Travel to Spain

Hi,

All EU citizens are free to come and live in Spain without applying for any special permission from the local government. However, after three months of living in Spain by Spanish law you do need to register as a foreign resident. You can sign on the foreigners register at any time within the first 90 days.

You will also need to obtain an NIE and register with your local authorities in Spain. 

After 183 days you will automatically become a tax resident and be expected to pay taxes to the Spanish government. 

You need to do some research into the legalities of living in Spain such as healthcare and getting your NIE number and also signing on the padron.

Steve 

We have NIEs as we have a house and are pensioners so that would be ok. Thanks for your help !

Sounds like the previous poster has not heard of Brexit!

After that you will only be able to stay in Spain (or anywhere in the EU) for a maximum of 90 days in any 180 so short of residence your idea to stay for 5 months will be a non starter.

Your EHIC's will almost certainly become worthless too so you will need travel insurance which includes cover for preexisting conditions. 

I assume you already know the outcome of the Brexit negotiations then?

Steve 

This is from the .gov website today.

A Brexit deal has been agreed in principle with the EU.

Both the UK and the EU need to approve and sign the withdrawal agreement.

If the withdrawal agreement is not signed by the UK and the EU, the UK could still leave with no deal on 31 October 2019. Find out what you, your family, or your business should do if the UK leaves the EU with no deal.

So it's still not a done deal......yet

Steve 

Part of what has been removed is the protection of workers rights within the UK.

Hi Eileen,

Irrespective of how long you can spend in Spain pre- or post-Brexit, you have to pay Non-residents tax, as well as IBI (Council Tax).

Without agreement being reached between the UK and the EU, you will only be able to stay in Spain (and/or any other European country) for 90 days out of a rolling 180 days.  Even with agreement, this is likely to be the case at the end of the (currently proposed) transition period of 31 December 2020.

Many people who have been staying in Spain for 5 months each year have been ignoring the legal requirement to register as Extranjeros (foreigners) in Spain after 90 days.  They have been getting away with it because, as EU citizens, their entry and exit from the Schengen travel zone has not been monitored.  Once Brexit is enacted, the recording of arrival and departure dates will be reinstated at country borders.

Kind regards,

Kim

Thanks Kim that's what I thought and really helpful ! 

Hi there....where would I find more details of this " non-residents tax ". Many thanks.....James