Why the number comes before the keys
A property purchase in Spain goes through a notary, is recorded at the Land Registry and creates tax obligations, all of them tied to the parties’ identification numbers. Without a NIE, the deed cannot be signed in your name. Each buyer needs their own, so a couple buying together makes two requests.
The same number then follows the house: the electricity and water contracts, the community of owners, the IBI (the yearly municipal property tax) and the tax return non-resident owners file in Spain.
From home or on the island
If your viewing trips are short, the consulate route can be easier: the Spanish consulate that covers your area takes the EX-15 and you receive the number once it is assigned. On the island, the request goes to the police with a cita previa.
For buyers who cannot be on Tenerife for an appointment at all, Gestoraz can request the NIE online, which spares you from planning a trip around a slot.
What a buyer usually brings
- Passport, with a copy of the pages that show your details
- Form EX-15, with the purchase as the reason
- A document that shows the purchase: a reservation or deposit contract, or a letter from the notary or your lawyer
- The Modelo 790, código 012, paid
- Your cita previa confirmation, if you apply on the island
On Tenerife
Many holiday-home buyers on Tenerife look in the south, around Los Cristianos, Playa de las Américas and Costa Adeje, which makes the Comisaría Sur in Las Terrazas, Adeje, the nearer office for an EX-15 request on the island. Buyers in Puerto de la Cruz or the hills of La Laguna generally look to Santa Cruz instead. Either way, the slot you book fixes the office.
Questions on this topic
Can I commit to a property before I have the number?
Partly: you can sign a reservation or a private deposit contract, but the public deed at the notary needs the NIE. Start the request as soon as a property is in view.
Does owning a home give me residence?
No. Ownership gives no right to live on the island. British and other non-EU owners remain visitors unless they obtain a visa, and Spain closed its golden visa route in 2025.
How long can I stay in my holiday home?
EU, EEA and Swiss owners come and go freely. Non-EU owners, British included, are visitors under the Schengen rule of 90 days in any 180 unless they hold a visa or residence.