22.3.08

Number 1, Getting your NIE.

That's (Nee-eh) not (Nee), that in itself will save you a few minutes. If you have the proper documents to get one of these you should and must. The proper documents basically means an EU passport. If you are Canadian and American and have no dual nationality with a European country you want one of these but you can't get one. (unless you have a Master's in what is considered a skilled discipline -from what I'm told.) Now to get your NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero) involves time. Not a lot of time, but at a particular time that you won't enjoy.
You need to line up at the Oficina de Extranjeros de Madrid (Foreigner Office of Madrid) shown on the map below:


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I had to get there at about 7am and stand in line until the doors open at 9am when you are able to go in and collect your time and date for the meeting where you will actually get your NIE. So this is just a queue for an appointment. Yes, you can call a number to try and book an appointment. It was busy for the whole week I called, and I'm not the only one who found this. Your best bet is to line up here between 6am-7am until 9am to secure your meeting. (You should be out of this office by 10am) This is the fastest way to do it. My meeting was scheduled for two weeks in the future and you need to fill in a form that they have there and bring photocopies of your passport.
When you return they will quickly go through your papers, help you fill in anything you missed, and print off a NIE on green special paper (they used to give you a card life the Spanish have, but they no longer do that), double check it for mistakes before you leave and thats it. Now you have your equivalent to your Social Insurance Number (Canada), Social Security Number (USA) or National Insurance Number (GB).

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