Getting Residencia in Spain

Hi,

If you are a UK passport holder and want to live in Spain permanently you will firstly need to apply for a visa from the Spanish consulate in London or Manchester while you are still living in the UK. You will need to meet with the income and healthcare requirements. 

If you intend to retire in Spain you will need to apply for a non lucrative visa which will allow you to move to Spain but you won't be allowed to work at all.

Here is a link that will explain about the non lucrative visa and how to apply:

How to apply for a Non-Lucrative visa (NLV)

The income requirements for a couple would be around €34,000 per annum or a lump sum of savings plus an income. You will both require full private healthcare paid for a full year. There will be some additional documents they will need to be translated into Spanish. 

If you intend on working in Spain then you will need a prospective employer to sponsor you with a work visa. The employer is required by law to offer any work to an EU citizen first. 

I can't offer help with solicitors etc as I understand that you have to submit the visa application yourself. 

Be very careful about accepting sporadic offers of help from unknown people on the Internet as it could cost you dearly. 

Finally, if you gain a visa you can then move to Spain and apply for residency within the first 90 days. 

Ask again if you want more help or information. 

Steve 

Hi Steve

Thank you for the info, we are retiring to Spain and meet all the financial requirements. Hopefully the process will go smoothly. Fingers crossed  :-)

Hi Liz,

Coincidentally, I was reading a post earlier today by another member, CarolColdy, who used a Spanish lawyer to check all their documentation in advance of making their NLV applications at the Spanish Consulate in the UK - you have to do that part yourself, in person, at either London, Manchester or Edinburgh, depending on where you live in the UK.  If you private message Carol, I´m sure she´d be happy to provide details of the Spanish lawyer she used.  Once you´ve obtained your NLV and move to Spain, it will be cheaper to get a gestor to do your TIE residency application, which is far less complicated, than a lawyer.  Members will be able to provide recommendations for gestors in your area too.

Kind regards,

Kim

Hi Kim

Thanks for the info, much appreciated. I'll contact CarolColdy as per your message. Cheers  :-)

As an Irish passport holder you do not take out residency the same as non UK citizens. You simply go on to the register of foreign EU citizens residing in Spain by making an appointment at a foreigners' office or National Police Station. 

Loads of posts and links to the appointment site on here and, as I assume you already have an NIE as you have property, you just need to show you have sufficient income to keep you (the IPREM is currently 600 euro a month) and health insurance either private or state if you are of retirement age.

You don't really need a solicitor but if you want to then Abaco solicitors in Torrevieja are very good at this and (used to, may have gone up) charge 70 euro but they will make the appointment and meet you at the police station to do it.

thank you very much for the useful info

As someone who holds dual nationality, British and Irish, you really don't need a solicitor. The process is very straight forward for EU passport holders. The contents of this link from the Embassy of Ireland, Madrid contains a plethora of important information to help you with Spanish officialdom:

https://www.ireland.ie/en/spain/madrid/services/new-to-spain/

As the contents notes, if you don't already yet have one, is to apply for a passport card. It is similar to an identity card and fits perfectly well into a wallet or purse. It can be used for travel throughout the EU/EEA and UK and when engaging with the spanish authorities etc. This link provides more information:

https://www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/passports/passport-card/

If you are in receipt of State Retirement Pension in Ireland or from the UK you can apply for form S1 which will avoid having to have private medical insurance for your residency aplication. These links provide details of how to obtain for form S1, if you are eligible:

Republic of Ireland:

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving-country/moving-abroad/working-abroad/working-in-the-eu/#:~:text=An%20S1%20portable%20document%20(formerly,Section%20to%20get%20an%20S1.

United Kingdom:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/healthcare-in-spain-including-the-balearic-and-canary-islands#:~:text=How%20to%20get%20an%20S1,Business%20Services%20Authority%20(BSA).

If you are not of state pension age yet and once you have been officially resident in Spain for 12 months, you can apply to join the Convenio Especial. This gives you full access to the same healthcare as Spanish citizens at a monthly fee depending on your age.  You will be required to pay for all prescriptions with the exception of those medicines dispensed onky at hospital pharmacies. These links provides:

https://upsticks.es/healthcare-in-spain-what-is-the-convenio-especial/

https://www.gva.es/es/inicio/procedimientos?id_proc=17044