Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Hi All,

Ideally we want to rent a property for 3-4 months in the Almeria region and we were hoping to make the move and drive down in the next few weeks. We're wondering if anyone has successfully done something similar while lockdown is still on and if they encountered any issues?

Regards

Mark

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Driving from where and what is your status in Spain? It will depend on rules in your current country and any you'd pass through (i.e. you can't leave the UK for leisure purposes until May at the earliest, and France wouldn't let you in anyway unless you come under one of the exemptions, etc). If you can clarify then people can help.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Apologies, I wasn't very specific. We will be driving from the UK. We intend to rent a property before arriving in Spain for 3-4 months with a view to a permanent move. In our mind this is a potential relocation to Spain not a holiday.

Regards

Mark

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Under Schengen rules, you can only stay in Schengen area (including France en-route and Spain) for 90-in-180 days. You can't extend your stay after that, and have to leave Schengen for 90 days before you can return. In order to live long-term/settle in Spain, you now need to get a visa in UK from Spanish consulate, for which there is financial and health insurance requirements. Currently consulates aren't processing visa applications under Covid restrictions.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

You have to be joking! The borders to Andalucia are closed and no one is allowed to enter. Please stay away. The police are setting up road blocks to prevent entry. Do you not read the newspapers?

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Ah, ok. I wasn’t sure if you were already in another area in Spain. In which case, you’ll need to wait and while and see what the rules are in the UK/Spain/France then as what you’re proposing isn’t allowed under current rules.

The good folks on the forum will help you work out the visa eligibility side of things and how you can get one now that Brexit has happened.

Good luck.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Spain's guidance is far more clear-cut than the UK's, if you're not a resident you shouldn't be entering the country. If you drive into the country in a British car you might as well paint a huge target on it. If you manage to enter France.

Spain will announce something just before the 2nd of March as to whether or not the entry ban on non-resident Brits will carry on.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Hola,

Sorry but I disagree; to know whether or not you can enter the Schengen area, simply think of today as day 180 and yesterday as day 179. now if in the previous 180 days, you have spent less than 90 days in the Schengen area, then you may enter it until your count is 90 days in the previous 180.

For example today is 14th July and you spent the 1st January until the 13th January, and 14th April until 29th June un Spain. that is 90 days - However your 180 day count back is back to 14th January so you have not spent 90 days in the Schengen area. so you may enter for 14 days

The real point is the 180 days is a rolling day count - you do not have to spend 90 days before you can enter again

Davexf

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Yes you are right but I was simplifying for the sake of OP who was going to stay 3/4 months in Spain continuously. So after spending 90 days in France/Spain, as they intend to, they have to leave Schengen and can only return after 90 days.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

I dont want to appear too rude but has the OP any idea what is actually happening in the world!!! Maybe it is a bit of trolling, I dont know.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Wait a few months. Everything’s in limbo atm

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

If you could actually leave the UK, one exception accepted at the French border is proof that you are returning "home" to your principal place of residence, either in France or in transit to Spain/Portugal/Italy.... Which you wouldn't be. As said, a UK-registered car would be a target for the Gendarmerie if you managed to get through border control.... Not to mention the present nationwide curfew after 18h00 and the fact that restaurants, etc... have been closed for almost a year. Not the best time to travel through France, even for expat residents in France and in those countries....
When the present travel restrictions from the UK are about to be lifted, post in the France forum to find out what the situation is here, before making travel arrangements on the Continent...
HTH, but you should follow the News!!

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

I've had my suspicions about quite a few lately. If that's the case then the perpetrator is getting their desired outcome with some of the rants and less than polite responses. It's beginning to remind me of my old village pub with the old guy in the corner barking his opinions and assumptions at newcomers.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

I must admit I felt a bit like that with my thread, it went a bit off piste. - What's the saying idle hands create devils work

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Windup post by OP. Boring day?

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

He might be able to drive down in a few weeks who knows. Spain are reviewing there travel restrictions in March.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Possible that he'll be able to enter Spain, maybe even France in a few weeks - but he can't travel abroad from the UK until a while after that.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Sanchez has said that under advice restrictions will not be lifted until 50 per 100,000 is reached . At moment it stands at 250. Plus the State of Alarm runs until May.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Every one's being optimistic here, there's little hope of any of the present restrictions in France being reduced, let alone lifted in March. The powers-that-be are waiting to see how the school holidays will have affected the Covid figures. Already there are hotspots along the Côte d'Azur with confinement there at weekends now, and the Situation in Dunkerque, just up the road from Calais, is currently being considered worthy of a municipal confinement....
Just being Cassandra playing the Devil's Advocate, but it's necessary to follow the respective national news, and be realistic....
(Sorry, this is the second time I've quoted your post by mistake:o!)

