# To wed or not to wed



## Gazeebo (Jan 23, 2015)

Does anyone know how the Spanish laws treat couples that live together? Having been a partner for 28 years, what would our circumstances be in Spain in regard to healthcare and tax?

Any comments would be appreciated and if the advice is to get married, I will let you all know where you can send our presents!!!

:eyebrows:


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Gazeebo said:


> Does anyone know how the Spanish laws treat couples that live together? Having been a partner for 28 years, what would our circumstances be in Spain in regard to healthcare and tax?
> 
> Any comments would be appreciated and if the advice is to get married, I will let you all know where you can send our presents!!!
> 
> :eyebrows:


If you are not married then ISTR that you are treated as individuals.

Look up "pareja De Hecho" on this site as it's been discussed before.


I would certainly NOT recommend getting married just because of the health care and tax rules in Spain !!!!


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

We did just that (got married because of the ability for me to get an S1 form as my husband's dependent when he became a pensioner, plus the IHT implications) last year, after being together for 25 years. We were married in Gibraltar because it was the easiest option administratively and financially.


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## alborino (Dec 13, 2014)

Lynn R said:


> We did just that (got married because of the ability for me to get an S1 form as my husband's dependent when he became a pensioner, plus the IHT implications) last year, after being together for 25 years. We were married in Gibraltar because it was the easiest option administratively and financially.


We're doing the same. Getting the timing right regarding tax and residency are tricky but it resolves the healthcare issue. 

But it is purely an admin thing so quick, cheap and cheerful can hopefully be had in Gib


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

alborino said:


> We're doing the same. Getting the timing right regarding tax and residency are tricky but it resolves the healthcare issue.
> 
> But it is purely an admin thing so quick, cheap and cheerful can hopefully be had in Gib


It's not as cheap as it used to be since the Gibraltar Government introduced a requirement that you have to stay overnight in Gib (not sure if it's for 1 night or 2) before the ceremony, instead of being able to stay in La Linea and just pop across the border.

The price of hotels in Gibraltar is horrendous by comparison and the standards not very good.

We certainly did things as simply as possible, even hired witnesses online for 25 pounds each (a local wedding planner and her assistant). It was much cheaper than taking 2 witnesses with us and paying for their travel, accommodation and meals, and I didn't fancy leaving it to chance and accosting a couple of strangers on the street as some people apparently do!

Don't expect the Gibraltar Register Office to be very good at answering emails, they always have to be chased up by phone. Our marriage certificates also arrived with a spelling mistake on them and had to be returned and reissued.


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## StevejR1 (May 21, 2013)

My partner and I have been together for 8 years, and we are buying in Spain very soon.

We did consider getting married, as I'm sure one day we will, and we would do it in Gibraltar as we've been told it's a nightmare trying to do it in Spain.

One drawback we encountered of not being married, is when we came to purchase in joint names, because we weren't married there was an issue with land segregation of the plot! Apparently the land registry have an issue with putting joint names on rural land, because if there is a dispute it means the plot has to be split into two....which they don't like/won't do.

We have had to apply for an application to buy in joint names. We've been told this may take, weeks, or months, or longer.....but in our favour, the issue tends to be to protect plots of around 10,000m2, and ours is drastically under that, so fingers crossed.

I believe if an application had already been made to split the plot, and the plot was already in joint names, then this wouldn't have been an issue.


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## Gazeebo (Jan 23, 2015)

alborino said:


> We're doing the same. Getting the timing right regarding tax and residency are tricky but it resolves the healthcare issue.
> 
> But it is purely an admin thing so quick, cheap and cheerful can hopefully be had in Gib


We will get married in England before we move to Spain and reading the threads, it seems to make life easier. :eyebrows:


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## Gazeebo (Jan 23, 2015)

StevejR1 said:


> My partner and I have been together for 8 years, and we are buying in Spain very soon.
> 
> We did consider getting married, as I'm sure one day we will, and we would do it in Gibraltar as we've been told it's a nightmare trying to do it in Spain.
> 
> ...


That's interesting. Thanks for the info.
:eyebrows:


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## alborino (Dec 13, 2014)

Gazeebo said:


> We will get married in England before we move to Spain and reading the threads, it seems to make life easier. :eyebrows:


Gazeebo sometimes but the love of my life is a spaniard so bilingual Gib is as good as it gets for us. Basingstoke reg office speak less spanish than the office in Madrid speaks english 

And I know that many knock Gib as a dump but it is a very special place for me. I've played soccer on the deck of the Hermes there, I've almost killed my brother on the Mediterranean steps as we edged past a bee's nest, I've debated politics with the monkeys (they'd vote UKIP given half a chance ), and sunk many pints in the Dirty Habit (aka 'Angry Friar' )

ps The other downer on the uk is I might need to invite family. Thinking about that Gretna has a sort of humourous appeal


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## Gazeebo (Jan 23, 2015)

alborino said:


> Gazeebo sometimes but the love of my life is a spaniard so bilingual Gib is as good as it gets for us. Basingstoke reg office speak less spanish than the office in Madrid speaks english
> 
> And I know that many knock Gib as a dump but it is a very special place for me. I've played soccer on the deck of the Hermes there, I've almost killed my brother on the Mediterranean steps as we edged past a bee's nest, I've debated politics with the monkeys (they'd vote UKIP given half a chance ), and sunk many pints in the Dirty Habit (aka 'Angry Friar' )
> 
> ps The other downer on the uk is I might need to invite family. Thinking about that Gretna has a sort of humourous appeal


Sounds good to me! Hope it all goes well for you both.


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