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Moving to Spain -
Living
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Working in Spain
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English schools Spain
A special thankyou goes to Strong Abogados
for their useful & detailed content on a variety of legal
subjects.
www.strongabogados.com
Lawyers specialising in real estate
transactions, zoning & construction law
Moving to Spain - an
introduction
The Expat's Guide to Living in Spain - A
report on moving to
Spain, the most popular option for the majority
of northern Europeans. Fine properties, excellent food and
culture, and with some of Europe's best islands and beaches,
Spain is an extremely worthy consideration as an expat
destination. This information section provides the details
needed when considering Spain as a destination.
Real estate /
property in spain, Employment,
Contacts, Legal info & links, Citizenship and much more
information covering all aspects of living and working in
Spain
& southern Europe. An Expat's Guide to Living in Spain
will answer your questions, save money and prepare you for a
life in Spain.
Moving to Spain
www.escapeartist.com/spain4/spain4.htm
Removals to Spain - UK Removals to Spain moving Spanish
house and home moves door to door service England to Spain
removals to Costa Blanca Alicante Costa del sol Malaga Costa
Brava Almeria Fuengirola
www.nicksremovals.co.uk/spain-removals.htm
Relocation Expert - Expert
advice on planning your big move. Relocation Expert contains
over 70 articles all written by our team of experts and we add
around 3 new articles each month.
www.relocationexpert.co.uk/home.htm
Art & Culture - Spain: Art & Culture
www.escapeartist.com/spain/links.html
Articles on Living and Investing in Spain
www.escapeartist.com/Articles/Articles_11.html
Banks in Spain - Banks in Spain
www.escapeartist.com/banks28/banks28.htm
Economy & Business - Economy & Business for Spain
www.escapeartist.com/spain/ecoanomy.html
Education Resources for Spain - Education Resources for Spain
www.escapeartist.com/spain/links.html
Embassies & Consulates for Spain - Embassies & Consulates of
Spain
www.embassyworld.com/embassy/spain.htm
Government & Country Information - Spain
www.escapeartist.com/spain/country.html
Hospitals in Spain - Hospitals in Spain
www.escapeartist.com/Offshore_Health_Care/Europe.html
Jobs in Spain - Jobs in Spain
www.escapeartist.com/jobs19/nether.htm
Links, links & more links - Links, links & more links
www.escapeartist.com/spain/links.html
Moving to Spain - Maps of Spain
www.embassyworld.com/maps/Maps_Of_Spain.html
A large number of differing Spain maps, including city maps.
Moving to the Balearic Islands - Moving to the Balearic Islands
www.escapeartist.com/spain2/spain2.htm
Newspapers & Media for Spain - Newspapers & Media for Spain
www.escapeartist.com/media8/media8.htm
Real Estate In Spain
www.escapeartist.com/spain1/spain1.htm
Travel & Tourism for Spain - Travel & Tourism for Spain
www.escapeartist.com/spain/travel.html
Real Estate in Spain
www.escapeartist.com/efam20/buying-in-spain.html
Spain offers infinite variety, magnificent
beaches for sun worshippers, spectacular unspoiled countryside
with magnificent vistas and peaceful mountain landscapes. There
are also an abundance of facilities for sports fans and a
vibrant night-life for the jet set. For those who are
comfortable living in cities, there are bustling sophisticated
metropolises. The Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol have the
highest percentage of retired persons in the world, when both
Spaniards and foreigners are included. If you're seeking a
second home, which may be used for long weekends or for
lengthier stays, Spain is the place! Looking for
property in Spain
?
Living in Spain
Spain is one of the most attractive options
in Europe, indeed the world. It offers year-round sunshine, one
of the lowest costs of living in Europe, and many cultural and
entertainment options. It's residency requirements are very
simple, read on for details on how to become a Spanish citizen,
there's more than just good weather to look forward to in Spain.
Citizens of Spain's former colonies can apply for a Spanish
passport after only 2 years of residence Ordinarily, you must
first be a resident in Spain for a staggering 10 years before
you can be naturalized. Refugees are granted citizenship after
only five years residence. And citizens of some of Spain's
former colonies can apply for a Spanish passport after a period
of only two years of residence. As there is no shortage of
citizenships available from the former Spanish colonies, this
can prove an easy path into the EU. Former Spanish colonies
include most of Central and South America, except Brazil, which
was a colony of Portugal. It is worth noting also that those of
Spanish Jewish descent can also apply for a Spanish passport
after two years of residence. Purchasing a home is not a
requirement for obtaining citizenship. And with or without
citizenship you'll likely have the legal right to work, though
you may have to prove six months of residence.
