Re: bank requirements
 

Globalisation; worldwide organised crime; extremist terrorism and the like - it's not going to get any better. The little people get caught up in the processes designed to catch the biggies. Long gone is the age of innocence.
We will just have to learn how to suck it up.
You can rail against it - you may win small victories against it but in the end blind bureaucracy rules. Life's too short. Lie back and enjoy the coffee!

Re: bank requirements
 

Well it's about time she started contributing.

Re: bank requirements
 

Lets hope she gets her comeuppance soon.
Its so wrong that hard working honest people fret about their taxes, declarations of assets etc when this person lives her stress free life without a prick of conscience

Re: bank requirements
 

I thought I had sorted out this declaration some weeks ago. Having been online to my account and as instructed completed and returned the required forms for both myself and my wife. I then scanned them and attached them to an email and sent them by email to the address that it said. Today through the post in the UK arrive 2 letters one for me and one for the wife contains blank forms with the same instructions re completing? I will now have to contact them to ensure they got the first set (I will re send them at same time) . Rather frustrating considering the deadline is a day away and they threaten to block your account. Not great given there are direct debits etc set up to be paid plus not out till June when of course I need my bank account. Before which I need to deposit money into the account, which is currently sitting with Currencyfair. I don't want to transfer now as unsure if account will be blocked. The simplest thing becomes complicated in Spain!

Re: bank requirements
 

Here's what it says on the Unicaja site. https://www.unicaja.es/PortalServlet...cion-necesaria

This link shows you that they will accept copies of documents (pictures, even) and provides the email address to send them to. https://www.unicaja.es/PortalServlet...-documentacion

Yes, it applies to non-residents.

As a pensioner all you need to do is send them a picture of your passport. Send it attached to an email in which you confirm your foreign (non-Spanish) address and which country you are resident in. In the email, mention that you are a pensioner. You could go to the trouble of attaching some kind of copy of a pension payment but my bank said they don't need that.

And the banks will have written to everybody at their registered addresses months ago. They had to.

Re: bank requirements
 

Sounds like Greece is the ideal spot for you and your friend.

Then you can live where tax avoidance is the culture so you won't get very many people disliking you for this particular lifestyle choice.

Trouble is, countries full of people like you end up and bit ****ed up.

Discuss. Actually, don't bother.

I'm on a Clarkson-esq final warning here, so I can't get into it.

Re: bank requirements
 

Well in my immediate vicinity fifteen neighbours of different nationalities and different Spanish Banks none, repeat none were contacted by their bank in the last five years, Mine (Sabadell) admitted so in a mail on Monday.

Re: bank requirements
 

Looks like one bank is trying to allow some wriggle room....

Spanish bank customers must hand in IDs by April 30, government stresses | In English | EL PAÍS

Re: bank requirements
 

With Cajamar they only want the details of type of ID used and the corresponding number if applicable no requirement to actually submit copies of it. Seems odd that there is a difference as to what they want. I will have to try skyping the customer number tomorrow to see if they have received the first set of forms I sent?

Re: bank requirements
 

In my immediate vicinity I have spoken to people in 3 different banks. 2 were contacted and the one that wasn't is because he opened the account last year and they had his documents already.

BBVA wrote to me at my UK address about 4 months ago. They enclosed pre-filled forms ready for a signature.

Re: bank requirements
 

Dear Horlics,
Just for the record, I am UK tax payer, a UK resident. I have a meeting with Blevins franks shortly to discuss possible tax residency in Spain this year as I may go over the 183 days.

I do not condone tax cheats in any way, the lady who is my friend, I feel is quite silly, and I was quite shocked that anyone has never paid into a pension and never paid tax. It will come back to haunt her, even if it is just at pension age.

If I cannot become a tax resident in Spain, then I will go back to 6 months in either, although it is not what I wanted, but it has its good points. Your post assumed (understandably) that I am advocating a cheat lifestyle. My chief concern is if I stayed over 6 months in one year I would incur big tax issues, the passport control issue could make it easy for them to catch me if I stayed over my 183 days, when in reality I am just on holiday.

I like to be above board in all my dealings but as my Spanish friend says, in Spain they make it so difficult and painful to be legal, that most choose the alternative.

Regards
Al

Re: bank requirements
 

Understood.

Yes, the 183 days is a pain and it is very very hard to justify all the residency hassle if, say, a person happened to stay a little over that time.

I'm in a similar situation to you. I want to stay more than 183 but I still want to spend at least 3 months in the UK. The tax implications of residency for me mean that until I want to be there full time, I will not exceed the 183.

Re: bank requirements
 

It will be interesting what Blevins Franks say given re your situation. I am in the same boat my total income at the moment comes from Government pension which must be taxed in the UK, I am not yet State retirement age. I pay my non residence tax in Spain and always have. The thing is should I go over 183 days and I became tax resident in Spain then there would be no gain indeed they would lose out on getting my non resident tax! I also ensure as well that as well as not going over 183 days I don't exceed 90 days in any one stay to prevent that problem . in addition for me my wife still works in the UK so if I was over 183 days my wife would visit only for holidays and we retain our family home in the UK. I believe that if I ended up tax resident then my wife as co owner of Spanish property could be deemed Spanish tax resident? Certainly a dilemma.

Re: bank requirements
 

The Blevins franks report, will cost me a few quid, but I will share the results so anyone else can use the info

Regards
Al

Re: bank requirements
 

I am sure that will be useful for many thanks.