How to apply for a Spanish NIE from France: which consulate to use
In this article
Short answer. To apply for a Spanish NIE from France, start with your registered address: ten Spanish consular offices serve the country — Paris, Bayonne, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Pau, Perpignan and Toulouse. Each covers its own published districts and runs its own booking route, but the NIE itself is assigned by Spain’s General Commissariat for Immigration and Borders and arrives by email.
This is an independent guide by E-Residence, a private service. It is not an official website of any consulate and does not control appointments; every procedure in it links to its official source. Recheck the official page on the day you act.
For the wider picture of how consular NIE applications work, see our guide to NIE applications at Spanish consulates outside Spain. Here, the focus is France and its ten offices.
Which office covers your address?
French consular districts are published as department numbers rather than as names, so the list below reproduces each office’s entry exactly as the official directory gives it. Residence is the starting point — not nationality, and not the office with the most convenient appointment.
| Where you live (registered address) | Office | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| 02 - 08 - 10 - 14 - 18 - 22 - 23 - 27 - 28 - 29 - 35 - 36 - 37 - 41 - 44 - 45 - 49 - 50 - 51 - 52 - 53 - 56 - 58 - 59 | Consulate General, Paris | Paris NIE page |
| 64 - 40 | Consulate General, Bayonne | Bayonne NIE page |
| 16 - 17 - 19 - 24 - 33 - 79 - 85 - 86 - 87 | Consulate General, Bordeaux | Bordeaux NIE page |
| Your registered address in France (district list not published in the directory view used here) | Consulate General, Strasbourg | Strasbourg NIE page |
| 01 - 03 - 07 - 15 - 21 - 26 - 38 - 43 - 42 - 63 - 69 - 71 - 42 - 43 - 73 - 74 | Consulate General, Lyon | Lyon NIE page |
| 04 - 05- 06 - 13 - 20 - 83 - 84 | Consulate General, Marseille | Marseille NIE page |
| 12 - 30 - 34 - 48 | Consulate General, Montpellier | Montpellier NIE page |
| 32 - 65 - 64 | Consulate General, Pau | Pau NIE page |
| 09 - 11 - 66 | Consulate General, Perpignan | Perpignan NIE page |
| 31- 46 - 47 -81 - 82 | Consulate General, Toulouse | Toulouse NIE page |
The lists repeat as the offices publish them — Lyon’s shows 42 and 43 twice, and code 64 appears in both Bayonne’s and Pau’s district list — so treat each row as that office’s own published demarcation and confirm your address before contacting it. Strasbourg’s district list does not appear in the same directory view used for the others, which is why that row stays cautious; as with the other offices, expect to show proof of residence in the consular district. The embassy’s official consular-office directory for France is the source of these lists.
The consular NIE route: what applies across France
All ten offices follow the same national procedure, with local differences in how you book, what you bring and how you pay. The shared points, as published by the offices themselves:
- A NIE can be requested directly in Spain or at the consular office for your place of residence. From France, that is the office covering your registered address — as the French and Spanish pages of the consulates put it.
- You apply in person or through a duly accredited representative, and the physical presence of the applicant or the representative is always mandatory. Paris adds that representation is done exclusively through a notarial power of attorney, and Lyon asks for a power of attorney that is notarised and apostilled. Do not read the representative route as one that removes attendance altogether.
- You must state the economic, professional or social reasons behind the application; Toulouse’s page describes the NIE as the personal, unique number issued to foreign nationals who, for economic, professional or social reasons, have interests in Spain.
- The standard document set is a completed and signed EX-15 in original and one copy, a valid passport or EU identity document, proof of address in the consular district — Bordeaux lists a gas, electricity or telephone bill, or a bank RIB, among the examples it accepts — and a completed Modelo 790, Código 012 with the fee paid.
- Already relocating to Spain? The consular route may not be yours. Paris states that stays in Spain of more than three months must be processed by the foreigners’ offices (extranjería) in Spain, and Lyon limits its consular NIE service to stays under 90 days. The other pages reviewed here do not state that limit; ask your office about your plans.
- The consulate does not issue the number. It is assigned by the General Commissariat for Immigration and Borders, part of Spain’s Directorate-General for the Police. The consulate cannot speed up processing — Pau says so explicitly — and the NIE is sent to the applicant by email, so put a working notification address on the form.
