scotty10002

Hi all, quick question.
My girlfriend has secured a job just outside Madrid and is due to move out in aug this year. I will be moving with her and will not be working for our 2 year stay as her salary is enough to look after us both.
After 90 days you have to apply to become a resident in spain.

But because we are not married will this effect my application or not? Even if she pays my healthcare and living costs etc....

Fred James

You will have to register in your own right and prove income and adequate health insurance.

scotty10002

Well health insurance I could prove, but as I say I would be living off her wages so could not prove my own income.
Does this mean I could only stay in Spain 90 days then? Unless we were married!

lynnxa

not exactly.... as an EU citizen you can stay as long as you want - but you can't register as resident without the income & healthcare provision

when you register you get a registration cert/card, without which life is becoming increasingly difficult

also, if you're here more than 182 (though I read it was now 180 ) days in 365 you have to submit tax returns here

so although you can stay - it can be complicated to say the least if you don't get your paperwork straight


many offices are accepting a lump sum in a Spanish bank as proof of funds/income - though some are now asking for a lump sum and a regular income

scotty10002

Submit a tax return form, even if I was not working nor a resident?

I assume that if we were a married couple, I would get a resident card no problem then, Due to her having a permanent job with a good salary. And with both healthcares in place.

lynnxa

yep - working or not - & you'll be tax resident by default, just by being here - it's not a choice/option


& yes, getting married would make it a smoother path


you'd still have to do a tax return though

Fred James

But it could be a joint one and that could actually save you both some tax!

snikpoh

... even if they are not married?

Pocaloca

The law on having to have income and healthcare to get residency is very new and wide open to interpretation. It varies from one office to another. You might well find that a declaration from your partner saying that she is supporting you will be all you need. But if you can show a bank statement in your name with €5k in it that would be good.

Have you been making NI contributions in the UK? If so you can get reciprocal health cover under the S1 form for up to two years. Details are on the DWP website. Again, that should be enough for residencia (depending what mood they are in!)

scotty10002

Yes I have been paying uk Ni and tax a long time in the uk now. So I'll have alook at the dwp website reguarding health care that I could get.
If we were married, filling in a tax return form doesn't bother us, as her salary is tax free for 2 years. So we would not have any tax to pay, after that tho she will be paying normal Spanish tax and normal rules will apply.
Just wanted the easiest route to become a resident. So maraige is seeming the best option. We were going to get married this year anyway, so just have to bring it forward

Domino

hi
look carefully at the medical/S1 situation - one can define another as a dependent and be covered by the same S1.

I am assuming your BH will be employed in Spain under a Spanish employment contract so she will be gaining access to Spanish Medical.

I could tell you all the things my BH and I did in a similar situation - but as I was only 10m away from retirement it was all different and it was before the immigration rules introduced mid of last year.

IMHO it could be quite simple to come over and not register for anything except for private medical and get away with it for the 2 years.
There are people down on the CDS (and other places) who have been doing it for decades.

You can also register as unemployed in the UK and have your benefits paid to you for 3 months whilst "looking for a job" in another EU country.

Just depends on how legal you want to be whilst in the country.
`

Fred James

Read the previous post to mine.

scotty10002

She will be working for a British school in Spain for the first 2 years, and will receive private healthcare supplied by the school for herself, but she will be on a UK contact for this two years (they have schools in UK and Spain). After which she will change to a Spanish contract and start paying Spanish taxes etc.. And will have to pay for her own healthcare (but I think she might receive standard Spanish healthcare after 2 years in Spain).

I think she wants to keep things quite legal, so I guess I'll have to go through the proper channels etc..