Reus?
No. Salou sits in the Tarragonès, which the Delegación del Gobierno assigns to the Plaça d’Orleans station. Our police stations guide sets out the comarcas of all three.
An EU citizen moving here: is the EX-15 enough?
For three months or less, it is. Settling for longer calls for the EX-18 registration, which also hands you the number.