Prefer to prepare your application with E-Residence? Start an NIE enquiry — a private service that helps you organise the paperwork before you contact the office. An enquiry does not create, confirm or replace an official appointment.
Office by office: how each one runs NIE applications
Paris — consulate general
Paris states that booking is compulsory and each person needs their own appointment. It publishes the shared document set (EX-15, identity document, proof of address, the reason for the application) and the fee it charges: 9,84 € for a first NIE, or 7,31 € for an update. Its page notes that the 790, código 12 form does not have to be filled in there, because the amount is paid in cash, by bank cheque made out to “Consulat d’Espagne” or by credit card. Processing: the number is normally issued in about two weeks, can take longer for reasons outside the office’s control, and is sent to you by email. Paris also states the relocation rule — for stays in Spain of more than three months, the NIE application must go to the foreigners’ offices in Spain. Paris NIE page
Bayonne — consulate general
Bayonne publishes the shared procedure and document list. Its published route for how to submit is to write to the office: cog.bayona@maec.es. Its page carries a fee example from an earlier year (9,74 €, dated 2021) — do not rely on that figure; take the current amount from the office or the 790-012 payment form. The page restates that the NIE is assigned in Spain by the General Commissariat. Bayonne NIE page
Bordeaux — consulate general
Bordeaux asks you to have the whole file ready and then to book a cita previa through its own booking link, choosing the NIE option. Its document list includes proof of address such as a gas, electricity or telephone bill or a bank RIB, and its French-language text records that the 790 form is filled in digitally. The fee is 9,84 € for a first NIE or 7,31 € for an update, and the page states that these amounts must be paid in person at the consulate counter, in cash or by cheque made out to the Consulate. Bordeaux NIE page
Strasbourg — consulate general
Strasbourg asks for a prior appointment, requested by email to cog.estrasburgo@maec.es. Its document list is the standard one: the EX-15, original and one copy, completed and signed by the applicant, plus the supporting documents and the 790, código 12 with the fee paid. The page does not state an amount — it points to the consular fee list (Lista de Tasas consulares) — and payment is in cash or by cheque made out to the Consulat Général d’Espagne. Processing is normally about two weeks and can take longer; the NIE is sent by email. Strasbourg NIE page
Lyon — consulate general
Lyon’s page is the strictest of the ten. It states that files sent by post or by email are never processed: applications are handled in person at the consulate, by appointment only. A person representing you needs a power of attorney that is notarised and apostilled. Minors must attend with both parents or guardians. And the consular service covers stays under 90 days only — if you are staying in Spain longer, the NIE application belongs to the foreigners’ office in Spain. Lyon’s page does not publish a fee figure in the text captured for this guide. Lyon NIE page
Marseille — consulate general
Marseille requires a prior appointment, published on the page as “Rendez-vous”, and states that your presence, or that of the person representing you, is mandatory. For more information on how to submit a NIE application it directs applicants to the consular email cog.marsella@maec.es. The fee shown on its page is 9,84 €, described there as the amount in 2024. Marseille NIE page
Montpellier — consulate general
Montpellier states that this procedure is done only with a prior appointment. The fee is 9,84 €, payable preferably by bank card, or in exact cash on the day of the appointment. The usual processing note applies: the number is normally issued in about two weeks, can take longer, and arrives by email. Montpellier NIE page
Pau — consulate general
Pau books by email — write to cog.pau@maec.es to request an appointment. Its page states plainly that this consular office cannot speed up processing times. The fee example it carries dates from 2021 (9,74 €) — do not treat it as current; take the amount from the office or the 790-012 payment form. Processing is normally about two weeks, and the NIE is sent by email. Pau NIE page
Perpignan — consulate general
Perpignan’s page does not publish a step-by-step booking route in the text captured for this guide; the contact channel published for the office is the email cog.perpinan@maec.es, so write before you travel. Its fee example dates from 2021 (9,74 €) — take the current amount from the office or the 790-012 payment form. The page restates the shared rule that the NIE is assigned by the General Commissariat for Immigration and Borders in Spain. Perpignan NIE page
