AlicanteDan

Hello all, I currently reside in Scotland but have plans to move to Alicante, Spain within the next few months once my lease is finished. My girlfriend is from Alicante so will be nice to move to her home (getting our own place by the beach hopefully)

I'll continue to work in the UK and commute once every fortnight for work, I was just wondering if I would have to pay Spanish taxes on my income or how would all this work? Also any general tips for moving to Spain and things I should look into.

Thank you.

mikelincs

Welcome to BE.

Yes, you would have to pay taxes in Spain as it seems you would be classed as a resident, how much time would you be spending in Spain each year, you say you would be travelling every fortnight to the UK, how long would you be staying in the UK each time? the answers to these questions would seem to be important as to assessing whether you are UK or Spain resident.

AlicanteDan

Hello Mike, Thank you.

I work two weeks on & two weeks off, with a month off twice a year. So I'd be spending 5 or 6 months in the UK (just depends on how my rota works) and the remainder in Spain. If I was deemed a Spanish resident do I need to apply for temporary residency in Spain and would I then be exempt from paying UK taxes on my income or would I be hit with two cases of tax?

mikelincs

Currently there is a double tax treaty between Spain and the UK so that any tax paid in one country can be offset against the tax due in the other country. if you are in Spain more than 183 days in any year then you would be classed as tax resident from a Spanish point of view, and it does seem as though that would be the case, so you would have to declare all your worldwide earnings the the Spanish authorities.

AlicanteDan

Thanks Mike, I read about the double tax earlier so will need to look into this more! Do you have any tips on what to look into regarding renting property and setting myself up to be able to do so - I read somewhere about an NIE number I believe that I'll need to have before I can begin to rent.

Also, my girlfriend being Spanish I'm sure would help a lot with getting things in motion where it comes to getting a property etc.. because we could put things in her name?

Rosemary

Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. Myself and Fred James are the moderators for the Spanish forums whilst BEVS moderates Europe. Moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. This is so that members gain the information that they are looking for and find their experiences on the forums to be friendly and worthwhile.

Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderator who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are usually friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge about the issues of living in Spain. I hope that you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

missile

If I were you I would not bother applying for resident & Spanish tax, at least the first year.

NIE is very easy to get at the nearest town hall. They will have someone who speaks English. You do not need to be resident. If you have an issue, your estate agent / girlfriend should be able to help.

Tadd1966

The 183 day rule is one of a few tests as to where you pay tax and it is a good guide but it is not as black and white as some think.


Other factors can be taken into account such as place of work, residency (you can have dual residency), centre of interests, property ownership, type of employment (self employed, PAYE, part time) etc. etc.


many people commute weekly, fortnightly, monthly for work in UK, many work off shore on rigs etc. pay taxes in the UK and are non fiscal residents in Spain


The bilateral tax agreement will also help to decide where you pay tax


Best advice is contact HMRC in UK first then speak to an accountant or lawyer in Spain about YOUR personal circumstances


There is a possibility if you work and pay tax in UK you may have to and pay any difference in tax in Spain especially if you have dual residency (which can get complicated) or classed as a resident under the tests such as 183 day rule, centre of interests, employment etc. mentioned above,


If you pay taxes and NI in UK you will not be entitled to state health care in Spain as you will be covered under UK NHS and you will only have an EHIC whilst in Spain. The opposite is also true if you pay your taxes and NI in Spain you will not have NHS cover whilst working in UK (apparently you can't be covered under 2 sate health care systems - many do but.............) again speak to the DHSS in UK about this