Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

Hello everyone,
Great to be here. I'm selling my property in the UK and want to take the plunge and move to Spain for the pace of life, culture, traditions and of course, weather! In a post brexit world I'm at a loss where to start in terms in which order I need to do things before applying for a working/residence visa. For instance, do I need to secure employment and housing first? Can I get a mortgage in spain on a working visa? I don't have a specialist career to take with me, just my love of the country and two doggies in tow...
I thought about booking an appointment at the embassy in London to ask all these questions, but its a long way for me to go if they are send me off with forms to complete that I can get online and no chance to ask the kinds of questions I have. Has anybody had experience of sitting down with someone at the embassy and having a conversation personalised to your situation? Am I better off seeking this advice in Spain?
Looking forward to ANY advice you have 😊

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

Hi,
Firstly you need to decide which visa you want to apply for. For a work visa you will need to apply for and get a contracted work position. Work visas are usually only given to applicants who have a trade or qualifications that are in short supply and desperately needed by Spain. If you are fortunate enough to get a work contract your prospective employer will then need to apply for a work visa on your behalf. Be aware that all work positions must be offered to EU citizens first and if nobody from the EU is suitable then the work position could be offered to a third country citizen, ie from the UK.
You could apply for the non lucrative visa which you are not allowed to work. You will need to prove that you have an income of around 28,800 euros per annum from solid sources and full healthcare.
Don't sell your house just for the idea of moving to Spain permanently without any further enquiries about visas.
Steve

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

I did it years ago when the world was a different place but I suggest you check out these sites

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-spain

https://www.pellicerheredia.com/en/open-library/

only trust official sites for current accurate information.

Good luck.

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

It is difficult to advise as the details given are a little vague.So,do you need to work? or do you have a pension? If the former then unless you have a trade or some other abilities that would make you attractive to an employer then it is unlikely that you will get a Visa. With a pension then you will need to show that you are getting the minimum amount required tebo53 has pointed out,plus you have to have your healthcare sorted.
Since Brexit moving to any EU country has become very difficult .
If you look at the BLS Spain Visa website this can give you a guide

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

Your best (perhaps only?) hope is Starmer will admit Brexit was a mistake and re-join EU

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

There is much discussion about reinstating EU freedom of movement in the Guardian. Of course Starmer knows Brexit has failed 100% but he is reluctant to come out and declare it at the moment. It's going to happen but the question is when? The UK will not be rejoining the EU for many years but I think Starmer will aim for a Norway type deal which will obviously include freedom of movement.

I doubt the OP really wants to wait that long but unless they have the financial means or employment prospects (highly unlikely) moving to Spain will be virtually impossible as it is for so many British people post Brexit.

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

I doubt we will see Starmer accept freedom of movement in this parliament. He has said as much on a number of occasions and with immigration still a huge issue i dont see that happening. He clearly wants to improve relationship and EU deal for UK but what that entails is not clear. He may go the route of freedom of movement for young people that the tories rejected but i think that would be a risk for him. Too much strong feeling re immigration including legal immigration at the moment .
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Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

Hi everyone, thank you for your input and advice. It looks like it certainly won't be easy as I don't have a trade, however am looking to gain TEFL qualification which may help...
I will keep up the investigations into visas and make a plan, perhaps not as an immediate plan as hoped.
thanks again all!

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

TEFL will be of limited use as there is plentiful supply of UK TEFL teachers with residency (obtained prior to Brexit), those married to EU citizens and Irish citizens etc. Language schools won't be sponsoring visa for teachers.

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

Agreed, my point was he has little chance of a contract for employment and unless he has substantial savings / £500,000+ to buy a property, no options for residence.
Depending on his situation(?) part time, i.e. 180 days Spain might be a viable alternative

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

Long, long before Brexit there were many threads about finding work in Spain and generally the answers were inclined to be negative for anyone who lacked a valued skill set. Sorry that members have burst your bubble but they have been honest, factual and informative. No-one likes to be negative but as you have rightly said there is not a lot of hope for you at the present time.

Rosemary

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

It may be unkind to burst OP's bubble, but I would suggest it would be cruel to give OP false hope

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

Got to agree with Missile (and others) a love of Spain, doggies and a possible TEFL no longer cracks it - sorry!