Toulouse — consulate general
Toulouse runs its NIE appointments through a dedicated address, cog.toulouse.nie@maec.es; the consulate’s general address, cog.toulouse@maec.es, is published too. The Modelo 790, código 12 is filled in and signed on the spot during the appointment, and this office states the fee as 9,84 € for a first issue and 7,31 € for a renewal, paid there in cash or by cheque made out to the Consulat Général d’Espagne à Toulouse. Once the National Police sends the number to the consulate, it is delivered to you by email — so give a working email address on the EX-15 form. Toulouse NIE page
Addresses and map links
| Office | Address | Open the map |
|---|---|---|
| Paris | 165, Boulevard Malesherbes, 75017 Paris | Google Maps |
| Bayonne | Résidence du Parc, 4 Av. du B.A.B., 64100 Bayonne | Google Maps |
| Bordeaux | 1, rue de Notre Dame, 33000 Bordeaux | Google Maps |
| Strasbourg | 13, Quai Kléber, 67000 Strasbourg | Google Maps |
| Lyon (Villeurbanne) | 1, rue Louis Guérin, 69100 Villeurbanne | Google Maps |
| Marseille | 38, rue Edouard Delanglade, 13006 Marseille | Google Maps |
| Montpellier | 24, rue Marceau, 34000 Montpellier | Google Maps |
| Pau | 6, Place Royale, 64000 Pau | Google Maps |
| Perpignan | 12, Rue Franklin, 66000 Perpignan | Google Maps |
| Toulouse | 16, rue Sainte Anne, 31008 Toulouse | Google Maps |
These are the offices’ published addresses. The map links are navigation aids built from those addresses — they do not confirm which service a building hosts, and they are no substitute for the office’s own page. Check the address there before travelling.
What this guide does not confirm
- Appointment waiting times. No office reviewed here publishes a current waiting time for an appointment. The “about two weeks” figure on several pages describes issuing the number once the application is lodged, not the wait for a slot.
- Current fees at several of the ten offices. Bayonne, Pau and Perpignan still carry fee examples from 2021, Marseille’s figure is described on the page as the 2024 amount, and Strasbourg states no figure at all — it points to the consular fee list. Take the amount from your office or the 790-012 payment form on the day you pay.
- A booking route for every office. Paris (compulsory appointment), Bordeaux (cita previa with the NIE option), Montpellier and Marseille (prior appointment), Strasbourg and Pau (email) and Toulouse (NIE email) publish their channels. Bayonne and Perpignan do not publish a step-by-step route in the text captured here; write to the office first.
- Payment methods across the board. Paris accepts cash, a cheque made out to “Consulat d’Espagne” or a card; Montpellier prefers card or exact cash; Toulouse takes cash or a cheque on the spot; Bordeaux takes cash or a cheque at the counter. The other pages do not itemise how the fee is paid.
- Walk-in service. No page reviewed describes accepting NIE applications without an appointment. Presence is mandatory, but arrange the channel first.
Want a second pair of eyes on your document set before you email the office? Send your situation through a short NIE enquiry. We flag gaps before the office does — an enquiry does not replace or speed up the official procedure.
Frequently asked questions
Which Spanish consulate in France covers my address?
It depends on your registered address, and France’s consular districts are published as department numbers. Paris covers 02 - 08 - 10 - 14 - 18 - 22 - 23 - 27 - 28 - 29 - 35 - 36 - 37 - 41 - 44 - 45 - 49 - 50 - 51 - 52 - 53 - 56 - 58 - 59; Bayonne covers 64 - 40; Bordeaux covers 16 - 17 - 19 - 24 - 33 - 79 - 85 - 86 - 87; Lyon covers 01 - 03 - 07 - 15 - 21 - 26 - 38 - 43 - 42 - 63 - 69 - 71 - 42 - 43 - 73 - 74; Marseille covers 04 - 05- 06 - 13 - 20 - 83 - 84; Montpellier covers 12 - 30 - 34 - 48; Pau covers 32 - 65 - 64; Perpignan covers 09 - 11 - 66; and Toulouse covers 31- 46 - 47 -81 - 82. The lists are reproduced exactly as each office publishes them, so Lyon’s repeats 42 and 43 and code 64 appears in both Bayonne’s and Pau’s list. Strasbourg’s list is not published in the directory view used here — confirm your district with that office before contacting it.
Consular-office directory for France
Do I need proof of residence in France to apply through a French consulate?
Yes — the offices ask for evidence that you live in their consular district. Bordeaux lists examples of what it accepts: a gas, electricity or telephone bill, or a bank RIB. Strasbourg’s district list is not published in the directory view used here, so ask that office what will establish your residence there.
