NIE and power of attorney
Two documents that between them remove almost every reason you would otherwise have to get on a plane.
The NIE
The Número de Identidad de Extranjero is the identification number Spain assigns to foreigners. You cannot buy, sell, inherit, file a tax return, open a Spanish bank account or connect a utility without one. It is not a residence permit and it does not make you a Spanish taxpayer. It is a number.
It is obtained either at a Spanish consulate in the UK or in Spain, and it can be applied for on your behalf under a power of attorney, which is usually faster than waiting for a consular appointment.
The power of attorney
Almost everything that happens in a Spanish legal matter happens in front of a notary, in Spain, in person. The power of attorney — poder notarial — means the person standing there is us.
You sign it at a notary here in the UK, it is apostilled, and it is then valid in Spain. It is drafted to cover a defined list of acts: accepting an inheritance, signing a deed, dealing with the tax office, and so on. It does not give us access to your money, and we say so in the document itself.
One point worth making, because people worry about it: a power of attorney cannot be used to make your will. Spanish law treats a will as strictly personal, and no attorney can sign one for you.
What it costs
£295 for both, together. The notary's own fee for witnessing the power of attorney is separate and is paid by you directly — usually between £75 and £150 depending on where you sign it.
Get the NIE and power of attorney — £295
Paid securely by card. You have the right to cancel within 14 days; if you ask us to start work sooner, you will be charged only for the work done up to the point you cancel.