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steve and jan wrote on Fri Jul 22, 2022 1:58pm:
Hi rocco many thanks for the info
Hi,we have used SGM for our house purchase 3 years ago,also our renewal of our NLV this year and our wills. They have always given a first class service,speak good English and very professional. You will find them in their new premises at the top of benijofar coming from torreviecca
Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 2:52pm
Legendary helpful member
steve and jan wrote on Fri Jul 22, 2022 12:19pm:
Hi Kimmy ,i sent our lawyer the paragraph from the consulate and our lawyer not said its ok ,i think we will change lawyers ,any recommendations please ,our house is in Punta Prima and i think there is a good lawyer in Beniofer called SGM ??? i shall let you know how we get on take care ,and many...
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... thanks for your time
Hi Steve,
Yes, I've used Silvia at SGM Abogados in Benijofar, albeit for a different purpose, and she's very good.
Regarding the €120,000 in your bank account, will you also have monthly income, such as from a pension or investments? The Spanish Consulates like to see regular income, although they do have the discretion to take into account a mix of income, savings and investments, and property ownership (without mortgage). If not, you will need to prove that your can ring-fence the €70,000 required for each of the two, 2-year visa renewals, and still be able to live without being a burden on the Spanish state. You haven't given your ages, but if you're not State retirement age, both you and your partner will need to show proof of having Private Health Insurance in place as well.
It's clear from the Spanish Consulate website that you do not have to be in a formal civil partnership although, as I suggested in my original post, that may be the easiest way to proceed. However, if that's not an option for you and you're confident that, instead, you can obtain the evidence required as an alternative, it would make sense to get a second opinion from SGM.
Kind regards,
Kim
Cisco54 wrote on Mon Jul 18, 2022 11:03am:
Hi all, Just an update about my driving tests,and as you know I passed the driving theory test after 10 days of studying for 4 hours a day and doing lots of example tests in the theory book and on line.
Well myself and another lady pensioner started our driving lessons and after 1 hour 20 mins each driving around Orihuela we returned back to the school and the other lady student asked how many lessons we would need to pass the test. We were shocked when the instructor said we would n...
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...eed another 18 lessons, that would be a total of 20 lessons at 30 euros a lesson which is a total of 600 euros, plus the 430 euros for signing up to the theory test.
So Anyone going the NLV route as I did from UK has to account for this needless test at a cost of 1000 euros and I can tell you that if you are a pensioner it is very stressful.
Myself and my co student both thought we would only need about six lessons to familiarise ourselves with the nuances of passing the test and familiarising ourselves with orihuela. Many other people had said you have done the hard part in passing the theory. Both me and the other lady have both been driving in Spain for nearly 20 years and myself have been driving around Torrevieja for the last 6 months without any problems .
Has anyone taken the test as a result of being penalised for getting residencia by the nlv visa route, I would be very interested in your stories.
It seems that Spain is alone or one of a few EU countries penalising UK NLV entrants, whereas the UK still allows the Spanish to drive in UK indefinitely without the stress and expense of taking a new test.
In conclusion, I am saying that if this inept and ridiculously Draconian law is not rescinded soon then a lot of older people are going to have great difficulty passing these tests and I hear that many people are suffering already.
I am a quite fit 73 year old and mentally stable but I can tell you it has caused me a lot of teeth crunching stress, and it will be worse for lots of older people
If one should confer that it's fair that older people should take a test then we should say that everyone over the age of 65 in Spain should have to retake a test.
Am I angry yes, it's not the capability of passing the test although for many it will be difficult, it's the injustice of the situation that is the problem. I would love to confront the people making this ridiculous situation, but they hide behind the shields of power. What would happen if people couldn't pass the test at all, that means they would have wasted all the time and money moving to Spain for nothing
. I would like to see their grandparents to be put through this pathetic charade. they have got away with this law, because like cowards, they pick on minority groups.
I'm not normally vociferous but sometimes you have to make a stand and not mince your words.
As I am taking the test soon, I have spent the last 3 days driving around Orihuela for 2 hour sessions, I could do this all day long it's not a problem once you get to know the roads and the vagrances of a new place.
