POLL: Vote: Over the next 12 months are you; Staying, returning or arriving?

My wife and I have Spanish Residency. We are fully legal. We have private healthcare as we do not qualify for the Spanish NHS. If Brexit goes ahead, we anticipate a route to legal Residency under the new regime. In the unlikely event that we need to demonstrate the increased income threshold, we are OK with that.  

Hi Lancelot,

Hubby and I have lived permanently in Spain since May 2016, we have Residencia and have to pay our income taxes in both Spain and the UK (hubby has a UK military pension and I have rental income from UK property I also own).  We also pay for private healthcare in Spain, as we are early retirees.  Following Brexit, we will apply to exchange our Residencia for TIEs; depending on how long Brexit takes, this may be with the benefit of 5 years' "settled status" - or not.  If we need to prove the higher level of income required of Third Country Nationals, this will not be a problem for us.  Despite the rise of the far-right party, Vox, in the Spanish general election, we don't anticipate issues of discrimination against UK citizens.

Kind regards,

Kim

Kim, can I ask how come you pay tax in both the UK and Spain ? I thought it was one or the other, usually the one in which you are resident. I only ask for my own benefit .

Kush

Hi Kush,
For security reasons, I am reluctant to put too much personal information on an open forum, but happy to share with you privately, so I'll PM you instead.
Kind regards,Kim

Hi Lancelot,

After a run of 16 polls suggesting the Conservatives were on the ropes, a positive YouGov/Sunday Times opinion poll in their favour sent the pound up to its highest level yesterday, since the spring.  However, delving into the detail shows a more confused position; for example, people were asked if they wanted, “to retain the right for EU citizens and UK citizens to live and work in each others’ countries” - and 67% said they wanted freedom of movement to continue, against only 15% who said they wanted it to end! 

Even among those who voted to Leave in 2016, 54% said they wanted freedom of movement to continue, and just 24% for it to end (the rest being ‘don’t knows’).  So perhaps it's finally dawning on some Leavers just what they've voted for........

Kind regards,

Kim

That was partly what I wanted to sample on this thread.

There have been 23 respondents and very few 2 have expressed concern over a move to Spain. None currently in Spain have expressed any concerns.

Unless the voting above changes in a different direction it looks as if people are just going to be pragmatic and take events in their stride.

The exchange rate is a huge lever in helping to make up people's minds. If it continues to move in Britons favour I can see concerns mitigated.

The markets hate uncertainty if we can get a degree of certainty back, whatever that might be, they are likely to respond positively. Especially as the risk of a hard exit seems to be far less likely.

I agree about the exchange rate - this has a direct impact on affordability for people planning the move to Spain - but of course the higher financial requirements expected of Third Country Nationals, post-Brexit, also has a major bearing on those who are unable to gain Residencia before the UK loses its membership of the EU.

As for people being pragmatic and taking events in their stride, those who have been here in Spain for many years and those who sold up everything in the UK to move here, they probably don't have any choice but to wait and see, hoping the impact on them will be as painless as possible.  This will be dependent on how the UK reciprocates Spain's offer for protecting citizens' rights - at the moment, BoJo is prevaricating.

Kind regards,

Kim

Hi Kimmy

Would you send me a pm with the information too please.

From what you say our situation is similar to yours and we are rather confused!

Thank you

Hi Lynne,

You have mail!  :o)

Kind regards,

Kim