Residency and the UK

The non-lucrative visa entails 

- paying for private healthcare in Spain

- paying income tax in Spain

- switching to a Spanish driving licence

You can only be a resident in Spain if you live here full time with all that involves. It's no use looking for loopholes to extend your stay.

Steve 

Thanks for the response, sorry maybe didn't make myself clear. If I take out the residence visa do I then have limited access to the UK?

Good question, i often wondered what an expat who has taken Spanish residency and the implications if they want to return to Britain, i assume if they take Spanish residency they are no longer considered as British residents.

Maybe someone can explain.

If you obtain Spanish Residency (the non lucrative visa), you must be in Spain for >183 days per year to keep it. When you enter the Spanish tax system, access to the UK NHS becomes limited.

That is the written word.

Nobody knows if the rules will be applied diligently and consistently.

The UK gov site has some info which may assist in clarifying your specific situation:

https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/tourist-short-stay-visas

Thanks to all for your help. It looks increasing easier to do 90 days in the summer and then returning for a further 90 in the winter. Not what we were planning but really looking forward to getting some sunshine, just hope everything opens up again quickly and we are able to view property for real instead of virtually.

Hi

We have taken up residency and our understanding now is that e can only spend a total of 90 days in the uk without then having tax implications there.

Check out Gov.uk living in Spain section as there are levels of “ties” to the uk that come into play

Cheers Sharon