First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

Hi Guys, I've always dreamt of moving abroad but realised life is what you make it... a simple and obvious statement but one I neglected to understand until the last few years.

Anyway... I'm on countdown, no longer is it a "sometime next year" that never happens, this time i'm setting a date for November 2015 to move because I have a family with young daughters and a business - so it's a lot to prepare for...

I will need a mortgage once we're over there, so i'm concious that we'll need to start building a credit file in Spain, is there any advice on how to do this before actually moving?

Any other advice for getting things in motion? :)

Thank you!!

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

Our experience of Spain is limited for we are now back in the UK but will be returning after family issues here in the UK are resolved.

However my thoughts as a starting point is to establish a bank account and to populate it with euros. Here and lots of people will have differing viewpoints but we found Deutsche Bank most professional (albeit in Javea so that is not necessarily where you are thinking of living) and Sabadell a bit further down the tree in our considered opinion. Of course some ex-pats use Barclays but not sure how much longer Barclays Spain will be in the stable of Barclays

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

Thank you Porth!
Just reading up about the banks, do you know if I can get a NIE to open the bank account without living there? My aunt has an address there I can use, just not sure if i'm being naughty doing that or not? :)
Thanks xx

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

We opened bank accounts literally over the internet and whilst we were living at our French home. The NIE came when we arrived in Spain! That is our experience and some people may say no NIE no bank but our experience is to the contrary.

Copies of passports + and we had the account opened. Upon arrival and of course having populated the accounts with euros we had cheque books debit cards and on-line banking.

Again we say that in view and based solely upon our time in Javea that DB were very professional.

Also we had some trouble in the the post office did not deliver to our urbanisation so we opened a private postal box in Javea itself and collected our mail.

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

I believe the Spanish Embassy can issue you with an NIE for each of your family members.

where are you considering moving to ?
are you going to run your business from the UK or from Spain ?

You might like to discuss your mortgage requirements with Santander, who have an office in The Strand, London which is set up to handle true Spanish requirements rather than the normal UK type of business.

Although I assume you are UK/EU resident you may still have to prove you have certain levels of wealth and you are not going to be a drain on Spanish resources, which will also mean taking out private medical in addition to any national medical you may get if you are working as Autonomo or as a Director of a Spanish registered company.

sorry, the file looks like getting bigger and bigger. :ohmy:

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

We're looking between alicante and valencia, the Uk business (retail) would continue to run without us, or we may sell it - something we're weighing up at the moment in preperation...

We're UK nationals, I think we'll be opening a new shop over there but we need to go and check out the market first to make sure it's not too different to what we're used too and it'll be viable still.

Private medical isn't a problem, there'll no doubt be added expenses to moving there just as much as there will be savings - swings in roundabouts I guess, just need to know as much as possible about what we need in place and in what order to sort things out to avoid delays and problems :)

Thank you!

I was reading up on getting the NIE at the consulate in London, has anyone gone down that route for helping to set up a bank account??

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. I am the Concierge for the Spanish section and thought that you might find it helpful to know that the moderators for the Spanish forums are Fred James and Bevs, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE.

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 of 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

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

Hi, I went in person to Sabadell Bank armed with only my Passport and a recent utility bill and that was enough to open an account there even though my home address is in the UK.
I didn't need my NIE.

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

This too is our experience. I cannot speak for anywhere else than Javea. But Sabadell seemingly have taken over another defunct Spanish Bank. Thus an amalgam of customers and you queue for a long time to be dealt with. Not the same just down the road with DB. I am not German! But with a banking background I do believe that DB are the better bank in Javea.

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

but NIE is a good thing to have, it gives the individual an element of credibility as staying in the country rather than a fly-by-night.
also makes life easier when applying for utilities if you have an NIE and a Spanish bank account.

`

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

My son opened an account with Santander in the UK and got his mortgage with them, he had no credit history in Spain.

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

The very first thing to do in preparation for moving to Spain is to start to learn the language.

Go to evening classes, buy CD's, DVD's and books on the language. Nothing you learn prior to leaving will be wasted in Spain.

Living in Spain permanently is not like being on holiday in resort where the hotel staff, cafe, bar and shop owners have a little English. As soon as you get involved with bureaucracy, where they are not interested in making money from you, you will be expected to speak in their language.

Posters here have been taking about opening bank accounts, credit facilities, mortgages, setting up businesses, etc., but how are you going to communicate that to people if you can't speak at least some of the language ?

We have all been in a queue at the post office in Britain where an immigrant at the counter has held up the queue because he cannot communicate what he wants to the person behind the counter. We have all seethed "Why doesn't he learn the b language".

Well, here in Spain, you will be that immigrant.

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

Already on it :) well ish... there aren't many classes around where I live but been finding free online classes for now for the basics whilst I figure out the best way of learning, I tried rosetta stone which was great for learning words but I didn't find it helped with grammar and how to put sentences together.