To become a citizen, you will be expected to become a reasonable
Spanish speaker and to maintain a real presence
in the country. However, during your period of residence, which
will be between 2 and 10 years depending on which category you
fall under, your travel will be totally unrestricted. No one
will count the days you are away, and, because you will be
living in the EU, your movements through member countries will
be entirely painless.
Working in Spain
If you're a permanent resident of Spain,
you'll be taxed on your worldwide income at rates in excess of
50 %. Income is established by authorities based upon your home,
car, and lifestyle. It's not surprising that many wealthy
Spanish passport holders establish legal residence in tax
havens.
Spain has tax treaties with many non-EU countries, including the
US and Switzerland. These treaties tend to allow individuals to
pay taxes in the country where the rate is lower. Wealthy
foreigners are therefore advised to consider Spain
as a fine place to spend some leisure time but not as a place to
live tax-free after acquiring a passport.
Taxation on income and capital gains for nonresidents extends
from 20 percent to 50 percent. Tax laws effective since 1992
state that individuals will be considered resident if they stay
in the country for longer than 183 days annually or if their
main center of professional or business activities for economic
interest is in Spain. If your spouse or dependents remain
resident, you will be considered a resident unless you can prove
you were a resident for more than 183 days in another country.
Temporary absences will be included in the authorities'
calculations.
Income obtained by nonresidents is deemed to be earned on the
date it became claimable or when it was effectively collected.
Unless you have a permanent establishment, you must appoint a
fiscal representative in Spain and notify the
tax authorities. Nonresidents that own only one holiday home
need not worry about this requirement. Tax-haven corporations
that own villas are charged with a special tax of 5 percent of
each villa's value per year.
Despite these tax implications, a Spanish passport is a very
good one to hold. A Spaniard can travel visa free to a dozen
more places than an American can. In addition, Spain has a
superb relationship with its former colonies in the same way the
UK does with the Commonwealth. And remember, Spain does not tax
its nonresident citizens.
Annual taxes - Once you've bought a home, annual rates and
property taxes aren't overwhelming. The municipal tax, payable
at the local town hall, is currently 0.7% of the value of a
property Annual rates are typically as follows: village houses,
approximately 8,000 pts; ($52) per annum; two-bedroom
apartments, 25,000 pts ($164) and three-bedroom villas, 37,500
pts ($246).
Residency requirements
EU nationals can remain in Spain without a residency permit for
six months, non-EU nationals for three months. Basic
requirements for obtaining a permit are the following: four
passport photos, a residency visa from the Spanish Consulate in
your home country, proof of income or pension, the form El 11
endorsed by Spanish health authorities or proof of private
medical insurance, a certificate that you are registered with
your own consulate in Spain, an escritura or a rental contract.
The fee is 935 pts ($6.15).
Step-by-step buying in Spain
Most
property agents will guide you through
the tangled web of red tape. Note that legal transactions, fees,
purchase taxes, and local taxes will increase the initial price
by between 8% and 10%. Completion of the entire purchase process
normally takes between four and six weeks.
A property buyer also needs to open a Spanish bank account and
obtain a fiscal identity number.
It's vital to ensure that all previous taxes and utility bills
have been paid and that there are no debts outstanding against a
Spanish property
- you'll be liable for them. Records may be checked against a
property register in the local town hall. If your agency doesn't
have its own legal department, you can undertake a search
yourself or engage a notary to act on your behalf.
If you haven't engaged a notary to conduct a search before
parting with your holiday deposit, you will certainly require
one to set up a contract and draw up the title deeds. A
non-refundable 10% deposit is normally paid then, on exchange of
the initial private contract. Notary expenses are officially
controlled, and the minimum fee is 15,000 pts ($198) for
transactions below 1 million pts ($6,578).
During the ensuing 30-day period and prior to the signing of the
public deed (the escritura), have a lawyer check the contract.
His duties also include taking the title deed and receipt of all
taxes paid to the tax office. The fee for inserting the property
in your name in the official register is charged when full
payment has been made.
Taxes are equal to 7% of the value of the property plus 0.5% for
a legal-proceeding fee if you buy through a real estate agency.
