Find your number

Where is my NIE number on documents?

Q: Where is the NIE number on a Spanish visa?

On the visa sticker it appears in the field 'Número de identidad de extranjero' — often labelled 'support number' in the machine-readable zone. It is the 9-character code in the format letter + 7 digits + letter (e.g. Y1234567L).

Q: Where is the NIE on the TIE card?

On the front of the Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero, under your name — the 9-character NIE sits above the card number. The NIE is permanent; the card itself has an expiry date.

Q: Is the NIE printed in the passport?

Not by itself. The passport shows the visa sticker with the NIE if your visa was issued after the number was assigned. A bare passport without a Spanish visa does not contain a NIE.

Q: What is the 'support number' on a Spanish visa?

It is the NIE. Spanish visa forms call it 'número de soporte' — the identifier that links the visa to your foreigner file. It uses the standard NIE format.

Q: Can I find my NIE online?

There is no public online lookup. Your NIE appears on documents you already hold: tax filings, contracts, bank paperwork, the certificate issued when you applied. If you find none, request a copy at the issuing police station or via a representative.

Q: Is the NIE the same as the NIF?

For individuals the numbers are identical — the NIF is the tax role of the same number. On Spanish tax forms the field says NIF but takes your NIE.

Your NIE (format X/Y/Z-1234567-L) is printed on every official Spanish document tied to your file. The most common search — “support number” on Spanish visas — is simply the NIE under another label.

TL;DR

Visa sticker: field “Número de identidad de extranjero” / support number.
TIE card: top of the card, under your name.
White certificate: under your name and passport number.
Everyday documents: employment contract, tax filing (NIF field), bank contract, utility contract.
No public online lookup exists — check your documents first, then the issuing police station.

Where it is, document by document

Document	Exact location	Label you'll see
Spanish visa sticker	Main data block, under the visa type	Número de identidad de extranjero / support number
TIE card	Front, under your name	N.I.E.
White NIE certificate	Under your name and passport number	Número de Identidad de Extranjero
Green EU certificate	Same position (EU citizens)	Número de Identidad de Extranjero
Tax filing (Modelo 100/210)	NIF field	NIF
Employment contract	Your identification block	NIE
Bank contract	Account holder data	NIE / NIF
Property deed (escritura)	Party identification	NIE

The “support number” on a Spanish visa

Spanish consulates and visa centres print the NIE in a field that English readers often read as “support number” — a literal rendering of número de soporte used in some visa-system templates. It is the same 9-character NIE. If a Spanish form asks for a “support number” or “número de soporte” from a foreigner, it wants the NIE.

If you cannot find it anywhere

1. Search your email

If you applied through a representative, the certificate scan was emailed to you. Search for “NIE” or the file extension .pdf around your application date.

2. Check tax and bank records

Any Modelo tax filing, payslip, bank or utility contract in Spain shows the number.

3. Request a copy

The police station that issued the number can reprint the certificate; a lost-or-duplicate guide walks through it. There is no public online lookup — services claiming otherwise are scams.

Can't find it — or don't have a NIE yet?

We retrieve lost NIE numbers and file new applications on POA — no appointments, certificate by email.

Let us handle your NIE

Frequently asked questions

Where is the NIE number on a Spanish visa?

In the field “Número de identidad de extranjero” — often labelled support number. It is the 9-character code: letter + 7 digits + letter.

Where is the NIE on the TIE card?

Front of the card, under your name, above the card number. The NIE is permanent; only the card expires.

Is the NIE printed in the passport?

Only via the visa sticker. A bare passport carries no NIE.

What is the “support number” on a Spanish visa?

The NIE itself, printed under a template label derived from “número de soporte”.

Can I find my NIE online?

No public lookup exists. Check documents you hold, then request a copy from the issuing police station or via a representative.

Is the NIE the same as the NIF?

For individuals, yes — same number, tax role. Tax forms label the field NIF but expect your NIE.

Sources: Sede Electrónica Policía Nacional — NIE assignment · Ministry of Foreign Affairs — NIE

We are not a government body. We are a tax & accounting service assisting with NIE applications and Spanish paperwork. Facts verified 24 September 2026.