# Two months and having a panic



## Bigbroondug (10 mo ago)

Hi all

Long time viewer and occasional poster on this site.
We are two 50 year olds from Scotland who were planing to move to Spain in two years. Circumstances have recently changed. We sold our house on Friday so looks like the move will be in a couple of months!! No set date yet.
We do plan to rent for a while but I am still unsure and could do with some help with a variety of things.
We have a cat who will be coming with us. I have been looking online but does anyone have any experience of flying their pet to Spain?

i have looked online for health insurance and they are coming back with crazy amounts. Obviously we need this in place to apply for a visa. Any tips advice? Is it just about haggling with them?

Money. In general what do most people do? Do you move everything you have to Spain or transfer in small amounts perhaps watching the conversion rates? What have you found to be the cheapest way of doing this? I have been looking at Wise for transferring money. Does anyone have experience of them?

Taxes and more finance. I have read and re-read info about taxes but I am still unsure. I would like some help with this to prevent losing cash and ensure everything is paid and I don't get hit with a large bill. We do not plan to work but I believe just moving cashing the country triggers costs/taxes.Who could I seek advice from re this? Does anyone have experience of an immigration lawyer/finance advisor? We're they helpful? I would be happy to pay a bit for the correct information that may help save cash in the long term.

All advice very gratefully received....


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Bigbroondug said:


> Hi all
> 
> Long time viewer and occasional poster on this site.
> We are two 50 year olds from Scotland who were planing to move to Spain in two years. Circumstances have recently changed. We sold our house on Friday so looks like the move will be in a couple of months!! No set date yet.
> ...


Welcome!

Just living in Spain makes you tax resident, & essentially, Spain taxes all income regardless of source. 

You say that you're moving over in a couple of months? Do you have EU passports or visas already in place?


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Before you move you need proper financial advise especially if you have just sold your house and plan on becoming a Spanish resident before jan 2023- in Spain your house sale will incur CGTax if you register as a resident this year 2022. Now you are going to have conflicting view points on this due to 183 rule but as far as I know once you are a resident you become a tax resident for that year. I would contact Blevins Frank who are the best for dealing with UK and Spanish tax issues.


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## dancingspider (Mar 4, 2018)

Kaipa is right, you need professional help and by the sounds of it ASAP!

This forum is useful for getting the wider picture and lots of very knowledgeable people on here who have been thru the hoops already.

But in your case you are under time pressure to make a decision.

The firm that kaipa has recommended have a good reputation and are well known.

The question was asked already and i will repeat it. Do you have EU passports or visas already in place?


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## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Hola,
Yes health insurance is expensive and if I recollect correctly, it has to be with a Spanish company but after one year, you can use the Convenio especial route for I think 60€ a month.
There are problems now in having a UK bank account if you permanently move to Spain, so you may have to move all your money over. I use Wise to transfer money and are happy with them. 
I second Blevins Franks for financial information; you don’t say where in Spain you will move to and this may make a difference; ask Blevins about different taxes by different autonomous authorities
Davexf


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

If you are both 50 year old you will need Private healthcare paid for a full year. You cannot apply for the Convenio Especial until you have been a fully legal resident for a full year. You cannot just move and hope to find jobs as you will need to get work visas before you leave the UK.

If you apply for the non lucrative visa you will need to prove an income of around €34,000 per annum for a couple plus full private healthcare.

Don't do anything in haste, you need to apply and gain some sort of visa before you leave the UK otherwise you will be tied to the 90 days rule.

You will be hard pushed for time to get any sort of visa etc sorted out within 2 months anyway!!

Steve


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

Bigbroondug said:


> Hi all
> 
> Long time viewer and occasional poster on this site.
> We are two 50 year olds from Scotland who were planing to move to Spain in two years. Circumstances have recently changed. We sold our house on Friday so looks like the move will be in a couple of months!! No set date yet.
> ...


Cant answer the cat issue as we don't have one.