Otherwise, you must pay a 6% property-transfer fee.
Although it's impossible to give exact figures for additional
costs, this is what you can expect to pay in fees and taxes on
an 18 million pts ($118,421) home:
Transmission taxes and
Sundry expenses: 1,466,350 pts ($9,647)
Notary fees: 111,737 pts ($735)
Lawyer fees: 40,600 pts ($267)
Property Register- 54,691 pts ($359)
-------------------------------------------------------
1,673,378 pts ($11,009)
-------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------
Since Spain is
Europe's
primary vacation destination, you can
expect a massive inflow of new holidaymakers, new time-share
purchasers, new real estate investors, from the UK, Ireland,
Germany, the Low Countries, France, and Scandinavia. These folks
are desperate for sun, sea, and sand, and perhaps a bit of
exotica. So there should be a pickup in tourist numbers and
their willingness to spend. We think Spain is due to boom
because of European integration, and advise getting your stake
there before it happens.
Land development
www.escapeartist.com/San_Cristobal/Land_Development.html
Finding & Using An Offshore Stock Broker
www.escapeartist.com/efam/40/Offshore_Brokerage.html
How To Disappear In Six Easy Lessons
www.escapeartist.com/efam31/Cartagena.html
Read The Best Of International Living Magazine
www.escapeartist.com/International_Living/International_Living.html
Free Articles From International Living!
www.spainexpat.com
Visas in Spain - If you're an EU citizen, you
don't need a visa; you already have the right to residency.
You'll probably find it useful, though, to apply for a NIE. If
you're a non-EU citizen, and you want to stay in Spain for more
than 30 days, you need a visa. If you want to live in Spain, the
process is this: First get a visa from the Spanish Embassy or
Consulate closest to your home. When you arrive in Spain, you
work on getting residency. After you get that, you can begin
work on getting citizenship. Getting residency in Spain allows
you to live anywhere in the EC. Likewise, getting residency
somewhere else in the EC gives you a right to residency in
Spain. That means that if your goal is residency in Spain and
you have relatives or ancestors in some other country in the EC,
then the easiest way may be to first apply for residency in that
other country. The various visas you can obtain are described in
these.
Spanish Consulate of New York
www.spainconsul-ny.org
Student Visas
www.spainconsul-ny.org/!consula.doi/!visastu.htm
Tourist and Business Visas
www.spainconsul-ny.org/!consula.doi/!visatou.htm
Residence Visas
www.spainconsul-ny.org/!consula.doi/!visares.htm
Briefly, in order to get a residence visa: If you're married or
related to a Spanish citizen, you apply for the Visa de
Reagrupacion Familiar . If you're retired, you apply for the
Visa de Jubilados. Note: on arrival in Spain, you may be asked
to get medical insurance, so you're not a drain on the Spanish
public medical system. This may not be the easiest request for
an older person. If you can't prolong the health insurance you
had in your country of origin then try some of the companies
listed in Health Care. The point is to convince them that you
are insured, whether you are or not. If you're wealthy, apply
for visas #4 or #5. If you're a Mormon, apply for visa #6. If
none of the above, then it gets tougher. You can come for three
months, then try to find a company to sponsor you, or you might
try to get residence in another EU country first (do you have an
Irish grandmother?). Or if you just love Spain but hate
bureaucracies, you can probably live here illegally many years
without difficulties, as long as you keep a low profile. Once
you have the residence visa in your passport, you have three
months after arrival in Spain to go to the nearest Oficina de
Extranjeros:
www.mir.es/extranje/extdonde.htm
Below are the following documents you will need to bring, based
on the experiences of others (we haven't found any official
listing). A form called Solicitud de Tarjeta en Regimen
Comunitario, Passport and 2 photocopies, 3 passport-sized
photos, Medical certificate. If a member of the family is
Spanish (or has residency): your Libro de Familia, DNI (or
Residency Card) of that family member, Empadronamiento, and
medical insurance. If you will be working for someone: a
contract of employment. If you will be self-employed: documents
that prove you fulfil the requirements necessary to undertake
that activity. If you won't be working: documents that prove you
have enough money to live during your time in Spain, plus
medical insurance. If you will be a student: proof of
matriculation in an accredited school, plus the requirements of
the previous item. You will then receive your Resident Card in a
few days or many months. (Each Oficina de Extranjeros processes
candidates locally. The time spent both waiting in line at the
office and waiting for your Resident Card can vary tremendously,
depending on where you do it. If you want to get it done fast,
you'll probably find it better to do it in a small town.)
