bank requirements
#16
Re: bank requirements
Hi
I did all mine by scan and email, quite easy really.
The only thing is........... Does anyone else think this is ominous, as Spain and the UK have joined the group of countries allied to create mutual disclosure of tax and financial details of all its citizens.
Recently it was announced that passports will be scanned like at the airport, on ferries, therefore you will be tracked wherever you are.
This bodes badly for people who stay in Spain for a little over their 183 days, as extended holidaymakers and for people who are not registered in the system, but need a bank account to operate. My friend is an example of the latter, she had lived in Spain since she was 18, she is now 50 and she has never paid into either the UK or Spain, she exists with cash jobs.
So money can be tracked and people tracked, is this another example of things getting more complicated in Europe. Discuss
Regards
Al
I did all mine by scan and email, quite easy really.
The only thing is........... Does anyone else think this is ominous, as Spain and the UK have joined the group of countries allied to create mutual disclosure of tax and financial details of all its citizens.
Recently it was announced that passports will be scanned like at the airport, on ferries, therefore you will be tracked wherever you are.
This bodes badly for people who stay in Spain for a little over their 183 days, as extended holidaymakers and for people who are not registered in the system, but need a bank account to operate. My friend is an example of the latter, she had lived in Spain since she was 18, she is now 50 and she has never paid into either the UK or Spain, she exists with cash jobs.
So money can be tracked and people tracked, is this another example of things getting more complicated in Europe. Discuss
Regards
Al
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!
Last edited by MikeJ; Apr 29th 2015 at 9:32 pm.
#18
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 990
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
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
#19
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,674
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!
#20
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 635
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.
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.
Does this apply to non residents?
We are both UK pensioners
We have a house in Spain and pay non resident tax and have a bank account for household bills
Any thoughts please as we are in the UK until October and can find no mention of forms on the sabadell or unicaja websites
Thanks
Neil
We are both UK pensioners
We have a house in Spain and pay non resident tax and have a bank account for household bills
Any thoughts please as we are in the UK until October and can find no mention of forms on the sabadell or unicaja websites
Thanks
Neil
Last edited by Horlics; Apr 30th 2015 at 9:53 am.
#21
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 635
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.
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.
#22
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 506
Re: bank requirements
And the banks will have written to everybody at their registered addresses months ago. They had to.
#23
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 635
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
Spanish bank customers must hand in IDs by April 30, government stresses | In English | EL PAÍS
#24
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,674
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?
#25
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 635
Re: bank requirements
BBVA wrote to me at my UK address about 4 months ago. They enclosed pre-filled forms ready for a signature.
#26
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
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
#27
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 635
Re: bank requirements
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.
#28
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,674
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.
#29
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
Regards
Al