# Help needed, moving to Spain have no information or friends



## fromgoodmayes (Feb 27, 2018)

Hello everyone, I am planning to move to Spain from Essex as I have an atmosphere related illness that is often aggravated due to cold weather and results in tumorous growth in my nasal cavaties.
I had lived in Spain around 2005 for 3 years and left when the credit crunch struck, I lost a property that got repossesed in Catalonia. I am now planning to return, older and wiser. I plan to live in Castellon and start a fresh with a small business that my wife is willing to work with me on under her business name.
I wanted to know ..what do I need to do apart from registering a NIE for her? what is the fastest way of applying for dual nationality? ( Uk and espana ) I am british born and hold a UK passport and so does my wife and children, but as we intend to make Spain our main residence what do we need to do to gain dual nationality with ease?
Is there anything else I need to consider? , we plan to initially rent a flat and once business is set up then we plan to sell our UK home and purchase country home around Castellon. I previously lived in Catalonia and did not worry about land grab laws our fake property deeds, do I need to be careful in Castellon? is there any solicitors nearby that can help in this matter?
I really appreciate your help here.
Regards,

Harry.


----------



## danboy20 (Jul 10, 2017)

You need to live in Spain for 10 years before being considered for Spanish citizenship. 

Also, you have to renounce your British nationality and swear allegiance to Spain - you cannot have both nationalities as I understand it.

Here´s some more info 

https://www.expatica.com/es/visas-and-permits/How-to-get-Spanish-citizenship_107634.html


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Hi Harry, welcome to the forum.

There is no way of getting dual nationality. You retain your British nationality but after three months you can become officially resident in Spain. To do this, you will need to go to a national police station with proof that you have enough income to live on plus some sort of health insurance. There is plenty of information on this in the FAQs thread on this forum. You will then get a certificate or card saying that you are on the register of foreign citizens.

Also check out the process of becoming _autónomo_ (self-employed), which you will need to do if you start your own business here. The obligatory social security payments are high - around 250€ per person even if you aren't making any profit at all.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

fromgoodmayes said:


> Hello everyone, I am planning to move to Spain from Essex as I have an atmosphere related illness that is often aggravated due to cold weather and results in tumorous growth in my nasal cavaties.
> I had lived in Spain around 2005 for 3 years and left when the credit crunch struck, I lost a property that got repossesed in Catalonia. I am now planning to return, older and wiser. I plan to live in Castellon and start a fresh with a small business that my wife is willing to work with me on under her business name.
> I wanted to know ..what do I need to do apart from registering a NIE for her? what is the fastest way of applying for dual nationality? ( Uk and espana ) I am british born and hold a UK passport and so does my wife and children, but as we intend to make Spain our main residence what do we need to do to gain dual nationality with ease?
> Is there anything else I need to consider? , we plan to initially rent a flat and once business is set up then we plan to sell our UK home and purchase country home around Castellon. I previously lived in Catalonia and did not worry about land grab laws our fake property deeds, do I need to be careful in Castellon? is there any solicitors nearby that can help in this matter?
> ...


:welcome:

I'll answer the nationality question & leave the rest to other members.

To become a Spanish national - Spain doesn't recognise dual nationality - you will have to be a legal, registered resident for 10 years & then pass two exams. One for Spanish language ability & the other an exam about Spanish culture, history & so on.


----------



## fromgoodmayes (Feb 27, 2018)

Hello Alcalaina, thank for your help. I'm a little confused here...do I pay the 250Euro tax per person working for me or per member of my family including dependents?
I really am happy and overwhelmed with the answers and help provided by all the members on the forum. Thank you to all those that have advised me.
In essence the thought of being registered as a foreigner is putting me off the whole idea, we have no idea what brexit will bring and this is leading me to consider maybe another destination although Spain is close to the UK and the weather fantastic ;(


----------



## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

fromgoodmayes said:


> Hello Alcalaina, thank for your help. I'm a little confused here...do I pay the 250Euro tax per person working for me or per member of my family including dependents?
> I really am happy and overwhelmed with the answers and help provided by all the members on the forum. Thank you to all those that have advised me.
> In essence the thought of being registered as a foreigner is putting me off the whole idea, we have no idea what brexit will bring and this is leading me to consider maybe another destination although Spain is close to the UK and the weather fantastic ;(


It's not a tax but social security payments (like NI in UK). On top of that you pay tax. If you are the self-employed person, then this covers all members of your family. The payments are fixed and not income related. However, there is a start-up scheme at the moment starting at 50€ per month rising to the full price after 2 years.

When you say "another destination" I assume you mean outside of the EU otherwise the same 'problem' is there. I don't think it'll be an issue as you can always return to UK should you wist to.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Hi Harry, welcome to the forum.
> 
> There is no way of getting dual nationality. You retain your British nationality but after three months you can become officially resident in Spain.


Well, actually it's not so much that you can; you are legally obliged to do this (although there are people who don't)
Don't forget that this is what happens now. At the moment we still don't know what will happen after Brexit


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

fromgoodmayes said:


> Hello Alcalaina, thank for your help. I'm a little confused here...do I pay the 250Euro tax per person working for me or per member of my family including dependents?
> I really am happy and overwhelmed with the answers and help provided by all the members on the forum. Thank you to all those that have advised me.
> In essence the thought of being registered as a foreigner is putting me off the whole idea, we have no idea what brexit will bring and this is leading me to consider maybe another destination although Spain is close to the UK and the weather fantastic ;(


Not sure why being a British immigrant in Spain is offputting?  At the moment at least, we are treated the same as Spanish citizens. Post Brexit, who knows - but I'm not losing any sleep over it.

