Hi, and apologies if this has been asked before - I did look but couldn't find anything!

I'm hoping to move to Spain later in the year - probably for at least six months to a year (possibly permanently) - and wondered what to do about receiving mail in the first few weeks/months, as I suspect my initial rented accommodation will be temporary, before I find somewhere I can settle (may be moving from one city to another after the first few months, depending upon work etc)? I suspect the initial move will be to Seville (if that makes a difference re: arrangements).

As context, I'll also be leaving my marriage / marital home in the UK, so won't be able to accept anything here. Would it perhaps be better to change everything to my parents' address (also in the UK) and have them send it on to me? (Don't really want to burden them with this as they're elderly.)

As part of this quandry, I'm also unsure what to with legal documents, eg. driving licence, passport etc re: changing my address.

As ever, all advice most gratefully accepted.

El

Hello

If you can send it to your parents to start with I would, once your settled you can look at other options.

I have a few options, one is I just got a PO Box address and a forwarding service, and I also have a mail handling centre that just opens the mail, scans it and emails it to me, I could have it sent but did not see the point.

Its easier as I have a business as you don't have to jump through hoops showing various forms of ID etc.

The same I just change my address to the mail centre, say a credit card comes they will call me and ill arrange it to be forwarded here, all done via email really.

Actually, I have a business too - it's online so we can work from Spain as easily as the UK, and the registered address will remain in the UK (at least for a while) - so will bringing my company details etc with me help out there??

Thanks Andy, by the way!

You don't need to do anything with your passport, and you can't change the address on your driving licence as it must be a uK address, if you do want to move it from the home you are leaving, then get it registered at your parents address.

think you will find that a company registered with companies house must have a UK address

why not just change your address to a member of the family and get them to send you an envelope every 2-3 weeks ??

but it also opens up Spanish taxation and registering etc etc, as you must change from VAT to IVA and also have to watch the EU's Online Trading rules if it is relevant

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If you plan on staying in the same location ie town/city but are moving premises withing that location. You can usually get a p.o box situated in the local post office. I can't answer for anywhere else but our post office these are free, you just apply.

You can legally run a UK Ltd company from here, I was worried as we send a lot to USA which involves dealing with Spanish Customs, No 2 ways about it, they simply seize or allow.

You need proof of UK passport, UK invoice, UK Ltd Company is holder of title of goods, goods stored in Spain but not for resale in Spain, when sold in Spain you (should) off load them to your Spanish company first, if sold anywhere else in EU or World UK Ltd company is title holder.

The whole thing is so complicated, its much easier just to be ignorant to it.

I am both now IVA registered and UK Vat registered. However I would recommend becoming registered here before you leave UK unlike me who managed to blag it for a while, which I would call test purposes, and why not as no one has a crystal ball.

Always leave a foot in the UK, a lot of people here gave me that advice before I came.

IIRC to do that you have to "open a branch" in Spain which requires registering the same as you would a new SL, although there are new regs making it easier

What happened to 'Poste Restante' ? I remember I had a friend who had a Post Restante address in Spain - but that was many many years ago.

PS: Have a look at the Correos web site - it has much of it in English if you click the <welcome> at the top. Under 'branch services' it has just what the OP needs.

See post #6, where a correos post box was suggested.

Here they charge loads - 180 euros plus per person per year. (Mr & Mrs = 2 x )

Poste Restante is not the same as a PO Box - although it serves the same function it used to be far cheaper - so you didn't need to scold me for a double post. Beside I think my suggestion to look at the Correos site offers definitive options and costs for the OP to make their own choice.

If you just sit back and break down what mail you *need* most of the time in our current era, you can get mail via email. a few essentials you may need but nothing that would warrant a cost of 180€/£

for me, I have virtually all my banking either online or estatement's no paper ones. I have moved 4 times in 2 years and still my original address gets mail for me as I still not changed it,lol.

Then for everything else there are ways around it, In Costa Blanca because of the huge influx of ex-pats -there are a few companies that will courier stuff for you to here for what you would see as nixies, but I doubt that in Sevilla, still there are ways and means. For me this really would be the least of my worries for now.