Health insurance varies depending on existing conditions or not. If you have any existing medical issues, it will either be impossible to get coverage or it will be very, very expensive. And if these are excluded you wont get the visa.
We have insurance with Aegon.es and they are quite reasonable but everything is in Spanish (reasonable is €1800 a year for the two of us (not each) with no copay or exclusions, we are 60 and 59 and have had these policies for three years). We will be changing to Asssa at the end of the year as the premiums never go up, the price you pay is the price it stays at. Our quote was for €166 a month for the two of us (again both not each).. They are a better fit for us as we can use the local health centre without appointments. And the paperwork is in English...
You can go on the convenio after a year but for us its cheaper to stay on private.. Your milage will vary... But remember that the cost for the convenio will double in the years between 65 and 67 when hopefully the Uk will then pick up the tab via the S1.

Haggling oh you are funny. They will make a price, you take it or you don't Sorry... And the healthcare must cover everything and have no copay (excess).. 

Money. Due to the tax year being jan-dec here, do any and all transactions in the calendar year before you move or you will be taxed on the house sale, pension uplift (I took the 25% tax free bit from my pension in 2019 and we moved in 2020). Kaipa mentioned the 183 days but thats in a calendar year and is in law.
I transfer my pension every month via wise but don't care about the rate as I need the money to live.
For the NLV you will need to show a set amount of 'income' so how and when you move it will be up to you.
As to Wise, most of us here use them, they are Ok, you get a slightly better rate and the money is moved quickly. They are not a bank so I would not leave any cash sitting with them (just my 2p)

Tax you will pay no matter what. Its just the amount that will change.
As I've said there is no tax on anything you already have as money in savings, that boat you own or the classic car, you will have to do a 720 that informs the gov about anything (pension, house, large carrier bag of old fivers etc) but its just a declaration and its for items with a value over €50,000 per type.
On the NLV you will be paying tax as you have to show an amount well over the tax free amount (which is small compared to the Uk) however this should be done (well at least the first time) by a professional the year after, the year you move (its like self assessment in the Uk, always a year behind).


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

xabiaxica said:


> Welcome!
> 
> Just living in Spain makes you tax resident, & essentially, Spain taxes all income regardless of source.
> 
> You say that you're moving over in a couple of months? Do you have EU passports or visas already in place?


Ahh - I see that you have edited your post with a bit more info.


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## dancingspider (Mar 4, 2018)

davexf said:


> Hola,
> There are problems now in having a UK bank account if you permanently move to Spain, so you may have to move all your money over.


As long as you have a UK address that you can use, you can have a UK bank account.

Just don't tell them you are moving to Spain and you should be fine.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

dancingspider said:


> As long as you have a UK address that you can use, you can have a UK bank account.
> 
> Just don't tell them you are moving to Spain and you should be fine.


 Only problem in not telling them is that ( as it says when you get sent a form ) it amounts to an illegal action and is subject to a fine etc. Admittedly I doubt they are going to check but any problems like a fraudulent activity on your account could allow a get out clause for the bank or other problems- remember banks are not your friends!!


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## dancingspider (Mar 4, 2018)

*"Only problem in not telling them is that ( as it says when you get sent a form ) it amounts to an illegal action and is subject to a fine etc."*

Who sends what form to me?

*"I doubt they are going to check but any problems like a fraudulent activity on your account"*

There is no fraudulent activity in any bank account I have, UK or Spain.

_*"remember banks are not your friends!!"*_

Banks are exactly what it says on the tin!

They are businesses set up to make a profit and pay dividends to their shareholders.

Everything else is secondary! They are neither friend or foe. They are profit driven and that is their modus operandi.


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## MataMata (Nov 30, 2008)

There is nothing illegal in using a bogus address per se, you may be violating a banks policy but that's between them and you not the law.

Wise is as safe as any bank or financial institution, most fraud is due to user indiscretion (phishing attack) or outright stupidity.

Is Wise Safe and Legit to Use? - Safety Review 2022


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## dancingspider (Mar 4, 2018)

Is Wise bank a Spanish registered bank or where is it registered.

It is one thing to use Wise to transfer funds but it is entirely another to hold money with them, as you would with a traditional bank.

