Step
#3 Making the move
Once you have decided on where in Spain you are going to,
you need to decide on how to get there. You will decide which
way is best for you, depending on what you are taking with
you. If you decide to drive, make sure you read the section
on driving in Spain. You can
catch a car ferry at many English ports and buy a one way
or return ticket. [we were once told that a cheap day return
to France can be bought cheaper than a one-way ticket]. A
point to note is that if you bring a caravan over with you,
most ferries will not sell you a one way ticket so you must
use the tunnel. Consider carefully the cost of a crossing
to Calais and the additional cost of petrol and tolls as
opposed
to a crossing to Santander or Bilbao. Driving through France
can be a long nightmare and very expensive on tolls. Flying
over is a cheap alternative if all you have are a couple of
cases. Cheap flights can be booked over the internet at as
little as £50 each ! But, consider how you are to get about
once you get here. Spain is a big country and a car is a must.
Whichever way you get here, there are several things you must
bring with you. Driving licences/Car insurance papers Birth/Marriage
certificates Passports Bank books/cheque and credit cards
Enough money to get home Important medication Form E111 and
remember to make several photocopies of all your documents
!
Step
#4 Travel documents (see
here for Spanish Tourist Office Guidelines)
Because
Spain is part of the EU, if you live in an EU country, you
do not require a visa to enter the country. You have almost
equal rights in Spain as you do in your own country. Make
sure you have a full ten year British Passport well before
you leave. Make several photocopies of it and make sure you
keep at least one copy in a safe place. Losing your original
passport in Spain would be a bad move. Losing all record of
it would be worse. Consider taking out travel insurance for
your journey over. its money well spent if your luggage vanishes
or your car is stolen with all your belongings inside. Make
sure children have their own passports. its also a good idea
to go the post office in England and collect a form for renewal
of a passport and a form for replacement of a lost/stolen
passport. These are forms you can't get in Spain. Make sure
you have all your birth/marriage certificates with you and
again, make sure you have several photocopies of each which
you should keep separate from the originals.
Step
#5 On arrival in Spain - N.I.E. Number
As
a foreigner living and/or working in Spain, the first thing
you MUST do on arrival is obtain an NIE number. This is a
simple process providing you follow the guidelines. You can
get a Gestor to apply for you but it will cost you about 100€.
To do it your self, go to the National Police station and
collect an application form, or you can download
the form here. You can complete the form in English and
it is FREE. You will need Adobe Acrobat to download the form.
Download this program, free of charge,
here.
HOW
TO FILL IN THE N.I.E. APPLICATION FORM
1
DATOS PERSONALES means PERSONAL DETAILS
1er
Apellido: Surname
2º Apellido : (second Surname) Write three chiffons instead
(---)
Nombre : Christian Name (make sure to use same as in passport)
Fecha de Nacimiento: Date of birth (use two digits for day
and month)
Lugar de nacimiento: Place of birth
Sexo : Gender “H” for Male (Hombre) and “M”
Female (Mujer) . X cross the one applicable
Estado Civil: Status. S for single C for married. V for widow
and D for divorced
País de nacimiento: Country of Birth
País de nacionalidad: Current Nationality
Nombre del padre: Father´s name
Nombre de la madre: Mother´s name
Domicilio en España: Address in Spain (if you have
one, otherwise leave blank) - Localidad: Town, CP: Postcode,
Provincia: Province
SECTION
2
Reasons
for application:
Economic, Professional or Social (Tick professional for work
reasons or social for house purchase)
3) DOMICILIO A EFECTOS DE NOTIFICACIONES
Leave blank
Sign
the form at the bottom, under 'firma de solicitante'.
Complete
the form and take it back to the National Police station,
along with a photocopy. You also need to provide your original
passport and a photocopy. That's it ! You will then be told
to return in approx. 4 weeks time when your number will be
ready to collect. You need this number to do anything fiscal
in Spain such as open a bank account [this can also be done
with your passport number].
Social Security
How to get a Social Security Number:
The
process of getting a social security number is now very easy.
Simply go to any social security
office, with your original passport and
copy of the passport.
You will have to fill in a form, which is in Spanish, but its
quite easy as the normal questions are asked like, name,
address, names of parents etc. They
issue the number there and then and give you a temporary card.
They send on the plastic card at their leisure. It is not
necessary to have a job, or even a NIE to get a social
security number.
Why do you need a Social Security Number?:
-
You need a social security number to work in Spain. I am
sure that you are aware that if you are self-employed you
have to pay into the social security, but also if you are
employed you pay and this should be deducted by your
employer before payment.
-
You are entitled to social security benefits, but pro rata
to what you have paid in.
-
You also are entitled to medical care i.e. you can sign on
with your local doctor.
-
You only have to pay if you are earning money in Spain, i.e.
not on any pension from the UK.
Step
#6 Looking for work
If
you have not already found work or intend to work for your
self, you will now need to start job hunting. See more about
working in Spain here. Or
you may wish to buy
a bar or similar business in Spain.
Step #7 Residencias
A residencia is a form of permit for those who intend
to reside in Spain on a permanent basis. It is NOT compulsory
for EU citizens, however, there are advantages. They are issued
by the National Police dept. You may wish to employ the services
of a gestor for your application. Failing this, visit your
nearest police station and collect the application forms.
Your
application forms must be returned to the Police along with
several important items, as a minimum these will include;
3 photographs (passport style - in colour) A full passport
(original and 2 photocopies) Title deeds or a rental contract
stating where you live A work contract (min 6 months long
- original and a photocopy) The fee (aprox. £4.00) is paid
into the bank, as instructed by the police. You then produce
the receipt as part of your application. A certificate from
a bank in Spain may be required, proving that you have sufficient
money in the account, or a regular income coming in to support
you.
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