Do I need an NIE to buy property in Spain, and how do I get one?
Yes — you need an NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero, a Spanish foreigner ID number) to buy property in Spain; the notary cannot register the deed in your name without it.
You can apply for an NIE at a Spanish consulate in your home country or, in Spain, at a Policía Nacional immigration office (often by appointment). The fee is small and many buyers use a lawyer with power of attorney to obtain it.
The NIE is your tax identity in Spain — you will use it to pay the purchase taxes and, later, the annual IBI.
Checking a specific property?
VeoTrust verifies a listing against the cadastre, the registry, rent-control rules and the real taxes — an honest verdict in minutes.