Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question about Spanish bank account
How to open a Spanish bank account without nie/tie? BBVA charging 900 for a year and 200 as a insurance.
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
”Santander has a non resident account if you go in person. 20-25 EUR/mo if memory serves. Still pretty expensive but it’s not 900”
”Go to a different bank”
”Use Wise app”
”Open with BBVA until you get your TIE and then go to another bank”
”It’s €900 a year, but you have a grace period of 3 months. I’m guessing you’ll receive your TIE before you need to start paying and then you can exchange your documents.
You won’t have to pay the fee if you receive income in that account (I think it’s 2500€ per quarter)”
”I can’t remember if you need anything for N26 but that’s what we got as soon as we got here, no fees. The only drawback is that they do not have joint accounts so it is just in one of our names”
”You will need proof of residency to open an account unless it’s a non resident account. And non residents usually will have a monthly or quarterly fee”
”I have a non resident account with Deutschebank, it costs me 30 euros PER YEAR, plus another 30 for annual registration with the tax office, there are no extra costs PROVIDING I make 3 transactions per month, online, atm or debit transactions, I don’t get a credit card though, just debit”
”Banco Santander. I pay €16 a month for a foreigner bank account”
”Santander – used my passport, no charges but obviously had to transfer money into the account to get it going”
”Get an online account”
”Unicaja”
”Sabadell only needed my passport”
”Remember that any organisation that insists on a Spanish IBAN is contravening EU regulations regarding IBAN discrimination and should be reported”
”I opened my BBVA account with my passport”
”Deutsche bank will do it for you with a passport”
”Go to Sabadell”
”N26”
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In conclusion, according to Spainguru Facebook group members, recommendations include exploring non-resident accounts with banks like Santander or Deutsche bank, using online banking options such as Wise, N26, or Sabadell, and considering BBVA initially with a plan to switch banks after obtaining the necessary documentation.
They also emphasize reporting any entity insisting on a Spanish IBAN, as it may violate EU regulations. These insights offer a diverse set of solutions for individuals facing challenges in opening a bank account in Spain without a NIE/TIE.
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