# Spanish Tests for Extranjeros



## LojaChica (Jan 5, 2012)

Spanish Tests for Extranjeros...................VIA Spain Buddy

Published April 1, 2013. | By Elle Draper.


Spanish tests for extranjeros. As part of efforts to preserve the Spanish language… there is a new procedure that will be rolled out across the country from January 1st 2014. 

spanish tests for extranjerosThis new process will take the form of a written test to assess the general understanding of the Spanish language. The exact examination details are to be finalised, but our contact in Madrid informs us that it will most likely take the form of a 50 question test of everyday phrases in Spanish, with multiple choice answer selections. It will be similar to that already utilised in the UK. Questions will include phrases that you would use to find your way around a hospital, weights and measures, numbers, days of the week, correct phraseology when handling money, and a basic element of conversational Spanish. You will need to gain a pass of at least 80% in order to receive your “Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de La Union” (often referred to as “Residencia”).

This follows on from the changes to procedures that were implemented in July 2012, where it became legal for Town Halls to check you are financially capable of supporting yourself and your family before allowing you to register for healthcare in Spain. A number of peope have been refused registration. Currently, you do not need to renew that certificate after 5 years. However – this replaces that. Legally, Spain cannot remove you from the country. However, if these procedures aren’t adhered to, they can restrict your rights to public services such as access to the Spanish state healthcare system.

Over the past few years, the Spanish government have been offering free Spanish lessons to new residents as part of their desire to make life so much easier for all of us to integrate into our new homes as seamlessly as possible. Unfortunately, these free classes have not been as popular as the government would have hoped. This being said, the free classes will continue, and they would like to encourage all of us to avail ourselves of this fantastic opportunity. You can find out more about these classes by visiting your local Ayuntamiento (Town Hall). They start around September / October each year and come in three levels: basic, intermediate and advanced.

The government feels that if after 5 years, you do not have a basic command of the local language… then you have not made an effort to integrate, and therefore do not deserve to benefit from the aforementioned services.

The new rules only apply to people renewing the paper style “Certificado de Extranjeros” or “Residencia” as it is more commonly known amongst the British and Irish… when it expires after 5 years. You can find your personal date of issue in the last paragraph on the green sheet.

The following people are exempt:
Persons registered under the Green Paper scheme of “Residencia” for their first 5 years of living in Spain (Persons who currently hold the old credit card sized Residencia, are not exempt… and will be required to sit the test when their cards run out).
Persons who are applying solely for a NIE number
Persons spending less than 183 days per year in Spain
Retired persons
People making their own arrangements for private health care
Under 18s

There is a department being set up as we speak that will help to coach people through the new process, including some classes and support should you need it. The support will of course be offered in the language of your originating country language, in order to conform to EU anti-discrimination laws. This will be overseen and run by the Ayuntamientos, but will be physically based inside the Police Stations, where you currently apply for your certificado de extranjero. This will be rolled out across Spain over the coming months. It looks to be fully in force by the end of December 2013.

Of course, you can simply not register for the certificate, and pay for your own healthcare privately – in which case there is no issue.

So… you have no time to lose. Make sure that you learn as much Spanish as you possibly can, in order to be ready when the time comes.

(April fool!)


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

LojaChica said:


> Spanish Tests for Extranjeros...................VIA Spain Buddy
> 
> Published April 1, 2013. | By Elle Draper.
> 
> ...


you got that in with a minute to spare.....


although when I was a kid we were told it had to be before 12 noon - so maybe you were 11 hours 59 minutes late............



joking aside - other countries DO have a minimum language requirement for residency - why wouldn't Spain some time in the future?


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

LojaChica said:


> Spanish Tests for Extranjeros...................VIA Spain Buddy
> 
> Published April 1, 2013. | By Elle Draper.
> 
> ...


This is April Fool for those who want to get the Certificado de Residencia, but for those of us who want to get _nacionalidad española_ the rules could be changing. There was an article in El País on Sunday, which I can't find now, but there's this one from the 28th March
Los extranjeros que pidan la nacionalidad pasarán un test de español e ?integración? | Política | EL PAÍS



> En la actualidad, el Código Civil ya establece que la concesión de la nacionalidad estará condicionada, entre otras cosas, a que el solicitante acredite “buena conducta cívica y suficiente grado de integración en la sociedad española”. Pero quien valora si eso está acreditado —y hasta qué punto, por ejemplo, se tiene en cuenta el dominio del idioma español— son los jueces responsables del Registro Civil en cada territorio; y sus criterios varían mucho. Algunos ya imponen un examen de cultura general, otros solo entrevistan al solicitante para hacerse una idea de su arraigo en el país. Lo que el Ministerio de Justicia propone ahora es crear un “examen oficial”, igual para toda España.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> This is April Fool for those who want to get the Certificado de Residencia, but for those of us who want to get _nacionalidad española_ the rules could be changing. There was an article in El País on Sunday, which I can't find now, but there's this one from the 28th March
> Los extranjeros que pidan la nacionalidad pasarán un test de español e ?integración? | Política | EL PAÍS


& rightly so IMO

I wonder if one of the questions would be ¿Quién es Belén Esteban? 

that could be an issue for some long time residents I know - although how you can live here & not know who she is is beyond me - I wonder if they'd know who David Bisbal, or Melendi are, or even David Ferrer??