Read this Costa Blanca
Expats article
www.costablancaexpats.net/pats/residencia.txt
More Info on residency - ID Numbers in Spain NIE (Número de
Identidad de Extranjero): The immigration service issues this
number to you once you obtain residency (you will find the
number on your Resident Card). This is your identification
number in Spain. It is needed in order to file taxes, establish
a business, open a bank account, and for almost all other forms
you fill out. Both EU citizens and non-EU citizens get issued a
NIE. DNI (Documento Nacional de Identidad): This is the ID
number for Spanish citizens. The same number is used for one's
driver's license. NIF (Número de Identificación Fiscal): This is
the tax ID number for all individuals. For Spaniards, it's the
DNI plus one letter; for foreigners, it's the same number as
your NIE. Once you have a NIE, you do not need to re-apply for a
NIF; if and when you have to pay taxes, use your NIE number. If
you're a nonresident who has to pay taxes in Spain, you may get
a NIF issued to you without having a NIE. This, of course, does
not mean you get automatic residency in Spain, nor will it make
it any easier to get residency. CIF (Certificado de
Identificación Fiscal): This is the the same as the NIF, but for
companies. Social Security Number: Your employer applies for
this number when you start your first job in Spain. This number
then stays with you for all subsequent jobs. If you are
self-employed, you apply yourself for this number.
Marriage/Birth in Spain If the spouses (or spouses-to-be) are
from different countries, once the marriage or birth takes
place, be sure to take the certificate to the expat's consulate,
so the marriage/birth can be registered with that country. If
you don't, you'll regret it eventually. In Spain, the marriage
certificate is called a Libro de Familia.
Also, if you're a Christian-but-not-Catholic foreigner getting
married in a Catholic church in Spain, you may find the
paperwork is easier than it is for your Catholic partner: you
won't need to show a Baptism certificate.
About legal issues regarding marriage and children. If you're
planning to die, then read this Costa Blanca Expats article
about Wills and Inheritance
www.costablancaexpats.net/pats/wills.txt
Spanish Citizenship After you have been a resident of Spain for
two to ten years (depending on the circumstances under which you
got your residency), you have the right to apply for
citizenship. Once your application is approved, you swear
allegiance to the King and to the Spanish Constitution. The
public body in charge of citizenship is the Ministerio de
Justicia ; the place to apply is the Registro Civil. You must
technically renounce citizenship with your country of origin
(unless you're from Latin America, Portugal, Philippines,
Ecuatorial Guinea, Andorra, or you're a Sephardic Jew). In
practice, countries do not generally exchange this information,
so as long as you don't show both passports at the airport, you
won't get in trouble. Is it worth getting citizenship? The main
difference is you can get a passport and the right to vote,
though there are many minor advantages (EU citizen rates for
museums, etc.)
www.spanish-living.com
Spain is situated in south western Europe. It occupies the
Iberian Peninsula and is bathed by the Mediterranean Sea, the
Atlantic Ocean and the Cantabrian Sea. It also includes the
Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the
Atlantic and the cities of Ceuta and Melilla. Its total surface
area is 504,788 sq. kms.
Population
39,887,240 Inhabitants.
Languages Castilian Spanish throughout the country: Catalan,
Valencian, Basque (Euskera) and Galician in those respective
Autonomous Communities
Time Zone
Peninsula and Balearic Islands:
GMT + 1 hour (in summer GMT + 2
The Canary Islands:
GMT (in summer GMT +1)
Religion
The Spanish Constitution guarantees religious
freedom.
Electricity
220 volts AC
Measurement System
Decimal Metric System
Passports/Visas To enter Spain it is necessary to show a valid
passport or another document adhering to international
conventions and reciprocity criteria that verifies the identity
of the traveller. For citizens of Andorra, Austria,
Liechtenstein, Monaco, Switzerland and of those countries,
belonging to the European Economic Community, the presentation
of a national identification document is sufficient. For
nationals of certain countries, and in function of the duration
of the visit, a visa is required. Inc case of doubt,
consultation at any Spanish Consulate is advisable. Travellers
arriving by car must have the so- called "Green Letter" that
covers insurance costs in case of accident, except for citizens
of Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Austria or any EEC nation.
