Relocating to spain with a child

Posted: Tue Feb 8, 2022 8:42am

13 replies315 views3 members subscribed

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TUMBLERS

Posts: 9

1 helpful points

Location: Benijofar

Joined: 28 Jan 2020

Hello,

After another wet and miserable winter, we are reconnecting with our dream to move to the sun. We are 41 and 45, have a 4 year old daughter and a dog. We visited benijofar in Feb 2020 and loved it... initially we were thinking of holidays for the next 15 years, but changes related to covid have made us think of just jumping in with two feet and making the move now before it is too late. We are concerned the benijafar might be too big and busy for us and we would want a property with some land... so are looking at pinoso and surrounding villages.

Is there anyone on here who moved in a similar situation? Do you have any tips?

We have savings to fund a non lucrative visa until applying for residency... so I guess we will be semi retired... but will think of starting a small business on the future or maybe an Airbnb.

Does anyone have advice on sending our daughter to the spanish school system?

Annual bills so that we can budget?

We are yet to visit in the summer? Is it full of tourists, should we consider moving further inland for a permanent move? We current live in rural Cheshire.

Flights booked for the end of feb! Exciting.com

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View 13 replies

Posted: Tue Feb 8, 2022 9:19am

DEP003

Helpful member

Posts: 147

104 helpful points

Location: Moraira

Joined: 13 Oct 2021

Posted: Tue Feb 8, 2022 9:19am

Hi, not wishing to dash your dreams, but packing up and simply moving to Spain is not as easy an option as it once was, especially since Brexit.

The biggest problem is the financial resources. From my understanding, regardless of what you have sitting in the bank, you need to show that you are both bringing in/earning €900 per month.

If you meet this criteria then your pretty much there.

Opening an AirB&B is also not as easy as you might expect. You will need a Tourist Licence (ladt heard, they are being very restrictive on handing these out). If the area you intend to rent out forms part of your main house then the whole property will change to 'Business Tax' (you pay a lot more) as opposed to 'Residencial Tax' (I enquired last year about doing this with ours).

Make sure you do all your proper research and fact finding, get a really good Hestor/Solicitor and I wish you all well in living the dream.

Good luck

Posted: Tue Feb 8, 2022 9:25am

elinspain

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 3248

4131 helpful points

Location: La Mata

Joined: 4 May 2018

Posted: Tue Feb 8, 2022 9:25am

Hello

You cant have an NLV and then work. A Non Lucrative Visas won't allow you to work -- you would need a different type of Visa from the Spanish Consulate in UK and eventually become autonomo (self employed) and find out how this affects your families medical requirements before pensions etc.

You need to contact the Embassy/Consulate nearest to you for advice before you do anything else , to find out the requirements and how to qualify for your Visas... schools and annual bills are secondary in importance .Take it one step at a time & if/when you have a Visa application in progress, ask your questions again , help is always available on the forum. Heres a link to have a look at regarding different types of Visas

http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/LONDRES/en/Consulado/Pages/Visas.aspx

Cheers

Elinspain

Posted: Tue Feb 8, 2022 3:49pm

GrahamLynn

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 2534

2377 helpful points

Location: El Raso

Joined: 9 Jul 2017

Posted: Tue Feb 8, 2022 3:49pm

Benijofar and surrounding areas are quiet in Jan/Feb. It’s mainly residents in the area and a few people using their holiday homes to escape to slightly warmer temperatures. It’s warm during the day , but cool of a night, so most people venture out during the day and tend to stay in of an evening. Because of that the bars operate reduced hours and will close early if no one is drinking.

Benijofar isn’t a prime tourist trap, so I would describe it as being comfortably busier during the summer months. Bars then are quieter during the day, as everyone is out at the beach or by the pool, but then you’ve got the nice summer evenings to sit outside having a drink or a meal. The additional “tourists” are holiday home owners and friends and family out here visiting.

Down on the coast is different. The nearest beach would be Guardamar. During August the population increases tenfold. Great atmosphere, busy bars, lots of events happening, but trying to find a parking space is a nightmare. In fact it’s easier to find a parking space in the centre of Chester, than it is to park in Guardamar in August. Trust me, I used to work in Chester.

Benijofar has a lovely expat community suitable for year round living and is within easy driving distance to shops and the beach.

I can’t help much with schools, but on anything else feel free to send me a PM

Lynn

Posted: Wed Feb 9, 2022 9:18am

TUMBLERS

Original Poster

Posts: 9

1 helpful points

Location: Benijofar

Joined: 28 Jan 2020

Posted: Wed Feb 9, 2022 9:18am

GrahamLynn wrote on Tue Feb 8, 2022 3:49pm:
Benijofar and surrounding areas are quiet in Jan/Feb. It’s mainly residents in the area and a few people using their holiday homes to escape to slightly warmer temperatures. It’s warm during the day , but cool of a night, so most people venture out during the day and tend to stay in of an eve...

Read more...

...ning. Because of that the bars operate reduced hours and will close early if no one is drinking.
Benijofar isn’t a prime tourist trap, so I would describe it as being comfortably busier during the summer months. Bars then are quieter during the day, as everyone is out at the beach or by the pool, but then you’ve got the nice summer evenings to sit outside having a drink or a meal. The additional “tourists” are holiday home owners and friends and family out here visiting.
Down on the coast is different. The nearest beach would be Guardamar. During August the population increases tenfold. Great atmosphere, busy bars, lots of events happening, but trying to find a parking space is a nightmare. In fact it’s easier to find a parking space in the centre of Chester, than it is to park in Guardamar in August. Trust me, I used to work in Chester.
Benijofar has a lovely expat community suitable for year round living and is within easy driving distance to shops and the beach.
I can’t help much with schools, but on anything else feel free to send me a PM
Lynn

Thanks Lynn for all of the information, much appreciated. We still have a few visits planned before making the jump.