Hi just seen in Majorca news that English drivers who take the Spanish test will be treated as new drivers and will pay a higher premium when insuring their car . Not sure if this is true but open for interpretation by some companies, has anyone else heard differently
eileen36 wrote on Fri Jul 22, 2022 5:10pm:
Hi just seen in Majorca news that English drivers who take the Spanish test will be treated as new drivers and will pay a higher premium when insuring their car . Not sure if this is true but open for interpretation by some companies, has anyone else heard differently
Your post ties in with what occured to me when I was in my school on Wednesday., I saw about 4 Brits posing for a photo with the green learning cards, so I assumed that they had passed the test. But then it occured to me that might add further restrictions on us nlv,ers just like you have mentioned, i.e have the additional insurance cost and other restrictions.
So I have spent nearly 330 euros for the theory test and another 600 euros on practise tests( my instructor told me and another lady it would take 18 lessions for us to pass our driving test. And then if you pass the driving test you have to drive around with learner L plates which I would think will include extra insurance costs.
But if "they" change the law at the end of July as the UK embassador at Alicant intimated then NLV drivers will, I would expect, be allowed to change their UK licence cheaply and without being lumbered with a L plate.
I was forced into taking the test because my partner is lame so we need the car otherwise I would have quit the car and used my bike.
This really has turned out to be a stressful and expensive pig's ear. I've had 4 weeks if stress , first passing the theory test and then taking lesson. I doubt whether many UK older citizens will be able to pass and will find it extremely stressful notwithstanding that this law is without basis, the Spanish can drive in UK without changing their licence and as far as I know no other EU country is enforcing this rule.
My instructor fail to turn up for my lesson today, said he hadn't understood me but to be honest I was relieved because driving around Orihuela with 2 other students for 4 hours is not my idea if fun.
I'm seriously thinking of cancelling my test on Tues and waiting for the govn's announcement. I can always take my first test in Seotember and be carless for a few weeks until I pass the test . Se la vie!
I will ask my car insurer on Monday if I indeed will have to pay extra insurance and if yes, how much.
Cisco54 wrote on Fri Jul 22, 2022 11:38pm:
Your post ties in with what occured to me when I was in my school on Wednesday., I saw about 4 Brits posing for a photo with the green learning cards, so I assumed that they had passed the test. But then it occured to me that might add further restrictions on us nlv,ers just like you ...
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...have mentioned, i.e have the additional insurance cost and other restrictions.
So I have spent nearly 330 euros for the theory test and another 600 euros on practise tests( my instructor told me and another lady it would take 18 lessions for us to pass our driving test. And then if you pass the driving test you have to drive around with learner L plates which I would think will include extra insurance costs.
But if "they" change the law at the end of July as the UK embassador at Alicant intimated then NLV drivers will, I would expect, be allowed to change their UK licence cheaply and without being lumbered with a L plate.
I was forced into taking the test because my partner is lame so we need the car otherwise I would have quit the car and used my bike.
This really has turned out to be a stressful and expensive pig's ear. I've had 4 weeks if stress , first passing the theory test and then taking lesson. I doubt whether many UK older citizens will be able to pass and will find it extremely stressful notwithstanding that this law is without basis, the Spanish can drive in UK without changing their licence and as far as I know no other EU country is enforcing this rule.
My instructor fail to turn up for my lesson today, said he hadn't understood me but to be honest I was relieved because driving around Orihuela with 2 other students for 4 hours is not my idea if fun.
I'm seriously thinking of cancelling my test on Tues and waiting for the govn's announcement. I can always take my first test in Seotember and be carless for a few weeks until I pass the test . Se la vie!
I will ask my car insurer on Monday if I indeed will have to pay extra insurance and if yes, how much.
It is so disappointing,my car is sitting on our drive. We did buy electric bikes and get around well but the increase in volume of traffic has raised a few problems for us,we also limit our time out at night as some of the roads aren't lit.
