NIE cost in Spain: €9.84 from the government, €199 from us
TL;DR
- The Spanish government charges €9.84 to process a NIE application — paid on Modelo 790 código 012, concept "Asignación de NIE a instancia del interesado".
- Our service starts at €199. That's the price for filing it for you, end to end, with a money-back guarantee.
- What €9.84 covers: state processing only. What it doesn't: apostille, sworn translation, cita previa wait time, consular fees if abroad.
- Common DIY price range: €9.84 + €50–200 in surrounding costs + weeks of waiting. Common service range: €150–700.
- Most common reason an NIE application is refused: ticking the wrong line on the 790/012.
NIE service since 2013 · 17 000+ clients handled · money-back guarantee · 4.9★ on Trustpilot
Facts verified 22 September 2026 against the Sede Electrónica de la Policía Nacional fee schedule, the Asignación de NIE procedure page, and Ley 39/2015. Real-user timelines sourced from r/GoingToSpain (Apr 2025).
Key facts: NIE cost at a glance
| Official fee | €9.84 — paid on Modelo 790 código 012 |
|---|---|
| Concept on the form | "Asignación de NIE a instancia del interesado" |
| Where you pay | Any Spanish banco colaborador — practically every high-street bank |
| What it pays for | Receiving EX-15, verifying your reason, assigning the number, issuing the certificate |
| Resolution deadline | Maximum 5 working days once registered |
| If you use a representative | They pay €9.84 in Spain — included in their service fee |
| If you apply at a consulate | Consulate's own local fee (varies by country, paid in local currency) |
| Refundable if refused? | No — administrative fee, not contingent on outcome |
| Annual change | Yes — check the Sede Policía schedule each year before paying |
How to pay the €9.84: 4 steps
- Download the 790/012 form from the official Sede Electrónica portal — the form is free.
- Tick "Asignación de NIE a instancia del interesado" on the form. Same paper has TIE (€16.08), TIE renewal (€19.30), EU certificate (€12.00) and larga duración (€21.87) on neighbouring lines — pick the wrong one and the bank stamp is useless.
- Pay €9.84 in cash or by card at any banco colaborador — practically every Spanish high-street bank. The bank stamps the form with the validation date.
- Keep the stamped form. This stamped proof of payment is the only document the police accept — a digital receipt alone is not enough.
What the €9.84 covers, and what it doesn't
The €9.84 is an administrative fee for processing — it pays the police station to register your EX-15, check your reason, assign the number, and hand you the certificate. It does not pay for any of the surrounding work.
What you'll still pay for (DIY)
- Apostille — every foreign document needs a Hague Apostille. UK FCDO charges per document; US state apostilles are $5–25; other countries set their own rates. Without it, your passport is not acceptable.
- Sworn translation (traducción jurada) of any document not in Spanish. €20–50 per page in Spain. Apostilled power of attorney alone is 2–4 pages.
- Cita previa appointment — free, but the queue in Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga and Alicante can be weeks. r/GoingToSpain users describe checking the appointment page hourly.
- If applying abroad: a separate consular fee in local currency. Set by each consulate; not €9.84.
- If using a representative: their service fee. The €9.84 itself is included — you don't pay twice.
How private NIE services price the work
Every reputable NIE service charges for the same scope: drafting the EX-15, booking the cita previa, arranging a power of attorney, paying €9.84, filing at the police station, and delivering the certificate. The price differences come down to speed, inclusions (notary fees, document check, underage), and how much of the work you do yourself.
What our Basic €199 includes
- Pre-filled EX-15 in Spanish (you fill your personal details; we do the form logic)
- Cita previa booking at the police station
- Pre-filled power of attorney (POA), ready for online signing
- Payment of €9.84 in Spain on your behalf
- Filing at the police station
- Scanned certificate delivered by email
- Money-back guarantee
What's NOT included in €199
- Apostille of your passport — done in your country, before you sign up. We can advise where to get it.
- Notary fees — included from Premium (€299).
- Underage application — included from Premium (€299).
- Optional paper delivery by post — by arrangement.
Why €199, not €9.84
A r/VisitingMallorca user advertises €95 per NIE via POA. We respect that price — and we are not it. The €95–€150 bracket works if you can give a representative three weeks, accept minimal document checks, and don't need a notary. From €199, you get the same POA route with: a Spanish law firm drafting the EX-15, a sworn-translated POA, a money-back guarantee, international payment methods, and a 17,000-client track record since 2013. The price difference is the safety net.
«I just obtained my NIE with no address. Got a lawyer, gave them power of attorney and they did the rest. Obviously not the cheapest option but probably the easiest.»
