gardner8

It obviously depends on where you live, what day of the week it is and if the person you are dealing with has a headache.
I have never been refused service when showing my reduced and laminated UK passport, even when getting a new copy of my padron recently,(although she did say to bring the original passport next time) however I also know that many people seem to get refused service on a regular basis???

bil

Yeah, in Cadiz you get the original from the extranjeros office, then you copy and reduce the A4 at a nearby papeleria, take it to the other end of the police station where the stamp the copy (presumably to authenticate it), and then you go back to the papeleria to get it plasticised.

HBG

I read about some of the cost-cutting measures being introduced in Spain (and everywhere else) and wonder whether they will cut back even more on the burocracy still involved with the Residence requirement.

The new form is much cheaper to produce than the old one with the photograph etc, but why bother with it at all? The form doesn’t really help the authorities much as far as I can see, and there is much more information on a passport, and the illegals won’t have one anyway.

There is no welfare for foreigners either, so why bother with the expense of issuing pointless forms?

(And I’ve never heard of any British expats being prosecuted for not having residencias).

cricketman

[QUOTE=HBG;8582974]

There is no welfare for foreigners either, so why bother with the expense of issuing pointless forms?

QUOTE]

I repeat, there most definitely is welfare for foreigners in Spain!

As long as you are paying into the system you get unemployment benefit (unless self-employed) and a lot of different kinds of support if you have low income e.g. they pay part of your rent, they help with childcare costs, school costs and healthcare costs etc. And of course foreigners can get a Spanish pension aswell

HBG

[QUOTE=cricketman;8583023] Sorry, you’re right, of course. I was thinking more of the expats who don’t pay into the system, mostly the pensioners or early retirees.

Fred James

It's very simple really. The law says that you have to register on the foreigners list if you are in Spain for more than three months consecutively.

You can argue all day about whether it offers you any advantages but it is the law- both Spanish and EU law.

If you choose to ignore the requirement to register then that is down to you.

It is very unlikely that you will be prosecuted for not registering but, as previously mentioned, you may find life in Spain difficult if you do not register.

It's not rocket science - just go and do it!

jackytoo

Do you have a link to this?

HBG

I can’t argue with that advice, but I get the feeling that many expats are now hesitating to register because of the many disadvantages, should they change their minds about living in Spain permanently and wish to return to the UK.

As you said, few people will bother you in Spain if you’re not registered, but if you are and return to the UK you’ve got many problems back home.

jdr

My home is here.

Why would I have problems as a UK citizen if I wanted to move back to the UK from Spain ?

HBG

The easy ones that come to mind are doctor. bank account and driving licence, I’m not going to think too long on it, but getting connected to local utilities and even a bus pass would be problems.

The reason I’m not going to think too long on it is because I went in the swimming pool for the first time today and will be in it for the next five months, so I’m hanging on here for as long as I can.

cricketman

No - and I dont have time to find one this weekend

Try googling "subvenciones vivienda" in google.es.

JLFS

I just googled...........
From the quick glance that I have seen, it is for 22 to 30 y/o to leave the nest and they must have an imcome less than 22k.

It can be for working self employed, on the dole or incapacity and lasts for a max of 4 years. All help stops at 30 even if you have not had the full 4 years help.

This gives you 210e per month towards the rent, than after that, I suppose on your own.

Non Spanish have to have lived in Spain continuously for 5 years previous.

There seems to be another one for up to 35 years old, lots of "pegas" involved.

Up to 40 percent of the rent up to 2880 per year,

maximum 24 months help

5 year wait to be able to claim again for the subvention.

Some of these benefits are only in some regions, and I suppose all will have different criteria.

I personally dont know anyone who has had this sort of help, I know of "protected housing" where if certain conditions are met, people can get help to buy certain properties depending on their needs, this is more of an interest free loan to buy. Reduced VAT or such as well.

This is not really a help for folks in "apuros", meaning the ones that have lost their job and need help with mortgage and rent.

This to me seems more of a way to get otherwise empty properties sold or rented.

And probably it only applies to properties build by the mayor and/or his cronies.

jackytoo

I think you are correct. I remember the aid given to young people in Andalucia a few years back. People entitled said it was useless as the landlords just increased the rent to include the subsidy.

JLFS

I dont remember anything like that happening, and I dont know anyone who has even tried to get this help, but that sounds about right to me.


However, I do know people who have been living on their own for quite a while and have had to go back to parents, some are in their early 30s.

What I have been told, is that some have had partners (some live-in and others not) for a while, they cannot afford to get married.

Of course they cannot sleep with their partner in the respective parents house, and after a certain age, doing it in the car is very unclassy.

Obviously they cant afford a hotel. That is what some find the most degrading about moving back, they lose all status and even their sex life to a great extent.

2 or 4 years help might seem ok, but I think it is probably worse to move out and then have to move bact to parents than never to have left at all.

Unlike the UK the unmarrieds here dont have multiple children while on the dole, could the reason be one of lack of opportunity, most in the UK have flat or council houses so sex is always on the menu.

Whereas in Spain if you have good catholic parents and still live at home it is virtually impossible.

jackytoo

Wouldn't it be nice to have something between the two extremes in both countries