The weather isn't "fantastic" all the time, believe me! Read Megsmum's thread "I'm sooo cold"... At the moment it's raining cats and dogs and I'm sitting indoors wrapped up in a fleecy blanket and wearing mittens. Just be prepared for cold wet winters, so many people come over expecting year-round sun and are completely taken by surprise.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Hi Harry, welcome to the forum.
> 
> There is no way of getting dual nationality. You retain your British nationality but *after three months you can become officially resident in Spain*. To do this, you will need to go to a national police station with proof that you have enough income to live on plus some sort of health insurance. There is plenty of information on this in the FAQs thread on this forum. You will then get a certificate or card saying that you are on the register of foreign citizens.
> 
> Also check out the process of becoming _autónomo_ (self-employed), which you will need to do if you start your own business here. The obligatory social security payments are high - around 250€ per person even if you aren't making any profit at all.


You're required to register within three months if you intend to live here - but you don't have to wait three months before you can do so.

If you can get an appt, & have all the paperwork, you can register on the day you arrive if you want to!


----------



## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Alcalaina said:


> At the moment at least, we are treated the same as Spanish citizens.


Really?

We cannot vote in national elections or referenda, we cannot claim any benefits, we cannot have automatic healthcare rights, we cannot hold a national ID card, we lose our right to residence if we leave for more than 24 months.... I could go on...

Not exactly being treated the same as a Spanish citizen.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Overandout said:


> Really?
> 
> We cannot vote in national elections or referenda, we cannot claim any benefits, we cannot have automatic healthcare rights, we cannot hold a national ID card, we lose our right to residence if we leave for more than 24 months.... I could go on...
> 
> Not exactly being treated the same as a Spanish citizen.


We can claim some benefits if we have been working here.


----------



## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Pesky Wesky said:


> We can claim some benefits if we have been working here.


That's true of course, but I think it is wrong for us to give potential expats the idea that British citizens in Spain have equal treatment to nationals as it simply is not the case.


----------



## danboy20 (Jul 10, 2017)

Pesky Wesky said:


> We can claim some benefits if we have been working here.


If you pay social security for 6 months, yes you can claim benefits....and they are probably more generous than the UK.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

danboy20 said:


> If you pay social security for 6 months, yes you can claim benefits....and they are probably more generous than the UK.


Well, it depends which benefits you're talking about! There aren't so many benefits to be had here to start with. Unemployment benefit is not so generous for example.


----------



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Alcalaina said:


> Hi Harry, welcome to the forum.
> 
> There is no way of getting dual nationality. You retain your British nationality but after three months you can become officially resident in Spain. To do this, you will need to go to a national police station with proof that you have enough income to live on plus some sort of health insurance. There is plenty of information on this in the FAQs thread on this forum. You will then get a certificate or card saying that you are on the register of foreign citizens.
> 
> Also check out the process of becoming _autónomo_ (self-employed), which you will need to do if you start your own business here. The obligatory social security payments are high - around 250€ per person even if you aren't making any profit at all.




autónomo payments are now €290 per month for anyone working so yes if you both work you’ll each have to pay it, unless you employ your wife, also remember all this means extra costs for tax returns ie a Gestor average fees €50 pm. Payments are made regardless of what you earn. If you earn €20 a month you still pay the fee, if you miss payments there are heavy penalties in place, I missed one payment last year through my own negligence of not transferring funds into work account cost me 50% more and a great deal of hassle.



fromgoodmayes said:


> Hello Alcalaina, thank for your help. I'm a little confused here...do I pay the 250Euro tax per person working for me or per member of my family including dependents?
> I really am happy and overwhelmed with the answers and help provided by all the members on the forum. Thank you to all those that have advised me.
> 
> 
> ...



Well you will be a foreigner an immigrant or any other term, you’ll be that wherever you go and I’d be surprised if you can find a country where you don’t have to register as a foreigner.... oh wait..... the U.K. s:lol:

You will find it hard to get residency based on being an autonomo as you’ll have no proof of income, so you’ll need sufficient funds to prove that you can survive. There was a thread on this topic recently.

You mention dependents? Children?


----------



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

danboy20 said:


> If you pay social security for 6 months, yes you can claim benefits....and they are probably more generous than the UK.


I think autonomo payees would dispute that statement

Traditionally those in the autonomo system have not been entitled to unemployment benefits but this has been changed recently. For additional contributions of 14€ the autonomo can claim around 589€ (more for autonomos with children) for a limited time, between 2 and 12 months depending on how long the additional contributions have been made. But you cannot claim if you end your business "voluntarily"; the system is new so it is uncertain how voluntary will be defined in this context.

Sickness and accident benefits
Again this is an area where the benefits are not generous. For one thing you have to have paid the additional sickness and accident contributions and secondly to have got sick or injured while at work. While you are claiming you have to continue paying the monthly contributions, something which applies even if you are pregnant or on maternity leave.


----------



## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

> you have to renounce your British nationality and swear allegiance to Spain - you cannot have both nationalities as I understand it.


When my late husband took Spanish nationality (he was born in the UK of Anglo/Spanish parents) he was simply told to offer his passport back to the UK authorities. He continued to use and renew both passports for many years.


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Overandout said:


> Really?
> 
> We cannot vote in national elections or referenda, we cannot claim any benefits, we cannot have automatic healthcare rights, we cannot hold a national ID card, we lose our right to residence if we leave for more than 24 months.... I could go on...
> 
> Not exactly being treated the same as a Spanish citizen.


That's true about voting rights, but we have the same access to benefits, health care etc. It'a fundamental principle of EU freedom of movement, that all citizens living in other member states have the same rights as nationals. We have an NIE instead of a DNI but it serves roughly the same purpose.


----------

