Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
Picked up my Spain Non Lucrative Visa today. Can I use the NIE on my visa to open a Spanish bank account?
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
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Start the Moving to Spain Hub →Using Passports and NIE/TIE for Bank Accounts:
“I opened my account at Caixa bank with my passport only before I applied for my VISA.”
“Most Spanish banks will require your TIE card that has your NIE number on it, but N26, an online bank, will let you open an account with just the NIE number.”
Experiences with Various Banks:
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Explore Cities →“I tried to open a resident account at Banco Santander with just the NIE and they required the TIE. However, I was able to open a non-resident account using my passport and a U.S. tax return.”
“For Banco Santander, I opened it in Spain. You might not be able to open it from the US.”
Pre-Arrival Account Openings and Financial Transfers:
“You can open an account with N26 using a friend’s address in Spain; the account will have a Spanish IBAN which I use to pay my rent and utilities.”
“Look at the WISE website. It allows you to open an account, transfer dollars, and convert them to euros at a competitive rate. You can then transfer the euros to a Spanish bank once you arrive.”
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Conclusion
Expats have shared that while most Spanish banks require an NIE and sometimes the TIE for opening resident bank accounts, alternatives like using a passport or opening an account with an online bank like N26 are viable. Additionally, services like WISE offer flexible options for transferring and converting money before physically moving to Spain.
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