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

No can do, 90 days is the max.

Also if you did decide to make the move you would have to return to UK to apply for a visas.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

UK Gov announced today that NO foreign travel will be allowed until the 17th of May at the earliest for any time of tourism.

So unless you are planning to come for work (if thats allowed)
Or returning to your place of residence I can't see how anyone could think they can leave the Uk.

My son is (was) due to come here on the 3rd May and is now moving his his visit to October. Which will mean its over a year since we have seen him.

But if thats the rules, then there you go.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

But if he’s driving out of the country for three months to temporarily live somewhere. Is that classed as tourism. You could just say your emigrating.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Is emigration allowed under the exemptions anyway? It's not mentioned, unless moving abroad for a job or family reasons. But the OP wouldn't have any visa or residency docs to show so I don't see how he could claim to be moving permanently if asked.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Quite an irresponsible plan you have there , haven't you heard about Covid ? , Have you been vaccinated ? I`d wager you have no right to reside in Spain/EU either , how will you rent with no right to live there ? you are setting yourself up for a very expensive and disappointing experience .

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

We cannot even travel to another local authority area. OP wants to travel to the other end of Europe !? Flabbergasted

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Very clear. The EU have shut their borders for non EU residents or citizens until further notice.

You won't be able to get into France, Spain or anywhere else unless you count as one of those two.

Until further notice.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Why spend ten minutes on Google and find answers when you can just type a question and let others do the work/share knowledge with you...its the way things are these days

I think some people already know the answer but are hoping they got it wrong and will be told the answer they want to hear.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

I dont think the Guardia Civil will accept " someone on the internet said it would be okay to drive to southern Spain in a pandemic" :rofl:

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Would need a visa now if Uk citizens, and if they are lucky enough to have one it might be a reason to allow them to travel

But as the consulates seem to be closed at the mo and are not processing visa application.
Nope....

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Yes, temporary visits to another country are classed as tourism unless you're working or have another valid reason for travel..
Emigrating is making a permanent move. And since Brits no longer have freedom of movement, the first step along the emigration route is getting a visa to enter the country you're immigrating to.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Which wont happen.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Looking at the EU’s vaccination project it will be along time before they allow travel. France and Germany will be having another wave of covid deaths as the UK is lifting restrictions. They are sat on millions on Oxford jabs but won’t take them. What absolute idiots. If more countries don’t leave the EU after this fiasco they will have to thank the lord.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Hola,

I know there are possible problems with giving the vaccination to older people. I have evidence that it has happened the other way round - Google "is nolotil dangerous" - the answer is Yes it can be to the British

Davexf

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

What I have never understood is, why the UK has such a high death rate.
They talk about obseity, BAME and poor living conditions but all countries have these things.
At the end of the day surely the priority is keeping the mortality rate down. Stopping the virus circulating isn't the ultimate objective in itself although obviously less virus=less deaths but it's not the only factor.
But then there's long Covid.
And the knock on effects.
Nightmare.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

The reason the UK has a higher death rate than some countries is down to certain demographics completely ignoring government rules /laws , no politician dare point this out as it would be twisted by the media to be racist rather that fact , it is fact , death rates prove this, the UK government has been far too soft on rule/law breakers and this has cost many lives.
At the height of deaths , over 1500 per day over 1000 of these were in London ,this should tell you everything.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Plus unfortunately, UK became the home of new variants (Kent, London, Liverpool and European entry point for South African), which are highly infectious and more deadly.

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Which is down to thoughtless idiots travelling unnecessarily .

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

UK government kept the border open until late in January, other than need to self-isolate for 14 days, later reduced to 10. Also mobility within England wasn't controlled until the latest lockdown (shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted ...)

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Whoa, of course I know what is going on in the world after contracting covid last March and working in the NHS. But believe it or not there are still people who are managing to move around albeit with difficulty. My question was whether anyone had attempted to drive to Spain during lockdown and succeeded. It was a genuine question as my wife and I are in a desperate situation in the UK and being able to make the move now would be a huge benefit.

Thanks to all the other posters that have offered some constructive comments which is really appreciated.

Regards

Mark

Re: Driving down and renting in lockdown.
 

Wow , you posts get dumber , so youve worked in the NHS , had Covid yet you still want to try and sneak down to southern Spain in a pandemic lockdown , we will probably see you on the news soon being locked up by either British or Spanish Police , most of the worlds population are desperate to get out and travel , however YOU CAN`T ! , you really need to give your head a wobble , even after lock down you cant just rock up and live in Spain .