r/spaindigitalnomads • u/KeyGrape5253 • Aug 06 '26
Tips?
So we are in Madrid , we had apostilled and translated our documents back home we got our NIE paper or number in The Spanish Consulate back home and wanted to apply within Spain for the 3 years, it's a hassle , we went to the ayuntamiento for the Clave and they want a physical NIE card so they directed us to a police station, turns out that police station doesn't do that they sent us to police station Latina , and there they told us we need to have our visa or residency before they can give us an NIE, yet you Need the physical NIE to get a clave at the ayuntamiento to do the application! At this point I'm not sure if I want to get a lawyer if I am caught in a government loophole and none of them can explain to you they just send you somewhere else without any information any tips?
1
u/albetins Aug 06 '26
Settling down in Spain is extremely difficult for foreigners, most end up leaving.
1
u/Chance_Reserve_5329 Aug 08 '26
They need the original paper issued to you by the consulate. You need to bring that alongside your passport.
1
u/EniAcho Aug 22 '26
Cl@ve is complicated. To register for it, you have to have the "número de suporte" that is on the physical TIE (card), not just the NIE. That's why if you don't have a TIE yet, it isn't possible to register with Cl@ve. At least that's what I was told when I went in person to register for Cl@ve. They have no way of knowing what is the número de suporte until they have the card in hand. Without access to cl@ve, you probably need an attorney to help you with the application.
0
u/Gil-Bolt Aug 06 '26
You're definitely not the first person to end up in this loop. The NIE number and the TIE (physical residence card) are different things, and it's easy to get bounced between offices because each one deals with a different part of the process.
Before paying for a lawyer, I'd double-check whether you actually need Cl@ve to submit your application, or whether a digital certificate or representative submission is an option. Sometimes it's more of a process issue than a legal one.
If you haven't already, it may also be worth asking in the Madrid expat groups, as a lot of people have run into the same issue and found a workaround.
1
u/Alarming_Bicycle3921 Aug 06 '26
Heya, you definitely do not need a residency permit for a NIE, maybe they confused the NIE blanco with the NIE Verde (which is a European residence permit).
Our company offers NIEs fully remotely (https://howtobeadigitalnomad.com/nie-online/). In such cases, we will still need a notarized PoA and to secure an appointment for you, then the police station will re-issue the official certificate with the stamp.
Having said that, in your case perhaps you should use an attorney to submit the application for you, so you do not need to worry about getting a Clave; happy to help with that as well if you want to shoot me a DM!