1

I plan to go to Spain for 10 days and drive around. I read on http://www.speedingeurope.com/spain/ (mirror) that speed tickets are half cheaper if one has a Número de Identidad de Extranjero (mirror):

If you have a spanish identity card (for foreigners this is NIE – Número de Identidad de Extranjero) you are wise to pay all fines within 20 days, you will then be given a discount of 50% – except for very serious offences. This means that the real fines are half of those shown below. If you do not have a spanish identity , all fines are to be paid on-the-spot. If you do not pay, the police may take your vehicle as security.

How can I get an NIE number for a 10-day trip in Spain, how does it take to get the number, and how much does it cost?

(I don't have any residence in Spain: I live in France and the USA, and I have the French citizenship)

|improve this question
  • 1
    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it is asking for assistance in violating the law (speeding), which is in violation of Stack Exchange terms and conditions. – gerrit Mar 17 '17 at 10:38
  • 2
    @gerrit OP wants to follow the law, not violate it – JonathanReez♦ Mar 17 '17 at 11:17
  • 2
    @gerrit you might get a speed ticket accidentally. In that case it might be useful to avoid paying 100% of the cost. If you ask me it's a blatant rip-off of tourists. – JonathanReez♦ Mar 17 '17 at 11:51
  • 2
    And in any case minor speed tickets are civil violations, not criminal. – JonathanReez♦ Mar 17 '17 at 11:51
  • 2
    @gerrit e.g. see mit.edu/~jfc/NMA/limits.html in the USA "Spring Street, Lexington is illegally posted 30. The authorized limit is 35"; "Speed limits on major highways are set by politicians. Compliance is around 5% in 55 MPH zones (which were mostly posted 60 until 1974) and up to 25% in 65 MPH zones. Based on these measurements, speed limits should be increased from 55 and 65 to 70, 75, and 80.". I don't know about Spain, but I prefer to be careful since in many countries speed tickets are often used as a tax and not a safety measure. – Franck Dernoncourt Mar 17 '17 at 13:13
10

You cannot get an NIE unless you are a resident of Spain, so forget about it for your 10 day trip. As part of the application process, you will have to show a certificado de empadronamiento, which is a document from your local Spanish town hall showing that you actually live there.

Getting an NIE isn't a particularly easy or quick process, and requires documentation, visits to multiple municipal offices, and a not insignificant amount of time waiting in line. Even if you could get one, it almost certianly wouldn't be worth it to potentially save some money on a speeding ticket.

|improve this answer

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.