Hello all

I regularly organize NIE numbers for my clients, and even though I'm based in Tarragona I always go to Reus if possible.

So far I've never been asked for a padrón certificate, though it is a requirement for a residency application.

You do have to provide some kind of proof of why the NIE is needed, like a letter from a notary in the case of a property purchase, a rental contract, or a letter from a bank when opening an account.

And you need your passport and one photocopy, and the application form.

Citizens of non-EU countries need to show Schengen visas and/or entry stamps, so if that applies to you it's a good idea to copy all pages of your passport in case they are required.

Longest I've ever had to wait is 40 minutes, and I find the best time to go is after 12:00.

Processing the NIE application usually takes from 2 days to a week, depending on their workload. Anyone can pick the NIE up for you, provided they have the stamped form and the tax has been paid.

Most banks in the area of the police station will only let you pay the tax certain hours and/or on certain days. Last time I visited, the Banco Popular in the carrer Llovera was processing them at any time, but said they planned to stop doing that.

You can generally get round this problem by walking 10 minutes or so to a bank that's not near the police station.

And if you have a La Caixa bank card, you can process the payment in La Caixa's ATM machines. The bank staff will usually help you with this if you ask.

One point: Reus police station are only supposed to process applications from the Reus area, which includes the Priorat as far as Mora la Nova. In practice they seem to be happy to process applications from outside their area... but at some point they may stop doing that.

Hope this helps!

Jeff
(AICAT registered estate agent)