Stingychips

I am going to attempt to emigrate to Spain post brexit. I already have my NIE number and have a small deposit put down on a small casa de campo which I will eventually live in. My plan is to move there permanently with my Gf and daughter who is nearly ready to start school. I eventually will have an Irish passport but with covid and brexit I am looking at a 12-18 month wait just to sign on the foreign birth register , so it’s looking like I’m going to have to wing it in the mean time just as I and many other expats have done in the past only this time with brexit things are going to be a little more complicated. I plan to update this thread on any hurdles i come across on my way.

Chipmonk

The biggest problem you have will be acquring a Spanish driving licence if you dont speak Spanish.

scot47

How will you earn your daily bread ?

Stingychips

I speak castellano. I have lived in Spain before. I never had a nie previously or registered at the town hall for anything. Just took a contract out and stayed there until my savings ran out. This time I’m going to do it as official as I can. The driving licence thing I am convinced that I don’t have to go through all that messing around. I was pulled over by police last time I lived there and they never said a thing even though I was there for over 6 months. As for money , I will be using my savings and money I get in rent for a property in the UK. Eventually once I am settled I have a business plan that I hope to set up.

Stingychips

If I have to take the test in 6 months time then I will have to do that. It’s a case of getting out there to see what happens.

scot47

Good that you have a plan. When I lived in Bulgaria I saw so many Brits showing up and buying property with no plans, no prospects and no chance. Most of them left after a year or two.

DLC

I don't see how you could do the same kind of thing again after Brexit, the length of your stay in Spain can be checked with a passport scan at the airport, passport stamps, and ETIAS when that is rolled out.

As your NIE is for life, when you finally apply for a green NIE card with an Irish passport and find out you've overstayed with the British passport linked to the same NIE they might turn you down.

Stingychips

Hopefully I have my Irish passport by the time the ETIAS is in play. Who knows. I don’t think the Spanish authorities are going to go out of their way to make it hard for potential British expats. If they do they do. I have to be prepared for what ever happens. The first thing that I’ll be doing from next week is booking my dogs into the vets to get their European health certificate so I can travel to Spain with them. One of my dogs actually already has a EU passport as he was imported from Hungary a few years ago. As soon as I get my certificates I’ll book my ferry.

Stingychips

I hear that Bulgaria is offering Brits into the Schengen zone if you buy a
property and register to pay tax and have the right health insurance. I had a look online to clarify this are there are solicitors offering this service to potential expats post brexit.

scot47

I lived in Bulgaria for many years and I liked it. I was well integrated and Bulgarians often took me for one of them - or a Macedonian or Serbian. ("Your Bulgarian sounds like you are from outside the country") I sometimes regert vthat I did not stay and take out citizenship.

Lou71

I applied to the Irish Registry of Foreign Births in April 2018 and finally obtained my Irish passport in October 2020. It was a long wait but what a wonderful moment it was when it finally arrived! They are still inundated with applications at the FBR so I'm afraid it's a long process. Good luck!

Joppa

They aren't currently accepting any new applications under the Covid restrictions. When they eventually restart, the backlog and pent-up demand will probably stretch the processing time to 3-4 years.

Lou71

Oh no, I'm really sorry to hear that. As you say, demand for Irish passports is sky high and I know of several people in the application process rights now. Then there are all the US nationals applying!

Lou71

Sorry, I've noticed a typo, I first applied to the FBR in April 2019 NOT April 2018.

Londonuck

I read they'll supply a translator.