About Moving to Spain - Things You Need to Know

Spain is a beautiful country. The sun shines most of the year. The summers are long and hot. Life in Spain is much more relaxed than in the UK or USA. It is no wonder more and more people are thinking about moving to Spain each year. So what do they need to know before they make their move? And should they even try? About Moving to Spain has been set up to help you make your decisions. So let's make a start.

Moving to Spain - Questions you need to ask yourself:

• Is your family (who will be moving with you to Spain) in agreement about your move?

• Have you any pressing family committments where you are now that may make your move difficult?

• Will you be able to get a job in Spain if you need to work?

• Do you think your children will benefit from your move to another country?

• Do you know much about Spain? (for instance, the culture, language and traditons)

• Can you speak any Spanish? (and if not, are you willing to learn?)

• Will this be permanent move, or are you planning to keep on your property in the country you live in now?

• Do you have any pets? How do you plan to move them to Spain?

• Do you think you will be able to cope with the heat? (Summers in Spain can get very, very hot)

• Do you have enough money to make this move?That last question is probably the most important one. Life in Spain isn't cheap. Petrol and cigarettes may be cheaper than in the UK; dining out is certainly cheaper, but the cost of some food items is dearer as are many electrical goods and services.

If you think you have worked out how much money you would need to live in Spain, I would suggest you almost double that, because, even with the best planning in the world, there will be things you have left off your list.

If you are still determined that moving to Spain is right for you and your family then you will need to do quite a few things before you move.

Things to do before you move to Spain:

• Get an NIE number. An NIE is a 'Numero de Identidad de Extranjeros' or 'Identity Number for Foreigners'. You will need one for each adult member of your family.

• Once you have your NIE you can (and if you are buying Spanish property you must) Open a Spanish Bank Account.

• Look carefully and don't make rash decisions when you are buying Spanish property. Employ a solicitor. Do not use the same solicitor as the vendor of the property you are buying and ensure that he or she knows all current land and building regulations (ifshe or he appears unsure, look somewhere else).

• I would also recommend employing a Gestor to help you deal with all the baffling aspects of Spanish bureacracy. A Gestor is a general consultant who can act as an intermediary between you and government officials. Many speak English, which can be a great help, even if your spanish is quite fluent. Gestors usually charge a reasonable fee and are well worth the extra cash.

• If you are moving permanently to Spain you will need to apply for Residencia within your first three months in the country. This is a relatively cheap process (about 7 Euros at the time of writing) which requires visiting your local national police station. A gestor can help you with all these details if you want him to.
  

• You will need to arrange for you and your family to join the Spanish Social Security System (Seguridad Social) so that you can register with a doctor. If you wish have private health care when you move to Spain, you will need to find out about this also. In order to join the Seguridad Social, you will need to be employed in Spain and paying natinal insurance through your wages, or pay self-employed national insurance. If you are a UK pensioner you will need a form E121. There are different forms to use depending on your employed status. A good website to look for more information on this is The Pension Service where you can follow the link to the International Pension Centre.

• If your driving licence is about to expire, you will need to renew this in plenty of time.

• Ensure all of your passports are up to date and not due to expire. If they are, it's best to renew them now rather than after moving to Spain (it's easier and quicker this way).

• If you have children you will need to look at schools in the area you are moving to so that you can get them registered as soon as you move in. This is essential under Spanish law.
  

• If you have any dogs or cats, they will need to get each of them a pet passport and up to date vaccinations, including shots for rabies before they can leave the country.

• Learn Spanish. You do not have to take an advanced course, a beginners course will do for now. But when you are moving to Spain you have to know at least some of the language. Even in areas where there are many expats, you will still need to use the local tongue. If your car breaks down or you need to phone about an accident, not being able to speak Spanish will make your experience a very frustrating one.

• Make sure that you tell all of your friends and family who are not moving with you to Spain that you are moving and when you are going. This will save a few awkward phone calls later on.

• Be prepared for a slower pace of life in Spain. This sounds ideal, but it can get frustrating when you are waiting for a workman to arrive. You will just have to learn to live with this. Just be forewarned.

These are just some of the many things you need to know about moving to Spain. I'll post some more very soon, plus some things to avoid when moving to Spain. But for now, hasta luego!