Reply

Posted: Wed Feb 9, 2022 9:20am

TUMBLERS

Original Poster

Posts: 9

1 helpful points

Location: Benijofar

Joined: 28 Jan 2020

Posted: Wed Feb 9, 2022 9:20am

DEP003 wrote on Tue Feb 8, 2022 9:19am:
Hi, not wishing to dash your dreams, but packing up and simply moving to Spain is not as easy an option as it once was, especially since Brexit.
The biggest problem is the financial resources. From my understanding, regardless of what you have sitting in the bank, you need to show that you are both bringing in/earning €900 per month. ...

Read more...

...
If you meet this criteria then your pretty much there.
Opening an AirB&B is also not as easy as you might expect. You will need a Tourist Licence (ladt heard, they are being very restrictive on handing these out). If the area you intend to rent out forms part of your main house then the whole property will change to 'Business Tax' (you pay a lot more) as opposed to 'Residencial Tax' (I enquired last year about doing this with ours).
Make sure you do all your proper research and fact finding, get a really good Hestor/Solicitor and I wish you all well in living the dream.
Good luck

Thanks, we would only work once resident... but interesting info on Airbnb etc thanks

Reply

Posted: Wed Feb 9, 2022 9:22am

TUMBLERS

Original Poster

Posts: 9

1 helpful points

Location: Benijofar

Joined: 28 Jan 2020

Posted: Wed Feb 9, 2022 9:22am

DEP003 wrote on Tue Feb 8, 2022 9:19am:
Hi, not wishing to dash your dreams, but packing up and simply moving to Spain is not as easy an option as it once was, especially since Brexit.
The biggest problem is the financial resources. From my understanding, regardless of what you have sitting in the bank, you need to show that you are both bringing in/earning €900 per month. ...

Read more...

...
If you meet this criteria then your pretty much there.
Opening an AirB&B is also not as easy as you might expect. You will need a Tourist Licence (ladt heard, they are being very restrictive on handing these out). If the area you intend to rent out forms part of your main house then the whole property will change to 'Business Tax' (you pay a lot more) as opposed to 'Residencial Tax' (I enquired last year about doing this with ours).
Make sure you do all your proper research and fact finding, get a really good Hestor/Solicitor and I wish you all well in living the dream.
Good luck

Thanks some more things to research and get our head around

Reply

Posted: Wed Feb 9, 2022 9:37am

DEP003

Helpful member

Posts: 147

104 helpful points

Location: Moraira

Joined: 13 Oct 2021

Posted: Wed Feb 9, 2022 9:37am

TUMBLERS wrote on Wed Feb 9, 2022 9:20am:
Thanks, we would only work once resident... but interesting info on Airbnb etc thanks

You would also need to factor in Private Heath Care Insurance for you all which needs to be paid in full for the first year. Then you can continue paying in installments depending who you go with. We're with ASSSA. Some say they are good, others not so. We've had no issues. We relocated 3 years ago at 53 and it cost €1600 for both me and wife. Not sure if it works out cheaper or dearer the younger you are.

I say all this because you need to have Health Care in place before you can apply for Residency.

Reply

Posted: Wed Feb 9, 2022 9:56am

TUMBLERS

Original Poster

Posts: 9

1 helpful points

Location: Benijofar

Joined: 28 Jan 2020

Posted: Wed Feb 9, 2022 9:56am

DEP003 wrote on Wed Feb 9, 2022 9:37am:
You would also need to factor in Private Heath Care Insurance for you all which needs to be paid in full for the first year. Then you can continue paying in installments depending who you go with. We're with ASSSA. Some say they are good, others not so. We've had no issues...

Read more...

.... We relocated 3 years ago at 53 and it cost €1600 for both me and wife. Not sure if it works out cheaper or dearer the younger you are.
I say all this because you need to have Health Care in place before you can apply for Residency.

Thanks I think it might be slightly cheaper... We are coming out in Feb for a holiday... not planning to up sticks until 2023. But will join the sites you suggest

Reply

Posted: Wed Feb 9, 2022 10:00am

TUMBLERS

Original Poster

Posts: 9

1 helpful points

Location: Benijofar

Joined: 28 Jan 2020

Posted: Wed Feb 9, 2022 10:00am

elinspain wrote on Tue Feb 8, 2022 9:25am:
Hello
You cant have an NLV and then work. A Non Lucrative Visas won't allow you to work -- you would need a different type of Visa from the Spanish Consulate in UK and eventually become autonomo (self employed) and find out how this affects your famili...

Read more...

...es medical requirements before pensions etc.
You need to contact the Embassy/Consulate nearest to you for advice before you do anything else , to find out the requirements and how to qualify for your Visas... schools and annual bills are secondary in importance .Take it one step at a time & if/when you have a Visa application in progress, ask your questions again , help is always available on the forum. Heres a link to have a look at regarding different types of Visas
http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/LONDRES/en/Consulado/Pages/Visas.aspx
Cheers
Elinspain