Customs Travellers entering Spain may transport
a series of personal items (such as personal jewellery, cameras,
viewfinders, musical instruments, portable video and sound
equipment, athletic gear, camping articles, etc) without having
to pay customs charges. Upon request, Spanish customs officials
will issue receipts to justify the entry into the country of any
item.
For certain articles, such as cigarettes, cigars, perfume, wines
and liquor, maximum limits have been established, with customs
fees required on surpassing quantities.
There is no limit to the amount of Euros (€) tourists may bring
into Spain. Also permitted is the entry of cheques or vouchers
issued against foreign accounts in convertible Euros, as are
travellers' cheques, with no limits. Foreign currency can also
be brought into Spain with no limits, both banknotes and coins,
providing they are of legal issue.
Currency
The Spanish currency is the Euro (€).
Coins and Banknotes
Banknote fractions are € 5,-: € 10,-: € 20,-: € 50,-: € 100,-: €
200,- and € 500,-.
Coins' fractions are € 0,01: € 0,02: € 0,05: € 0,10: € 0,20: €
0,50: € 1,- and € 2,-.
Currency Exchange All bank branch offices offer foreign currency
exchange services, as do a considerable number of hotels and
many travel agencies. Most hotels and restaurants and many
commercial establishments also accept the most popular
international credit cards and travellers cheques..
Pets
To bring pets into Spain, visitors must present
at customs certificates of origin and good health in keeping
with international norms on such matters, and signed by
officially recognised veterinaries in the respective country of
origin. The date and nature of the vaccines administered to the
animal, especially anti-rabies vaccine, must appear on the
certificate. Many Spanish hotels permit dogs and cats under
specific conditions. The entrance of dogs and cats in
restaurants is usually prohibited, as is the case with many
business establishments.
Retiring to Spain
Many thousands of retired couples have successfully made a new
life in Spain, enjoyed some of the happiest years of their lives
here and just wished they'd made the move when they were much
younger.
The mild year-round climate, in all but the most northern areas,
an active outdoor lifestyle and the company of like-minded
couples are among the many attractions which induce so many
pensioners to retire to a
Spanish property.
Mobile homes are
Hotspotz core business
Whether it's
holiday rental or purchase for holidays and or retirement,
hotspotz has the answers to all mobile home / static caravan
needs for Europe's buyers and renters
Many older people have found that the climate, especially in
areas such as the Costa Blanca, has worked wonders for their
health and improved various ailments such as arthritis,
rheumatism and asthma.
But, as usual, I have some words of caution for those of you now
considering retiring to Spain. Without wishing to be always the
voice of doom, I must tell you that for every couple who have
made a success of life here, there seems to be another couple
whose dreams have turned sour.
There are many reasons for this. The main one being a failure to
discuss the proposed move in sufficient depth before taking such
a dramatic step. I often talk to retired couples who came to
Spain with different hopes and expectations - and very often
it's the case that the wife was persuaded to make the move
against her deepest feelings and better judgment.
Problems inevitably arise when children are left behind, even if
they're grown up "children", and especially if there are young
grandchildren. Women usually feel the wrench more than men and
in many cases the homesickness is just too overwhelming for the
new life in Spain to be a success.
My advice to you, if you think you may be one such couple (or
even if you're both convinced that moving to Spain is the right
thing to do), is to rent a villa or apartment in your chosen
area for at least a few months before you buy anything.
Get a real feel for the place and the way of life - all year
round, preferably, not just in high season when resort areas are
quite different than in the winter. You may decide that the
lifestyle really doesn't suit you at all, that one or both of
you is too homesick or that you like Spain but you've chosen the
wrong area. All good reasons for dipping a toe in the water
before you take the final plunge.
And consider your own state of health and that of your partner.
No-one likes to think about the possibility of a long term
illness, much less their own mortality. But these are facts
which have to be faced and it's better to do it before you move
to a foreign country and culture.
Additional resources
www.spainforvisitors.com/sections/livingandworking.htm
You may wish to consider
mobile home purchase
as an alternative to timeshare or
property in Spain. This provides all
year access or a retirement home.
If you are looking for a
good value new
property in Spain for less than
100,000 Euros this new Spanish property development is a must.
Information on the history and development of mobile homes,
park homes and static caravans - The really
cheap holiday
property option.
The above information consists of extracts
from a variety of resources, these are credited where known with
links to original materials & publications. All title &
intellectual rights acknowledged.
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