Hi there,

I’m hoping to be moving to Spain in the next few months, I have a trip booked for the end March - should I get my NIE number while I’m there and maybe open a bank account? - which is the best bank to go to?  I wil be living in the village of Benicull about 30-40 minutes from Valencia.

Any help would be gratefully received, thanks.

Kate

Firstly you will need an NIE to open a bank accout, you can obtain an NIE by yourself however most people (certainly the ones I talk to) seem to find a legal representative to do this for them.  Not sure of the costs though, possibly around 50?.

As for which bank, I think that is down to personal choice however, there are UK high street bank names over here such as Barclays, Halifax, Lloyds etc so depends on who you bank which in the UK, you may want familiarity.

Paul

Hi there,

Do you just go to the police station to get an NIE?  I don’t think I need a legal representatvie for this - I’m sure I can manage without one 😉

Not bothered about familiarity at all ust which is the best Spanish bank - think I’d prefer to have a Spanish bank (no idea why!)

Thanks
Kate

you can open an non resident bank account with you passport and address at home

Your instincts are right!

If you are serious about Spain go with a Spanish bank (although Barclays is not bad as it took over a Spanish bank)

Yes you can do the NIE by yourself - you do not have to have a legal rep.

download it from here:

http://www.map.es/servicios/servicios_on_line/extranjeria/modelos_oficiales_solicitudes.html

it is the EX14

Ask different banks about the cost of having an account with them.
I did this with several banks and have choosen La Caixa with great satifaction and joy.  I am very happy with their service and the cost is very low.
(I knew them for years before I needed an account in Spain, because I used to use them for transactions.)

Thanks, some very helpful advice there. Looking forward to getting over at the end of March to start getting things done - at the moment I feel like there’s nothing I can do to prepare.  Kate

Hi Kate,

We opted for the Halifax-Hispania bank because we still have financial ties with the UK and can transfer cash between the UK and Spanish banks without cost.  I have opted for La Caixa for my business account due to fees + recommendations.  It really is well worth talking to local people where you will be living as Spanish banking seems much more organised around branch structure and local management than in the UK (where I never set foot in a branch for years!)

Maya x

fine La Caixa to good bank and there online is not bad aswell , Barclays Spain (550 branches) not bad but where you move money from uk to spain that will try to charge you , and can be quit hight so , want to do a deal with them .

La Caixa only cost me 75 cent that euro to euro in Eu

jurdy

La Caixa transfers within EU in Euro’s is free of charge for my personal account, when using the correct address, IBAN and BIC.

I opened an account with La Caixa in L’Escala in 2007 without an NIE. They have been a good bank. I applied for an NIE at the same time I opened the account, at the Foreign Police in Girona. I was told I could pick up my number within five weeks at the outside, but it apparently never arrived (I left power of attorney for someone to pick it up for me.) I haven’t been able to get back to Spain for nearly two years now.

I talked to a Spanish lawyer about the number—she told me the NIE had probably been issued, and would still be available for me even if I didn’t come to pick it up or was never notified about it. I’d love to get a second opinion about this.

Can anyone tell me if there is a telephone number, web site, or mailing address where I can find out what my NIE is, if in fact it has been issued?

Regards, Winter

KateM - 15 February 2009 09:01 PM

Hi there,

I’m hoping to be moving to Spain in the next few months, I have a trip booked for the end March - should I get my NIE number while I’m there and maybe open a bank account? - which is the best bank to go to?  I wil be living in the village of Benicull about 30-40 minutes from Valencia.

Any help would be gratefully received, thanks.

Kate

Do you plan to get a mortgage at some point?  If so it may be worth doing some research on that before you choose a bank, as it can be convenient to have a current account with your lender.  Anything called a Caja (Caixa in Catalan/Valencian) rather than a Banco is likely to have a more socially responsible policy - kind of like the old mutual building societies in the UK.  They put a large proportion of their profits into arts/sport/charity for the area in which they are based.  Getting your NIE varies in complexity from one place to another and has changed since I did it (it used to be free) but if you speak any Spanish you shouldn’t need help from a gestor or anything like that.

Hi there,

Probably planning to get a mortgage in a couple of years so I guess I would be best going for one that’s good for mortgages - any advice there?  Kate

mate from ireland is moving out here soon and asked for a loan 40.000 euros and bank had no problem with this loan .. but had to sing forum let the bank look at his histroy back in Ireland in his irish bank ... now he had to log lot more that that to get his loan

its tax think here doing