Bordeaux’s document list · Strasbourg NIE page
Can I use the consular route if I plan to move to Spain for more than three months?
Paris states that stays in Spain of more than three months must be handled by the foreigners’ offices (extranjería) in Spain, and Lyon limits its consular NIE service to stays under 90 days. The other French pages reviewed here do not state that limit — ask your office about your plans. Do not book a consular appointment first and treat the two routes as interchangeable; check the in-Spain procedure for your case.
Paris’s relocation note · Lyon NIE page · Booking a NIE appointment in Spain
Should I sign the EX-15, and does anyone apply without attending in person?
The French offices ask for the EX-15 completed and signed by the applicant, in original and one copy, and the applicant or a duly accredited representative must always attend: physical presence is mandatory. Paris adds that representation is made exclusively through a notarial power of attorney, while Lyon asks for a power of attorney that is notarised and apostilled, states that files sent by post or by email are never processed, and requires minors to attend with both parents or guardians. Do not read the representative route as one that removes attendance altogether.
Paris NIE page · Strasbourg’s requirement · Lyon NIE page
Who assigns the NIE, and how long does it take?
The number is assigned by the General Commissariat for Immigration and Borders, under Spain’s Directorate-General for the Police — not by the consulate, and Pau states explicitly that its office cannot speed up processing. Paris, Strasbourg, Montpellier, Pau and Toulouse describe a normal issuing time of about two weeks, which can run longer for reasons outside the office’s control, and say the NIE is sent to you by email. No office reviewed here publishes the current waiting time for an appointment, so treat the two-week figure as the office’s published expectation, not a guarantee.
Strasbourg’s delivery note · Pau’s note on processing
How do I book, and how do I pay the fee?
The channels differ by office: Paris requires an appointment (one per person), Bordeaux books through its cita previa link with the NIE option, Montpellier and Marseille only with a prior appointment, Strasbourg (cog.estrasburgo@maec.es) and Pau (cog.pau@maec.es) by email, and Toulouse through cog.toulouse.nie@maec.es. The fees published on the pages are 9,84 € for a first NIE and 7,31 € for an update at Paris, Bordeaux and Toulouse, and 9,84 € at Montpellier and Marseille; Strasbourg refers to the consular fee list instead. Payment methods differ too — Paris takes cash, a cheque made out to “Consulat d’Espagne” or a card, Montpellier prefers card or exact cash, and Toulouse takes cash or a cheque on the spot. Bayonne, Pau and Perpignan still show fee examples from an earlier year, so take the current amount from the office or the 790-012 payment form.
Montpellier NIE page · Toulouse NIE page · Spanish NIE requirements for non-EU citizens
Choose your next step
You can run the whole process yourself through the official channels above — it costs the official fee and, in most cases, one appointment in France. Recheck your office’s page on the day you act, because document lists, booking routes and fees change.
Prefer to prepare with E-Residence? Start an NIE enquiry and describe your purpose in one or two sentences. An enquiry does not replace the official procedure; it helps you arrive at it prepared.
For the full service picture, see NIE in Spain.
Editorial note: procedures, forms and local practice can change. Recheck the official links on the day you submit your application.
Official sources
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Spanish consular offices in France — the official district list used for the table above.
- Paris — Consulate General: NIE — compulsory appointment, fee and payment methods, relocation note.
- Bayonne — Consulate General: NIE — email contact channel, district list and an earlier-year fee example.
- Bordeaux — Consulate General: NIE — cita previa with the NIE option, document list and counter payment.
- Strasbourg — Consulate General: NIE — appointment by email, document list, consular fee list.
- Lyon — Consulate General: NIE — in-person rule, notarised and apostilled power of attorney, minors, 90-day limit.
- Marseille — Consulate General: NIE — prior appointment, mandatory presence and email channel.
- Montpellier — Consulate General: NIE — appointment-only procedure and fee payment.
- Pau — Consulate General: NIE — appointment by email and processing limits.
- Perpignan — Consulate General: NIE — contact channel and an earlier-year fee example.
- Toulouse — Consulate General: NIE — NIE booking address and on-the-spot fee payment.
- National Police — NIE assignment procedure — the national procedure behind the consular route.
Last checked: 29 September 2026.