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NIF, CIF and NIE for companies — the difference

These three acronyms trip up nearly every foreign business. The short version: the company NIF and the CIF are one and the same number, while the NIE is a personal number that a director may need quite separately.

The three terms

  • NIF — the company's tax number (the N98 variant for foreign entities)
  • CIF — the former name for that company NIF; still used informally
  • NIE — a personal foreigner number for a director or representative

Why the distinction matters

When a bank, a notary or an official form asks for your "CIF", what they want is the company NIF. The director's NIE is a separate number, needed only for certain roles. Getting the right numbers in place from the start is what keeps your paperwork from being rejected.

In Spain

Sorting the nif vs cif vs nie in Spain means dealing with Agencia Tributaria (Spanish Tax Agency) and its limited appointments. We monitor the system daily and handle the paperwork for residents from Sevilla and Valencia.

Frequently asked questions

In everyday speech, yes — but in law a company now holds a NIF. The number's format and function are unchanged.

Not always — it depends on the role each person plays. We confirm precisely which personal numbers your situation calls for.

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