— u/es00728, r/GoingToSpain, March 2025
Common cost mistakes (real cases)
Three things go wrong on the 790/012 form, and they all cost you the application. Real user reports from r/GoingToSpain:
- Wrong concept line. "I chose the option 'Asignación de Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE) a instancia del interesado' where the payment was €9.84." — that part went right. The follow-up confusion with the "Complementaria" field is what gets people: if you mis-tick, the stamp doesn't validate. r/GoingToSpain, Apr 2025
- Paying at the wrong bank. All Spanish high-street banks are bancos colaboradores; not all foreign bank branches in Spain can stamp the 790/012. Use a Spanish bank.
- Paying from abroad. The 790/012 is designed for in-Spain payment. If you're abroad, the route is: apply at a consulate (with its own local fee), or use a representative who pays €9.84 in Spain for you.
- Not budgeting for the apostille. UK readers are used to "FCDO apostille takes 5 working days and £30 per document" but they forget it exists entirely. €9.84 is the cheap part; apostille is what surprises.
«The 790/012 has multiple procedure lines on neighbouring rows. NIE is one; TIE first card €16.08, TIE renewal €19.30, EU citizen certificate €12.00. Tick the wrong one and the stamp is worthless.»
— paraphrased from r/GoingToSpain, Apr 2025
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Spanish NIE cost in 2026?
The Spanish government charges €9.84 — paid on Modelo 790 código 012. That's the only fee the state collects for processing. Everything above €9.84 is the cost of help: consular fees if you apply abroad, apostilles, sworn translations, or a service that handles the work for you.
Is €9.84 the only fee I'll pay?
Only if you do everything yourself. The realistic total grows fast: an apostille on your passport (£30–75 in the UK, $5–25 per US state, varies elsewhere), sworn translation €20–50 per page, and either your own weeks of work or a service fee. r/GoingToSpain users regularly cite €150–700 as the working range for a managed application.
Why do NIE services charge €199 or more if the official fee is €9.84?
€9.84 pays the police to receive and process your EX-15. What you pay a service for is the work around it: drafting the form in Spanish, booking the cita previa (often weeks out), arranging a sworn-translated power of attorney, paying €9.84 in Spain on your behalf, filing at the police station, and delivering the certificate. We've handled 17,000+ clients on this exact workflow since 2013.
Can I pay the €9.84 from abroad?
No. The 790/012 bank stamp must come from a Spanish banco colaborador. If you're abroad, you either apply at a consulate (which collects its own local fee in local currency, not €9.84) or you appoint a representative who pays €9.84 in Spain on your behalf.
What happens if I pay the wrong amount on the 790/012?
Your proof of payment is invalid and the police refuse the application. Most refusals happen at the desk, not after — the officer looks at the stamp and turns you away. r/GoingToSpain users describe this as the single most common reason an NIE submission gets refused.
Is the €9.84 refundable if my NIE application is denied?
No. The 790/012 is an administrative fee, not a charge contingent on a positive outcome. If your application is refused for a fixable reason (wrong documents, missing proof), you re-file with a fresh 790/012 and pay again. Our service plans carry a money-back guarantee separately.
What's the difference between €199 (Basic), €299 (Premium), and €499 (Advance)?
Speed and inclusions. Basic €199 gets you a finished NIE in 3–4 weeks with a pre-filled POA and emailed certificate. Premium €299 (15 days) adds notary fees and underage handling. Advance €499 (7–10 days) is the expedited filing path with everything Premium plus a priority queue. All three carry a money-back guarantee and the same end-to-end coverage.
Do I pay €9.84 even if I use a service?
You don't pay €9.84 directly — it's included in our fee. We pay €9.84 in Spain as part of filing your application. You see only €199 / €299 / €499 on your invoice.
Related guides
Sources
- Sede Electrónica de la Policía Nacional — Asignación de NIE a instancia del interesado (EX-15, five-day resolution)
- Sede Electrónica de la Policía Nacional — Tasas administrativas de extranjería (tasa 790/012 schedule: NIE €9.84, TIE €16.08/€19.30, EU certificate €12.00, larga duración €21.87)
- Real Decreto 557/2011 — Reglamento de Extranjería (art. 206–208, justificación de motivos)
- BOE — Ley 39/2015, art. 5 (representación en procedimientos administrativos)
- Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 — Apostille
- r/GoingToSpain — NIE in Spain without company letter (Apr 2025, fee-line confusion case)
- r/GoingToSpain — How long to get NIE at a Spanish consulate (Apr 2025, timelines)
- r/GoingToSpain — NIE without an address in Spain (Mar 2025, POA route)
Reviewed by the Happy Residence S.L. team. Every figure on this page is checked against the official source on the date shown above; we re-verify after each annual fee order. We are an administrative assistance service, not a public administration.