Hopefully,we will get a decision by August but I talked with someone who takes people to Alicante for their NLV and he was told that it might be delayed due to leadership change and possible change in ministers,I really hope not and we will be able to exchange my UK licence in July/August
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Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2022 10:19am
Legendary helpful member
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2022 10:43am
Kimmy11 wrote on Fri Jul 22, 2022 2:52pm:
Hi Steve,
Yes, I've used Silvia at SGM Abogados in Benijofar, albeit for a different purpose, and she's very good.
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Regarding the €120,000 in your bank account, will you also have monthly income, such as from a pension or investments? The Spanish Consulates like to see regular income, although they do have the discretion to take into account a mix of income, savings and investments, and property ownership (without mortgage). If not, you will need to prove that your can ring-fence the €70,000 required for each of the two, 2-year visa renewals, and still be able to live without being a burden on the Spanish state. You haven't given your ages, but if you're not State retirement age, both you and your partner will need to show proof of having Private Health Insurance in place as well.
It's clear from the Spanish Consulate website that you do not have to be in a formal civil partnership although, as I suggested in my original post, that may be the easiest way to proceed. However, if that's not an option for you and you're confident that, instead, you can obtain the evidence required as an alternative, it would make sense to get a second opinion from SGM.
Kind regards,
Kim
Hi Kimmy ,many thanks for email ,brilliant thank you for your time and knowledge ,we are both 62 we have private pensions ,investments and we rent out houses in the uk without mortgages,for regular income all paid into our uk bank accounts ,and we ring fence the 70,000 euros ,we will purchase private medical insurance ,the lawyer we spoke too did not take all above into consideration ,????? , we have now emailed SGM for costings for NLV so hopefully they will be in touch soon ,again many thanks take care ,Steve
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2022 10:54pm
Legendary helpful member
Hi Steve,
I think your lawyer will have taken the value and mix of your finances into account, but she seems to be fixated that the only way to prove a non-marital partnership is via a legally documented civil partnership. However, it's clear from the link I posted previously that the Spanish immigration authorities allow for partnerships to be proven with alternative evidence and it's frustrating that your lawyer simply says "No". I hope Silvia can be more helpful 👍
Kind regards,
Kim
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 1:15pm
Kimmy11 wrote on Sat Jul 23, 2022 10:54pm:
Hi Steve,
I think your lawyer will have taken the value and mix of your finances into account, but she seems to be fixated that the only way to prove a non-marital partnership is via a legally documented civil partnership. However, it's clear from the link I posted previously that the Spanish immigra...
Read more...
...tion authorities allow for partnerships to be proven with alternative evidence and it's frustrating that your lawyer simply says "No". I hope Silvia can be more helpful 👍
Kind regards,
Kim
Hi Kimmy ,many thanks for your advice ,we agree with you about our ex lawyer ,i emailed "wayne " with SGM so hopefully he can sort out our residency soon ,again many thanks kind regards Jan and Steve
Hi all,
Another update,
I took the driving test this morning at Orihuela. The tests are started at the main shopping centre where Decathlon is located. It's a big event, there must have been over 20 driving school cars parked up and coming and going , with about 6 students per car, waiting around for their turn. They are all centred around the Berger King cafe which was shut which meant there was a lot of hanging around in the heat.
Everyone is nervous and there where a lot of exchanges of students trials and tribulations.
After much waiting, with a riverlet running down my back, it was my turn .My tester was wearing a mask and asked me not to touch the paperwork when I signed for the test.
I was told to drive into Orihuela and after about 5 mins he gave me izquierda, derecha instructions. The first five minutes I was a bit nervous but soon started to relax, after about 20 mins I found myself losing concentration and had to force myself to concentrate. All to soon we were heading back to the start point. At the very end he said 'adelante' which I thought was go straight on but all he wanted me to do was park by turning into a parking slot, not even had to reverse. Apart from that misunderstanding I thought I had driven well.
Anyway, out of the six students from my school 3 had passed and 3 had failed. I must say the test is a lot easier than the lessons because in the lessons you have a lot of crammed in manouvers.
You have to download you pass certificate on the traffico website and I will pick up the green, new driver plate when asked to collect it from the school. I heard that an American passed his test and contacted his embassy that gave him paper so that he didn't have to show the new learner plate.
I passed.
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