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Buying property and
living in Spain - Spanish Residence
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- Visa
information
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-
 Before
moving to Spain it is wise to check if you require a visa or
residence permit. Foreign nationals are freely permitted to
buy a property in Spain, and most can use it for three months
in succession, and for a maximum of six months each calendar
year (unless you are touring the country and staying in several
different areas for short periods) - if you wish to stay longer
you would need to apply for an extension or a residence permit.
All
foreigners require a residence permit to live permanently in Spain,
and most non EEA nationals will require a visa just to enter the
country. if you plan to reside permanently or work in Spain -
it would be wise to contact the Spanish consulate for further
information.
Working
in Spain
If you wish to
work in Spain - your first port of call should be the Spanish
consulate. An EEA resident technically does not need a work permit
to work in Spain, but you would require a residence card (usually
granted for periods of five years), whereas a non EEA resident
would require both a work permit and residence card.
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- First of all,
unless you speak fluent Spanish you will find this task a difficult
one, and you should firstly consider employing a translator.
Non EEA nationals must make an investment of around $100,000
to obtain a work permit, and may be conditional of he employment
of a minimum number of EEA nationals.
- Please be very
careful when setting up a business in Spain - there are many
companies and individuals who have fallen into the trap to conmen
claiming they can help the process through a lot quicker than
usual. It is wise to appoint the help of an established Spanish
lawyer who understands the processes.
- Traveling
with pets
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- If you plan
to take a pet to Spain, it is important that you check to make
sure you have the correct papers, information and ensure that
you understand the process (and do remember, if traveling via
another country - you will need to adhere to their regulations
as well). The good news is that restrictions have now been lifted
on traveling with pets in certain countries, and "passports"
can be obtained providing the animal has undergone a health
check with satisfactory results. Your pet will need to be vaccinated
from Rabies, have a blood test, and be fitted with a microchip.
There are limitations which you will need to investigate such
as maximum number of pets, age, registration, area regulations
and so on.
- Regular "re-checks"
are necessary, and there are certain restrictions from which
destination you can leave from to go overseas. Information about
this can be found from the Department for Environment.
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- Television in
Spain is of course mainly broadcast in the native language,
so unless you have a good command of Spanish, the chances are
you will be looking at other ways to receive British television
programmes. The system used is Spain is PAL - the exact format
we use in the U. K., however the sound is carried on a different
frequency - so you will need to check with the manufacturer
to see if your television set supports this. If not, do not
worry too much, as conversion sets are available at quite a
low price.
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- The rules above
may differ however if you are looking at using a decoder to
watch satellite TV - the rules about satellite usage in Spain
are changing at this moment in time, and I suggest strongly
you speak to your current satellite subscriber, or contact on
e of the many English owned satellite installation companies
based in Spain.
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-
 Opening
an account in Spain is a fairly straight forward process, and
both residents and non residents can apply. It is always better
if you have a friend or relative who can take you to a branch
and introduce you, as usually this can be set-up while you wait.
If not application forms can be obtained, or you could opt to
apply for an account using communication methods such as post
or fax.
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- It is a fact
of life that most people need a will to ensure their loved ones
receive what they are entitled to in the event of a death. This
is of particular importance if you are looking to reside in
Spain, because if a foreigner dies intestate in Spain (without
a will), under Spanish law the estate may automatically disposed
of. A will from the native country can suffice, but the process
is considerably slower as that country's regulations (such as
probate, and communication overseas) has to take place.
- It is highly
recommended to get a Spanish will to prevent complications and
speed up the process.
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There are so many
myths and exaggerations made about the cost of living in Spain
- and this is just a guide to help you understand some of the
basic costs associated with living in Spain. There is no average
salary in Spain, as this dramatically changes from region to region
- and can range from €8000 to €12,000 per annum.
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- Overall, the
cost of living in Spain is less than that of countries like
France, Germany and of course the U. K. It would be fair to
say that a couple with two children should have an income of
circa €1400 per month to cover costs (allowing for rent, food,
entertainment, utility bills, insurance & clothing).
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- In Spain, one
of the most important factors about your electricity usage is
that you have to determine what you will actually use on a day
to day basis. Once you have calculated this - you need to obtain
a contract from the local electricity supplier for the correct
amount of electricity to be passed to your home (power rating).
This of course has an effect on cost - but please do not deliberately
under specify - as these supplies are supplied with an automated
cut-off if exceeded for a period of time.
- Spanish electricity
is generated at 220 volts - Most U. K. appliances with be compatible
with this supply and by utilising adaptor plugs to convert the
Spanish electrical sockets will suffice (and of course
these are relatively inexpensive and widely available) - but
if your move is a permanent one, it may be just as well to have
your electrical items re-wired.
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- In Spain, power
cuts can be quite frequent, and a UPS for computers users, or
surge protectors for most electrical items could be worth investigating.
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- There are not
many mains gas supplies in Spain - these are usually only found
in major cities, so gas is usually obtained from "gas cylinders
or bottles". If you are fortunate to have a mains gas supply,
you will need to contact the company to arrange for contracts
and to get it switched on. using a gas bottle is pretty straight
forward, and can last a family of four up-to 6 weeks, but
remember that they are heavy and tend to run out at the most
inconvenient times - so plan ahead.
- There is one
domestic mail rate in Spain, and most cost are quite low. If
you reside in a apartment - the likelihood is that your mail
will be deposited into your mailbox (and do make sure that it
is secure). Most areas do have a door to door postal services,
but in some of the more remote regions, t may be necessary to
collect mail form the local post office.
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- Post boxes in
Spain are typically yellow, and can be found mostly anywhere
- in some cities there will be two slots, one for domestic and
another for international. At the post office - you can find
special delivery mailboxes (usually red) which can offer a speedier
delivery service (this you should check beforehand, and find
out the costs). In the more rural areas, it may be more difficult
to find a post box, a good rule is that most post boxes can
be found at the post office or railway station.
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- As in the UK,
services such as recorded and registered mail are widely available.
Parcels can be sent internationally as well, however there are
weight restrictions which should be checked beforehand. It is
advisable to send parcels via postal exprés EMS service,
not only is this service one of the most reliable - overseas
packages usually arrives in 2-3 days, and domestic parcels within
24 hours (with international delivery -check if this applies
to your particular destination first)
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- When you are
formally introduced - you should greet the other party with
buenos dias (good day), buenas tardes (good afternoon)
or buenas noches (good evening) if you are going to bed
or leaving at night and shake hands.
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Male
and female acquaintances kiss each other, usually on both cheeks
(if a lady expect a kiss from you she will offer you her cheek).
- If you are having
a meal and are offered a glass of wine, wait until your host
makes a toast (salud!) before taking a drink.
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