ozspain1

Really would appreciate some advice. Here is my situation;

Tired of living in isolated, parochial and rather boring Australia and tired of the whole Australian attidude that permeates the place (some might be familiar with what I am talking about...."this is the best country in the world blah blah", the nanny state that tries to regulate every aspect of ones life).

Have lived in the UK for many years and spent many months in Europe and love Spain.....want to move there.

My stituation: I have an EU passport (Polish, though am essentially Australian with a Polish born mum), have two kids who don´t but can get EU passports with no problem, and a partner (we are legally wed) who only has an Aussie passport (despite being the only actual European in the family-from Moldova/non EU).

Anyway in Spain atm and firstly have noticed that the rules have changed. Nice lady at the Girona national police told me I need to show financial means (no problem) and an EU health card to get residencia. Rang the Polish consulate and they told me there is no way I can get this as I have never paid taxes in Poland (totally understandable). She told be she can however give me a certificate stating that I cannot get this and the Spanish authorities should be happy with a private health policy copy...confirmed this at the office and the lady said that should be fine. How certain can I be that this is fine.....am I up for a major stuff around and sleepless nights?

I have means to support my family and am thinking of just chanceing it, bringing the family and simply applying for residency and kind of just hoping for the best. The basic law as I understand it is that I and my dependants have a fundamental right to live in Spain (and won´t likely be locked up and deported as in Australia anyway)....and if it all fails, well it will be an extended holiday.
What challenges do I face? On the surface, Spain seems a rather stright forward and friendly place compared to highly beauracratic Australia. Am I seeing things correctly (I do realise police and beauracrats are much the same everywhere and the onus is on ones-self to understand what they want and come up with it).
I do realise the economy is not in good shape (as opposed to Australia), certainly not coming here to sponge or as a medical tourist (one thing Australia does have is a second to none health system)
I realise some on this site are considering a move to Oz and I personally would advise them not to judge a book by its cover or go by first impressions (and should say despite the Polish passport, no newbie or "Polish plumber" there, dad´s of convict stock and can be said to be part of the Australian establishment in all respects). Happy to give advice on Australia, if by chance someone reads this who is interested in going there, though my advice might be "don´t" unlesss they just won the lottery. Am I being just as naive about Spain?
Any thoughts most appreciated....
(Also just want to say that I find that in a rush to appease xenophobes and the fearlful EU governments have created migration laws that are a contradictory patch-work mess and will eventually bite those that support them. For instance someone with a Slovenian grandfather and a passport on that basis can simply waltz into the UK, while the real life family and kids (who might, for what it´s worth, be of full British extraction) of a living Brit can be stopped if the sponsor can´t show means!...that´s absurd)

Saxy

Hi there,
I am in NSW at the moment. I agree with everything you say about the place, especially the boring self adulation of the population (I know a cruder, much more suitable way of expressing it, but I don't think the mods. would allow it!).
My wife had thoughts of moving here, to be near our daughter, but thankfully, today has seen the light and we will return home to Alicante in six weeks (your post has helped me 'big time', THANK YOU!!!).
I'm afraid I can't give any advice on your medical questions, but can tell you that the medical treatment that I have received in Spain is fantastic. It beets the U.K. hands down!!!!!

John.

Tambo

An interesting post

I currently live in Perth but looking at moving to Alicante.

We are in a similar situation to you, although I have an EU passport (UK) we have lived here for 10yrs and wont qualify for health. Neverthe less we can get private health care (which is a lot cheaper than Australia).

Like you we are very lucky to be able to support ourselves without the need for work and still send our kids to a international school.

The way I see it is lifes too short so just go for it, because of my business my wife is heading over in august until christmas, she will then return for a month or so then i will join her or if things work out the way they meant to, she will not come back and i will join her at christmas.

Spain seems a hell of a lot cheaper and its the simple things im looking forward to, meal out, a beer with a meal (that does not cost the earth), walk in the balmy summer evenings plus the ability to vistit other close countries.

We are looking at the Alicante region, possible Playa Flemenca, my parents lived there for 7 yrs and loved it so thought it to be a good place to start.

Good luck.

Rosemary

As Concierge for the Spanish section of BE I would like to say hello and welcome.

BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

lynnxa

yes - the right to live here - but you do need to register

if you can't get the EU health card (S1) then you need to get private healthcare, as said

yes, you might get away with just 'chancing it' - but without those resident registration certs/cards you won't get very far - for one thing, the kids won't get into school & it's becoming more & more difficult on a daily basis - I'm hearing now that some landlords won't rent to anyone without a resident cert, you wouldn't be able to buy a car or property without a NIE at the very least

you can't get a residents bank account without a resident cert either

you say you have an income? is that from work? You'd need to register as self-employed & pay tax & NI - in fact then you'd get access to state healthcare

in any case, you have to do tax returns here if you live here, working or not

Tambo

Hmmm - i will not be working but will have income from investments.

I will not be taking anything from the spanish state, in fact i will be helping by spending moeny in cafe etc.

Kids will be going to international school (ill be paying for that) and will have health insurance (1m paying for that paying for that).

i do not plan to work but i still need a tax return right?

What if im on a very, very, very long holiday?

Domino

welcome to those who don't believe all the Oz myths

as you are finding, there are a lot of "new rules" with regard to people, even those who are normally EU resident, in moving to most countries. This is to stop medical and benefit tourists who come for what they can get without having paid into the system.
so you may find you will have to jump thru hoops and prove all sorts of things about yourselves and your ability to live without being a burden on the state.

Another thing to remember is that for 4-5months of the year Spain, even down on the Costa Del Sol, can be very very cold. The north is currently heavy rain an d snow above 600metres (and alot of Spain is more than that). You will however think you are back in the outback when it hits 40c or more in the height of summer and understand why the Spaniards take a siesta.

good luck to you and I hope you make it, its a great country and has more hills and rocky bits than you can shake a stick at - I live half a mile above sea level, and that is quite common before getting into the mountains

Tambo

looking forward to a bit of cold and the possibilty of skiing

Domino

then Granada for the Sierra Nevada, 40mins or so to the beach
so ski in the morning, swim/sunbath in the afternoon

lynnxa

you still have to register as resident & if you live here you have to submit tax returns, yes

it costs something like 10€ each to register & there's no good reason not to imo - it's simple enough too, as long as you meet the income & healthcare reqs., which you would

Fred James

If you spend more than half the year in Spain you will become tax resident and will have to pay Spanish income tax on your income, wherever it comes from.

Also, if the value of your investments exceeds a certain sum you will also have to pay wealth tax.

Under recently a introduced law you will also have to declare exactly what your assets are and where they are situated.

ozspain1

Your post made me smile, one gets a niggling feeling about a place and wonders if it is just there imagination. It is re-assuring to discover others see things their way to. The things that mildly irritate you about Oz now will drive you nuts in time. I could add stuff: absurd driving rules, need a license to do almost any business.....

Domino

sounds like Spain - without the funny language

ozspain1

I am very much thinking along your lines: international school, private health, purchase a property and rely on my basic right to be there with my family if any one asks questions. It´s a very different situation to,say, Oz where no outsider has any kind of right to be there unless granted residency. In saying that would ideally like to do things by the book.

cricketman

Sounds like you want to move to Spain because you think it would be easier to do things illegally here

Strange motivation

And from what people say on this forum, Spain has some of the worst beaurocracy in the world, especially if you don't speak the language