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- 1Spain: An attractive country for investment
- 2Setting up a business in Spain
- 3 Tax System
- 4 Investment aid and incentives in Spain
- 5 Labor and social security regulations
- 6 Intellectual property law
- 7Legal framework and tax implications of e-commerce in Spain
- AI Annex I Company and Commercial Law
- AIIAnnex II The Spanish financial system
- AIIIAnnex IIIAccounting and audit issues

- Introduction
- Different ways of doing business in Spain
- Tax Identification Number (N.I.F.) and Foreigner Identity Number (N.I.E.)
- N.I.E for individuals who are to be shareholders or directors of companies resident in Spain, tax and legal representatives of a branch in Spain, permanent establishments or limited liability entrepreneurs
- N.I.F. for legal entities that are to be shareholders or directors of companies resident in Spain, or owners of branches in Spain or permanent establishments
- Provisional and definitive N.I.F. of the company resident in Spain that is to be set up
- Formation of a company
- Limited liability entrepreneur
- Opening of a branch
- Other alternatives for operating in Spain
- Forms of business cooperation
- Temporary Business Associations (UTEs)
- Economic Interest Groupings (EIGs)
- Silent participation Agreement (C.E.P.)
- Participating loans
- Joint ventures through Spanish corporations or limited liability companies
- Distribution, agency, commission agency and franchising agreements
- Other alternatives for investing in Spain
- Dispute resolution
- Appendix I - Table summarizing the tax treatment given to the various ways of investing in Spain
3Tax Identification Number (N.I.F.) and Foreigner Identity Number (N.I.E.)
3.2. N.I.F. for legal entities that are to be shareholders or directors of companies resident in Spain or owners of branches in Spain or permanent establishments
N.I.F. (foreign company that is to be shareholder/director of Spanish company)Country of application | Where to submit application | Documentation | Decision period |
---|---|---|---|
Spain | State Tax Agency or telematically |
| First step: Assignment of the representative’s instrumental N.I.E. by means of form 030 on the same day. Second step: One or two days later, the foreign entity’s N.I.F. can be obtained by means of form 036. |
Abroad | Spanish Consulates abroad or telematically | ||
Note: Documents from other countries (such as powers of representation in order to appear before the authorities and apply for a N.I.F./N.I.E) must be translated into Spanish or the co-official language of the Autonomous Community5 in which the application is submitted. Any foreign public document must be legalized beforehand by the Spanish consulate office with jurisdiction in the country the document was issued and by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, unless the document has been certified by apostille by a competent authority in the country of issue pursuant to the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961. |
3 https://www.agenciatributaria.gob.es/AEAT.sede/procedimientoini/G321.shtml
4https://www.agenciatributaria.gob.es/AEAT.sede/tramitacion/G322.shtml.
5 Bear in mind that a sworn translation must be made, both of the document and of its authentication and the apostille.