The NIEP is solvable by reality and finitely many polynomial inequalities

The nonnegative inverse eigenvalue problem (NIEP) is shown to be solvable by the reality condition, spectrum equal to its conjugate, as well as by a finite union and intersection of polynomial inequalities. It is also shown that the symmetric NIEP and real NIEP form semi-algebraic sets and can therefore be solved just by a finite union and intersection of polynomial inequalities. An overview of ideas are given in how tools from real algebraic geometry may be applied to the NIEP and related sub-problems.