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

Exactly, hence the fact that I stated that everyone has been honest etc. So important to always be straightforward with information. Often people who look to Spain as a great place to live mention the weather and many state that they want to experience the pace of life. But they do not seem to realise that the Spanish pace of life means working very long hours so it is not the laid back relaxed life that they seem to think that it is here. For retired people it may be ideal but for working people it can be extremely difficult.

Rosemary

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

I would add that the weather may be great for those on holiday, but very unpleasant for those who have to work during the summer months.

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

What you need to do is to become at least fluent in Spanish, 20 years ago there were a lot more British people over there, wanting work doen by an English speaking tradesman, but those days are gone now and you will need Spanish, not leat for the mountains of paper work you will need to do, the Spanish love their paperwork

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

Hi All,
Although sad, the negative posts are accurate. There is a positive angle, over the years I have seen soooo many people think exactly like the OP, sell up in “safe” U.K. move to Spain. They quite often ended up either living in paradise with little money (Spain is not a nice place if you have no money) or worse ended up losing everything and returning to the Uk bereft of their built up U.K. equity and savings and having to start again in the U.K.

Although I love Spain I think the visa issue has saved a lot of Brits a lot of pain! And the U.K. for its faults is a wonderful safe place with little corruption. The weather, particularly this year is our biggest negative.

so chin up OP

regards
Al

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

Talking of corruption....this might surprise a few!

https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2023/index/esp

Top of the league is the least BTW!

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

I think it's sad that British people have been denied the opportunity to find out for themselves and I certainly don't buy into the idea that people need to be protected from themselves and prevented from experiencing things first hand. Before EU freedom of movement was taken away from British people, they had options and could, for example, rent out their UK house and either travel around the EU or move to Spain (perhaps for a limited period) and/or even try somewhere else for a few years. My partner and I were very young in 1998 when we started the ball rolling and bought our first plot of land in Spain and we have made a success of it with further projects and also a property in Portugal.

I think the OP and anyone else in a similar situation should consider Portugal. It's far easier than Spain with a much lower minimum income requirement.

I can understand why the OP would want to leave the UK. I visited the UK for a few days recently (the South East) and it depressed the hell out of me and I couldn't get away soon enough.

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

Excellent! :)
Having said that, I worked for some time in Madrid with Iberia, the national airline in their aero-engine overhaul facility. I found all of the Spanish there, good, hard workers - both in their offices and on the shop floor where my principle activity was overseeing engine rebuild, especially regarding quality control. At that time we worked a 6 day week, 7:30 to 3pm.
What surprised me, were the many workers there who, after an afternoon siesta went on to do a 2nd job for several hours from early evening. I have no idea what the Iberia salaries were, but most close to me were all skilled workers, so I'm quite sure that a 2nd job late into the evenings was not for the love of it, but to provide a reasonable standard of living.
I'd be surprised if many workers in Spain were not doing the same today. It may make similar activities in the UK seem easy by comparison. As others have pointed out, Spain should not be solely considered for the weather or an easier pace of life.

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

What about the new digital nomad visa? My understanding is that if you can work remotely for a UK company, then you can live in Spain.

- Eric S.

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

Not an easy visa to get.
You have to demonstrate that you are in and have been in this type of role for a set minimum period of time, its only renewable for three years and none of the years count towards permanent residency.
You must also have full private health insurance as you cannot use the local services nor even pay into the Convenio.
I have an ex work colleague who is on this and he is actually moving to Portugal as the requirements are so much simpler than here and he will have full residency at the end of it.

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

DNV info here. More info here.

One thing is once you start residency, you may apply for an optional residency card or show your visa in your passport. I'd apply for the residency card, it's expected for many things in daily life.

This visa route does lead to permanent residency after five years, e.g. here (Spanish - "Beneficios del permiso" heading).

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

As usual lot’s of helpful ( administrative) answers but I am surprised why no one has questioned why the poster would want to live Spain or come to that anywhere else. Weather? Perceived lifestyle? Cost of living? Health reasons? Whilst the answers to these may also be negative they would probably be more useful than how to get a visa,

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

. Starter is inherently stupid but even he is not that stupid.

Re: Moving to Spain - Where to Start?
 

Why not offer your own opinion on: Weather? Perceived lifestyle? Cost of living? Health reasons?