I've said before - we knew a few families with kids here who have been here longer than us - actually we only know one now & 3 I think which arrived two to three years after us - none of them make any attempt at 'integration' (that nasty word) 

most of the parents still barely speak a word of Spanish (that's after 7+ years, 12 years in one case), they only watch UK tele, read English newspapers, go to 'brit bars' (except the seafront bars) - even the kids - now teenagers - don't have any Spanish friends

now I'm not saying that it's WRONG to live that way - but I do wonder why they're in Spain sometimes... they miss out on so much!! (I don't mean Belén Esteban ) 

to be fair the mum of one of the families speaks reasonable Spanish & the older daughter has a Spanish boyfriend - but once she's home, she's back in what my daughter calls the 'brit bubble'


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> & rightly so IMO
> 
> I wonder if one of the questions would be ¿Quién es Belén Esteban?
> 
> ...


Its an interesting one thats for sure. When we were in Spain, altho we did tend to be "friends" with people who spoke English, we also had lots of.... well I used to call them affectionately "mongrel" families - wife one nationality, husband another (one was usually Spanish speaking) and the kids were "mongrels" - in fact all of my daughters friends were. The family across the road from us - wife Mexican, husband British had a son, who (like my daughter) refused to speak Spanish, eventho as a child he spoke Spanish before englisn.

But, altho we did try to integrate and were getting there, there are many older folk who retire to Spain for the weather and the "lifestyle" who really dont have any intention of moving out of the "brit bubble" = I guess it happens in all countries, but is it right???

Yes, we know of Belén Esteban lol!!! Altho we didnt watch much Spanish tv. I always listened to Spanish radio in the car tho 

Jo xxx


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> & rightly so IMO
> 
> I wonder if one of the questions would be ¿Quién es Belén Esteban?
> 
> ...


Yes, I think it's reasonable to expect long term residents to be able to speak the language to a certain level (A2/B1 Low intermediate/ intermediate at least??) and have a certain basic knowledge of the country. I do think the teat needs to be standardised though, which seems to be a problem in all walks of Spanish life!


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Yes, I think it's reasonable to expect long term residents to be able to speak the language to a certain level (A2/B1 Low intermediate/ intermediate at least??) and have a certain basic knowledge of the country. I do think the teat needs to be standardised though, which seems to be a problem in all walks of Spanish life!



after just 3 months here our Latvian exchange students passed A1 level - even the girl with us & we generally speak English at home - although the tele is pretty much always in Spanish & when she was out with my daughters she was always in the company of Spanish kids

in fact she did better than a couple of the others - but the families of the other girls tend to speak Valenciano at home - so maybe that was more of a confusion for them??


----------



## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Yes, I think it's reasonable to expect long term residents to be able to speak the language to a certain level (A2/B1 Low intermediate/ intermediate at least??) and have a certain basic knowledge of the country. I do think the teat needs to be standardised though, which seems to be a problem in all walks of Spanish life!


It would be rather boring if all teats were the same...


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jimenato said:


> It would be rather boring if all teats were the same...


oops!!


----------



## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Does that mean if you fail the test you would feel a right t*t??


----------



## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

thrax said:


> Does that mean if you fail the test you would feel a right t*t??


Can I be chief teat examiner?


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

My old Auntie Nellie,now 87,has lived in Deux Montagnes,Quebec,since 1947 when she emigrated with her Canadian soldier husband to whom she was married for almost sixty years. In the 1940s the little town was split 50/50 Anglophone/Francophone. Uncle Earl spoke fluent French but Auntie Nellie never tried to learn.
Now the town has grown and is almost entirely French-speaking. Most of my Aunt's English-speaking friends are dead. She is now quite socially isolated which is sad as she is still an energetic outgoing person.
When I visit I speak French in shops and restaurants. Because Quebecois bears scant relation to 'French' French I am often asked if I'm from Paris......
I sympathise with my Aunt when she complains but she really is the architect of her own misfortunes.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jimenato said:


> Can I be chief teat examiner?


Only if you have a native level of Spanish...
Could be an incentive!?


----------

