Looks like the goal posts have been moved again for applying for a NIE number at the police in Tortosa.

You now cannot use the walk in service and take a ticket, you have to make an appointment. Hopefully you also speak Spanish/Catalan to make the appointment!!!!!!

This morning the first available appointment was for the 21st September, then you have to wait for 3 days after that for the actual certificate.

This means that if you want to get a NIE and buy a property in one trip, you will need to stay for approximately 2 weeks.

Also, at La Caixa bank today with 2 clients, they informed us that money coming into Spain from ALL other countries will take a full week to hit your account. Something to do with new security measures introduced recently.

So, in my estimations that's another 2 hurdles to cross if you are wanting to come here to live (are we all sure they really want us here?)

I think somebody spent their Summer dreaming up how to make the red tape even harder to cross.

Who in their right mind wants to spend half of their annual holidays waiting for certificates and documents, and that's if it all goes according to plan.......huh...

If anyone knows of another place with an easier system I'm all ears!

Jools

Are potential buyers still coming into the area to buy property?
Because with all the problems being shown on the TV and in the newspapers,I would of thought no one in their right mind would want to buy in Spain fullstop.
The Government obviously have a devious plan that no one,especially Foreigners is aware of.

Hi Jools
Sounds like it may be a reaction to what happened last September at the police office in Tortosa.  I had to renew my residencia last September and the only way to get to see somebody was queue up at least 7 am to be one of the 50 people which, we were told by the police receptionist, would be guaranteed to be seen.  The unofficial queue was run by a team of east europeans who had a list system and surprise surprise, there were at least 50 names already on the list when I got there although there were only 5 or 6 people already in the queue. I duly added my name as the 51st person on the list.  I tried to buck the trend however, and queue behind the 6th person, but within the hour before the police office opened I was openly pushed and jostled to the back as more people whose names I assume were before me on this list, turned up at leisure. Of course, I was lucky to get seen that day as a couple of people ahead of me were removed from the queue seemingly their papers were not correct.  It was an awful experience.  The ticket machine was intentionally out of use and the queueing system was the only way to get seen at that time.  Maybe there is an extra influx of 'extranjeros' into the area during this month every year, perhaps for seasonal work.  I know that the staffing levels in the police office are low due to holidays etc. at this time of year.  What was surprising was to be told by 2 English acquaintances that they had had no problem in obtaining their residencia renewals when they visited the office at the end of September last year. They just waltzed in at around 10.30 and picked up a ticket and were seen straight away. So it could just be a seasonal way to deal with additional work at the police office.
Rob

Normally only for christmas Stuart! 

Hi Jeff,

Many thanks for that, my Spanish associate called them the other day and was told pretty much the same thing. Yes it is a bit of a trawl, I agree, but if it means that the service is quicker and the clients are happy that's all that matters really.

Jools

Update on getting a NIE at Tortosa, we walked into the office onFriday at 10am and was seen by 11.30am and now just have to return on Tues to pick up certificate. We were seen by a lovely policeman at the desk who could of done more to help us, all in all painless!

Here's my experience, over two days last week, at Tortosa to get an NIE...

Arrive outside (good free car parking) by 06h15. It's not the actual police station, but offices on Passeig de Ribera.

An informal list is available (at least, it was on both days I was there), and make sure your name is on it. Look to the right of the door, on a shelf, under a stone. Someone queueing may be there to help you. If cold, it's fine to sit in your car, until 07h50 at least.

My experience was: if you are 33rd on the list (first day), you probably won't get in. If 16th, you probably will. Spanish nationals are sorted at 8 am into one queue, and everyone else (EU and non-EU) into another. How many in the 'other' queue will get through the door will be determined, I think, by the number of Spanish applicants on the day and perhaps by the number of appointments.

Come prepared with your form. You can type in the details online and then save it as a pdf and print it out. Make sure you have details of the property you are buying available. Remember your passport!

You will be given a printed number. Watch the number display like a hawk - they won't wait unless you go to the appropriate desk very promptly (format is something like 0417MESA10, meaning number 0417 should go to desk 10), and you will miss your turn.

Once seen and processed, you will have to take a form to the bank to pay for the process - 16 euros, thereabouts. Caixa will not do it unless you have a bank account with them. Santander will. There are two branches within 10 minutes' walk.

Head back to the office by two. On production of the receipted form, you will get another form with your NIE handwritten on it. This is not the final document, but it can be used for legal purposes before the notary - at least before the notary I went to.

You have to go back three days later for your formal document. Between 09h00 and 12h00. No queueing. No printed number needed.

My impression was that the beginning of the week was busier than the latter end, but...

... if you want the NIE the same week, I suggest you go for the first time on a Monday or Tuesday, and you'll get it on the Thursday or Friday.

You can make an appointment for a day sometime ahead. When I went, they were offering them about 10 days hence.

Crazy system - but it does work.

Does anybody know what the current situation is with regards to applications / appointments etc? I just googled the police staion in Tortosa and googlemaps shows a huge amount of people outside. Is this form  http://www.tortosaforum.com/images/ex14.pdf in the links the most current form?

Assistance would really be appreciated because we are coming over in a few weeks and need to apply this time round!

If an appointment is needed, is there a phone number we can call?

Many thanks in advance,
John and Iris.