🧒 FIRST TIME NIE 

CHILDREN NOT BORN IN SPAIN

​

If your child was not born in Spain but is now living here with you, good news! 

They can also obtain their own residence permit (NIE) — once certain requirements are met.

​

This process allows your child to live legally in Spain, attend school, and later even apply for Spanish nationality. Below we explain everything step by step 👇

​

💡 What Is This Permit?

​​

This is a temporary residence permit for foreign minors who were not born in Spain but now live here with their parent(s) or legal guardian(s) who already have legal residence.

​

It’s called:

“Autorización de residencia temporal del menor extranjero acompañado no nacido en España.”

​

In simple terms:

➡️ It allows your child to have their own NIE and residence card, linked to your residence status.
➡️ It’s valid for 5 years and renewable.
➡️ Once your child reaches working age, the card automatically allows them to work — no extra steps needed.

​​

✅ Who Can Apply?

​

To apply for this residence permit, the following conditions must be met:

​

• The child was not born in Spain and is under 18 years old.

• The child has lived in Spain continuously for at least 2 years before applying.

• At least one parent has legal residence in Spain (or is in the process of renewing it).

• If the child is of school age, they must be enrolled in an official school.

• The family must have suitable housing (rented or owned).

​

💡 Important: The property must be a real residential home — commercial spaces (“locales”) are not accepted.

​

📋 Documents You Need

​

To present the application, you’ll need:

​

• Full passport of the child (all pages).

• Full passport and residence card (NIE) of the parent(s).

• Birth certificate (issued within the last 6 months), with Apostille and official translation into Spanish.

• Proof of continuous residence in Spain for 2 years (historical padrón or similar).

• Proof of school enrollment (if the child is in school).

• Proof of housing – Informe de Vivienda, rental contract, volante de convivencia, and recent rent and utility bills.

• Proof of sufficient income – recent payslips (nóminas), work contract, or other financial documents.

​

⚠️ All foreign documents must be apostilled or legalized and officially translated into Spanish by a sworn translator.

​

🗓️ When Can You Apply?

​

You can apply once your child has lived in Spain continuously for at least 2 years.

​

If your own residence is still being renewed, that’s okay — the application can be submitted while your renewal is in process.

​

⏳ How Long Does It Take?

​

The Immigration Office usually takes around one month to issue a resolution.

​

If you don’t receive an answer after one month, the application is considered denied by administrative silence — but most are resolved within that period.

​

Once approved ✅, the residence permit is valid for 5 years.

​

After receiving the approval, you’ll need to make an appointment at the police station to collect the residence card (TIE) — we can help you with that too 👇

​

🇪🇸 When Can My Child Apply for Spanish Nationality?

​

Your child can apply for Spanish nationality after 2 years of legal residence in Spain (that means 2 years since getting their NIE).

​

Once your child becomes Spanish, the parents may also be able to apply for residence and work permits through the “arraigo familiar” route.

​

⚖️ What If the Parents Don’t Have Papers?

​

Unfortunately, if neither parent has legal residence, the child cannot apply yet.

Once at least one parent gets a residence permit, the child can apply immediately after.

​

💼 How We Can Help You

​

At MSM Legal Consulting, our immigration lawyers assist families all over Spain 🇪🇸 with this process — from start to finish.

​

We take care of everything for you:

​

✔️ Explaining all requirements clearly.
✔️ Preparing and submitting the full application and government forms.
✔️ Tracking your file and keeping you informed.
✔️ Helping with the fingerprint (TIE) appointment and card collection.
✔️ Assisting later with your child’s Spanish nationality application.

​

📬 How to Send Us Your Documents

​

We help clients in Barcelona, across all Spain, and even abroad 🌍.

You can:

📍 Bring your documents to our office in person — we’ll be happy to meet you!
📧 Send them by email to info@msmlegalconsulting.es
💬 Or send them via WhatsApp for a quick review.

​

We’ll check everything and start your child’s application right away! 🧒✨
 

💬 Need more help or have questions?

You can easily book a consultation with our attorney for personalized legal advice and guidance about your case.