bolton wanderer

Hi,

I'm hoping to apply for residency when I return to Spain in August but I only have a Spanish mobile/internet bank account. I'm hoping to initially open a non resident account and deposit over €9,000. I have proof of income (UK private pension, too young for state pension). Would I still need bank statements spanning 3 months? Or would the lump sum + regular transfers be enough to satisfy the immigration/police at alicante?

Many thanks for any advice/observations.

bobd22

Something I have been trying to find out from them without a great deal of success. Untill last week's change our area if we owned property outright without debts that was sufficient but no one seems to know if that's still the case. Some accept money in UK banks some even a credit card with sufficient credit. It won't be police you need to convince as first phase now is attending regional immigration extranjero office. They decide on income medical cover etc. They then tell you when you can apply to police for phase 2 which is issuing card. If I get any response to my email emquiries? I will let you know

tebo53

I can only tell you that I was asked for 3 months bank statements which had regular income paid into a Spanish bank. They also wanted a letter from the same bank to confirm that the statements were in fact true and that it was my account. Every page had to be stamped and signed by the bank official.

I can't remember the actual income figures now as it was a good while ago but my mate had similar requests for paperwork. They used to accept lump sums if you had a valid credit card linked to the same account.

Each area seems to put their own rules relating to income requirements so it would be a good idea to contact the office that will be dealing with the residency application for specific information. Maybe now the new TIE is being introduced perhaps the residency rules might all be in line throughout the country (🤣)

Steve

bobd22

In a modern world and modern banking I don't really see the need for it to be a Spanish bank but agree it goes by area. In my case I have resident bank account and had to remove my wife from the account to change from non resident to resident as she's non resident. Now she is becoming resident with way over the amount required in UK savings to draw down for the next few years untill she gets her pension. I have tried querying Malaga extranjeros office where she needs to make initial application with last week's changes. Initially I got very quick reply but outlining details as for third country application which up to 31 Dec it isn't. I have tried since to get the specific points answered by email without any response. It's difficult to find out, gestors etc don't seem to have a clue or want to be involved in the first phase of the 2 phase application. One can but try.

bobd22

I have just had a reply to my email enquiry to Extranjera Office in Málaga. It is good news for us. With an S1 for my wife all we need is 12 months UK bank statements, NIE either copy of escrutira or nota simple passport and padron certificate.

teuchterpete

Don't take anything for granted, and don't assume each office will apply the same rules even when set in stone. On our second visit ( In Seville) my wife and I presented our sistema national de salud ( Andalucia) card as proof of medical entitlement. The functioinario took it to the National policia who agreed it was proof , then came back to us and told us it was not and insisted that we needed private health insurance. I am not trying to be a scare monger, but make sure you have double checked everything . On out third visit we got the same man who just looked at the card and nodded.
Good luck .Pete

Fred James

You say that they don’t all apply the same rules. Very true but there aren’t any rules! The EU directive on residency says that you cannot have definitive rules on income etc, it depends on the personal circumstances of the applicants.

There are guidelines to the sort of things that can be considered like property ownership and even credit card balances, but it is not set in concrete. That gives the disfunctionarios in the the offices exactly what they crave, the power to make decisions rather than follow a set of rules.

It’s sadly a fact of life in Spain and you just have to live with it. Go into the office another day and another person and get a different answer until you get the one you want!

At least, so far, it seems that the changeover from the green residency document to the TIE is going very smoothly with appointments available within days and very few formalities. It seems to be a separate process to those who are applying for residency for the first time.

bobd22

I understand exactly what you are saying hence why I contacted directly the Extranjero Office in Málaga that would be dealing with the application to get the information that they would require. Other than attending with the documents they have told me I require there is nothing else I can do. I am aware that one of main things they pay detail to is the health insurance in our case it's the S1 so no issues there.

bobd22

​​​​​​Yes Fred difference is initially you have to attend the Regional Extranjero Office in our case in Malaga you submit EX 20 form to them and they rather than National Police Office check you documentation is satisfactory. Some time after submission they let you know they have accepted your application and documentation. You then have to do exactly the same as you do for exchange including submitting the ex 23 form at the Police National Station in my case Torre Del Mar. I could not get from anywhere the information re first part at Extranjero Office, Gestors were not interested nor did they know if requirments had changed etc. So I contacted the Extranjero Office direct by email. They replied very quickly with information unfortunately in the first instance on the basis of my wife being non eu? I then sent 2 further emails and gig again very quick replies with the details of what we needed to present. I can't fault them very helpful.

Emmaandrichi

"It won't be police you need to convince as first phase now is attending regional immigration extranjero office. They decide on income medical cover etc."
This is the first I am hearing of this. Where do we find this?

bobd22

If you are making an initial residency application which is now under the new TIE Card system from the 6 July it is now done in 2 phases. Phase one attend regional extranjera office with form ex 20 also proof of medical cover proof of income NiE passport etc. They check that and at a later date they let you know you can attend your local National Police Station with a form ex 23 for issue of the card. It has been well publisised over the last 2 weeks on here and various other websites including British Embassy. If you are just exchanging green residency for TIE no need to go to regional extranjera Office, just apply at local National Police Station

Emmaandrichi

Thank you very much for your reply. I have an appointment for the 28th of July at the police station in Madrid.
I have my NIE, padron, proof of sufficient resources (translated bank statement), proof of private healthcare, passport. Everything. I was just completing the ex-23 form when I saw this post...

Where do I find this extranjera office? where do I find the ex 20 form? I have limited internet access and no phone line.
Any help will be much appreciated.

bobd22

The EX 20 form can be downloaded from here:
Secretaría de Estado de Migraciones. PAGINA NO ENCONTRADA
As for you Extranjero Office sorry I can't help as I am Málaga area. Are you exchanging Green Residencia for TIE ? If you are then you have correct form and apppointment. If however you are submitting initial residencia then you need to sort out the EX 20 at Extranjero Office first. Maybe the Local National Police Station can advice you where you need to attend for the first part?

Emmaandrichi

I am in the latter situation, it is my initial application.
I need to get to the extranjero office pronto.
However, I have been watching the video from the british embassy and they mention submitting all documents online. Do you have any idea of the link for this?

bobd22

Unfortunately I have seen it says that but I have no idea how that can be done and I would suspect one requires digital certificate/signature for that? I found it difficult to get any real info re the first phase, gestors didn't have a clue or weren't willing to help. I took the bull by the horns and contacted the Extranjero office by email. They replied quickly and very helpful.