Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
We’ve arrived in Spain and have our visas from the US but in order to get the NIE we need a Spanish cell phone number. We are only staying a year and are using our current cell phones so please let me know if there’s a way around this.
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
Planning your move to Spain?
Get the free step-by-step roadmap used by 10,000+ expats — covering visas, budget, housing, and the mistakes to avoid.
Start the Moving to Spain Hub →“You can get a pay as you go phone for less than 30 euros at most phone stores. It will include a Spanish number and you can top it off if needed. No contract required.”
“DIGI is very good. Highly recommended! English speakers on the line.”
“Lobster Mobile Pay as You Go, and and a cheap handset.”
“Go into any Orange, Vodafone or Phone Warehouse shop and ask for a sim card (‘solo sim’). You can get one for 10 euros.”
Not sure which city is right for you?
Compare cost of living, weather, expat community size, and lifestyle across 13 Spanish cities in our free guide.
Explore Cities →“Depending on the province you need a Spanish number to receive a code to confirm the appointment. You can ask a friend to get the message. Try and find a local expert to help you get the TIE card, if you are not used to the Spanish system it will be difficult or you can wait months to get an appointment to find out something is missing.”
Useful links:
- Visit our recommended immigration & tax experts here.
- Make sure to visit Spainguru’s Resources page.
- Join Spainguru’s Facebook group with more than 13.000 members
- Join Spainguru’s NLV whatsapp group
- Get quotes for the best Health insurances to apply for a NLV
Get your free step-by-step Spain move plan
10 emails over 2 weeks covering visas, budget, housing & the mistakes to avoid.
Join 10,000+ expats who used this roadmap.
100% free · No credit card · Unsubscribe anytime
