After you get your NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero), the next step is snagging a green NIE card, which is the go-to official form and is accepted everywhere in Spain.
To get this card, you’ve got a couple of options: you can go the employment route or show you’re financially good to go.
Let’s break it down for two scenarios: either you don’t have a job in Spain, or you do, whether through a local company or your current employer has a branch here.
What You’ll Need
First things first, you’ll need to gather these documents:
- Your NIE
- Your passport
- Proof of residence (empadronamiento)
- A filled-out EX19 application form (find it online)
- Proof of payment for the tax (around €12 per person)
- Proof showing you have enough funds.
Showing Financial Means
You can show you’re financially stable either through a job or by having savings.
Employment Route
If you work for a company in Spain, or your current employer has a location here, they’ll handle registering you in the social security.
Savings Route
If you’re not employed, you’ll need to show you have enough savings and be signed up with a private health insurance plan. This is to make sure you won’t rely on the social security system since you won’t be paying into it yet. Once you start working and contributing, you won’t need this proof anymore.
How Much Do You Need?
You don’t actually need to have this amount in cash; you just need to show that you can access it. The amount is based on the IPREM (Indicador Público de Renta de Efectos Múltiples), which is about €7,200 for each adult (in 2025) and half that for kids. So, for a family of three (two parents and a child), you’re looking at €18,000 in savings. Make sure to get a bank certificate showing this amount before your appointment.
Booking Your Appointment
Once you’ve got all your documents ready, you’ll need to book an appointment at the foreigners' police office. Keep checking for available times because they fill up fast. Try to schedule this within three months of your arrival in Spain (using the date from your first empadronamiento registration). Most offices are pretty flexible, because they know they have limited staff.
At your appointment, you’ll get a quick response from the police office. If everything's in order, you’ll walk away with your green NIE card. Just a heads up: don’t laminate this card, as it’s against the rules and can get you into trouble. You can, however, keep it safe in a plastic sleeve.
Hope this info helps!
Hasta luego, mis amigos.
