Email
March 1, 2017
Having moved to Spain from the UK in May 2016. My family and I have settled well in our new environment. One issue that seems to trouble us the most is the complexity of the paperwork.
We were advised by many residents here in Spain, to get a solicitor to assist us through the mine field of questions and forms we needed to complete, which we did.
In June 2016 my husband, my daughter who is aged 6 and myself made appointments at the Denia office to apply for NIE numbers. The solicitor completed the paperwork and my husband and I were given NIE numbers. However, we were advised your daughter doesn’t need an NIE number. We accepted this decision and carried on our normal everyday life.
I got a job as a teacher at a local international school and then visited the social services office in Denia to apply for a social security number and attach my daughter to my social security number to entitle her to a SIP card.
We were informed at the social security office we couldn’t do this without an NIE number for our daughter. We then started the process once again.
We applied via a solicitor for the NIE for our daughter, made the appointment at the Denia office and turn up today on time for our appointment. The office was extremely busy, we gave the paperwork to the lady at the desk, who very rudely returned the form and said, no your daughter cannot have a NIE number she doesn’t need it. We were even asked if our daughter wanted to by a car or something. When we tried to explain the situation the lady advised us your five minutes is up and you need to leave. She informed us we would be escorted out of the building by a police officer if we didn’t leave immediately. Our daughter got upset having had half a day off school and we returned to our solicitor in total shock. Once again the solicitor informed us we do need an NIE for our daughter. How many times do we have to make an appointment for an NIE number for our daughter, only to be turned away with such rudeness? We pay taxes and spend money to support our beloved Spain, we work and go to Spanish lessons weekly but still get treated like we are second class citizens. When will this stop and we get the respect and help we deserve??
Lynn Bruce