We have 3 children so I really want them to settle into a state school and make friends, luckily we live in Wales so they're learning Welsh - not much help in Spain but they love learning languages because of it so I'm sure they will be fine once we get over there - but the more they know now will allow them to settle in and make friends quicker once we get over there.

I was wondering about getting study books and cds for GCSE Spanish to start from scratch... anything you would recommend?

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

I couldn't recommend any course really, they are all a much of a muchness for me, but I'm sure other members of BE will chip in with their favourites.

The main thing is that you have grasped the importance of starting to learn the language, if only to have a few words to say to your Spanish neighbours when they come round to welcome you to your new home.

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

Here I am a product of the 'valleys' of South Wales and was not given the opportunity all those years ago to learn the language. Grammar school in those days was let us say Latin+ either French or German.

I commend your children to learning a foreign language but truly hope that to augment Welsh with a more meaningful European language may be the better way forward.

As a 70 year old product of the valleys I have a concerns as to devolution but entirely an differing argument for another time.

Exposure for our young people to a different culture and a language and indeed beliefs is the way forward. The horizon will never be conquered.

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

Jen1985 you suggest that luckily you live in Wales. There are lots here who would disagree but again not for Spain this argument but for a Welsh forum.

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

I love Wales :) If we could move it to the middle of the med I wouldnt feel the desire to move lol, but we're an outdoors type family and it just aint happening these days with the weather, we've just had a camping trip in Spain and drove down and enjoyed the weather, mixed in with the locals (as best we could without knowing the language) - We just think it's the right move for a better lifestyle outdoors, its going to be difficult, but we're a happy bunch and at the end of the day life is what we make it :)

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

Why not have a look at the BBC languages courses? I did one a while back and found it pretty good:)

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

The med climate is something else but the heat in Javea in July and August had to be contended with. As I understand matters much hotter further south. Humidity was also a problem and for us a/c a must. We go back in September so it should be cooler.

But absolutely agree an outdoor life is to be commended.

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

Jen, as my roots are in Cymru I can understand that, even though I was born far to the east of England.
however, surely you understand the "holiday sickness" syndrome is similar to but not as long lasting as "home sickness" ??
many people come to Spain for holidays, get crazy ideas about life out here, how pleasant it all was sitting in the sun.
but reality has to come into it. Spain has in certain months much better weather than the UK which is about a third of the year. But in some months it is far worse than the UK. And the houses are not built for cold weather - hence they have tables with round holes in them to allow a paraffin heater to be lit for when you all sit round the table.

I am looking down on Granada at this moment, nothing but heavy black cloud as far as the eye can see, has rained twice so far. English coats and wooly jumpers are something you should ensure are packed when you move.

However, as to the language - well many UK colleges do foreign language courses both in the evening and during the day, just depends on whether Spanish is being funded - usually it is French and German. Just be prepared for sitting next to a load of oldies.
The biggest problem is once you reach a given point you will start to lose it if you don't keep practicing. So buy loads of post-it notes and go round the house marking everything with the Spanish name. Impose a Spanish day each week where the family can speak nothing but Spanish.
But even more so than in English, some words have more than one unrelated meaning.

hth

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

With the current situation of the construction sector in Spain, if you say you want to buy a house, you can even get the Spanish residence right away...literally. Since 2013, all those foreigners who buy a house of 500.000€ or more can get the Spanish permanent residence.

As for your credit profile and bank account, just open a bank account whenever you arrive Spain (you can do it with the passport and/or your national ID), and take with you a letter from your bank in your country stating that you have enough money to face a xxx€ mortgage and stating that you have an amazing credit rating.

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

I've started studying Spanish with duolingo.com and busuu.com. They donät teach much grammar, but you can easily find grammar pages with google to support your studies.

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

Thanks Domino, it's not just the weather pulling us there but in truth it's a major factor (when's it never for leaving the UK).
We moved to Wales 5 years ago, "home" is about an hour away so not too far, but we know what it is to not get invited to family events because just this one hour drive is considered too far away in some eyes, and not be able to see friends/family every week or even month, and when your only car breaks down and you have nobody to give the kids lifts to school, and babysitters arent free... we had to work everything out locally ourselves and find out way. I don't miss "home" and in truth I hate going back there whenever we have to visit anyone, in Wales I learnt what it is to be happy, and my home is where my husband and daughters are - wherever that is in the world :)
My hubby wants to play it safe and rent for 12 months over there to make sure we like it and get to know the area better, so the bank account isn't too important just yet I guess, but I think i'll go down to the consulate and get the NIE number sorted still, chances are we're opening a company up over there so I will need it sorting.
Thank you for those websites hatecold - i'll have a look at them :)

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

That only applies to non EU citizens who will get the "Golden Visa" as it is often called. EU citizens do not need a visa.

Re: First Steps To Moving Permanently??
 

That's right. I just wanted to let people know that now is the least of the problems to buy a house (and a cheap house) in Spain. I know there is free transfer in the EU for EU citizenss and that you do not need a VISA. I guess, he is not going to buy a house of 500.000€ or more either...