What I am thinking is that if they are not registered as a Spanish bank then you could get forced into doing a Modelo 720


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## Bigbroondug (10 mo ago)

Thank you all for the advice. It seems we are in trouble!! I will call Blevins Frank first thing for financial advice. I don't know if I have just been reading all the wrong stuff online??? We are in Scotland and do not have an EU passport. I had looked at getting a visa and it said we needed the health insurance first.I looked at health insurance and it said for travel within 60 days. At this point we didn't have a set date, we still dont as our house is sold STC, so I thought I couldn't proceed. I had also read the visa would only take about 28 days. Quite worried now. Can it be done?? Am wondering if we could get visa and move in November but not apply for residency till January. Hopefully things will be cleared after I speak with recommend company. I will also call some insurance companies.
We are planing to move to Valencia, possibly Gandia. We both like a quiet, simple life with good food, nice surroundings and of course the sunshine.
I honestly thought the cat was my biggest concern, lol. I'm never going to sleep tonight!!
Thanks again to everyone who took the time to reply. Any and all advice welcome.
ps I will forget haggling with the insurance companies


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

Bigbroondug said:


> Thank you all for the advice. It seems we are in trouble!! I will call Blevins Frank first thing for financial advice. I don't know if I have just been reading all the wrong stuff online??? We are in Scotland and do not have an EU passport. I had looked at getting a visa and it said we needed the health insurance first.I looked at health insurance and it said for travel within 60 days. At this point we didn't have a set date, we still dont as our house is sold STC, so I thought I couldn't proceed. I had also read the visa would only take about 28 days. Quite worried now. Can it be done?? Am wondering if we could get visa and move in November but not apply for residency till January. Hopefully things will be cleared after I speak with recommend company. I will also call some insurance companies.
> We are planing to move to Valencia, possibly Gandia. We both like a quiet, simple life with good food, nice surroundings and of course the sunshine.
> I honestly thought the cat was my biggest concern, lol. I'm never going to sleep tonight!!
> Thanks again to everyone who took the time to reply. Any and all advice welcome.
> ps I will forget haggling with the insurance companies


You will need full private healthcare paid for a full year for your visa application. If you achieve a Visa and move to Spain you must apply for residency within the first month of arrival otherwise your visa will become void. 

You still have not stated whether you are retiring to Spain or expecting to find work. 

Steve


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## Bigbroondug (10 mo ago)

We don't plan to work so it would be a NLV. I have filled out an enquiry for for a call back as couldn't see a general phonenumber. BF reviews seem a bit mixed. Forth Capitals seem a bit better, does anyone have experience of them? Thanks again


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Try this number +34965793561. It is one of their offices near Alicante and the main person is Brett Hanson. He will give a free consultation on the phone and is excellent. I don't know about the other company but on this forum many of us have used BF. The good thing about them is they are extremely thorough and make sure everything is by the book. Some of the more Spanish based ones have lots of clients from different countries and have to juggle all the different systems of tax so sometimes lesser experienced staff without native English get confused and offer wrong advise. BF are good if you are talking about large amounts of money and potentially large tax liability- so CGT, inheritances, stock and shares, trusts etc. For lesser financial needs ( tax returns, modelo 720, etc)a local gestor is fine.


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## combatfred (May 3, 2016)

Hey Bigbroondug,

We're similar to you. Our house is sold STC.

We're going with the non-luctrative visa and using /SNIP/ to handle the paperwork (their fee includes the health insurance).

Some banks do allow you to have a UK bank account without a UK address, so don't worry about that. (Virgin, Nationwide, TSB).
Keep all your cash in the UK and transfer some to a WISE account as and when you need to top-up your money for Spain.

As for the cat. You could move your belongings yourself, so drive to Spain with the cat. We're do this /SNIP/


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## Bigbroondug (10 mo ago)

Hi combatfred, stressful eh... I guess we could always rent here, continually have a support network here unfortunately. Do SNIP arrange the health insurance? Who are they, I did a search for SNIP but couldn't see anything? Do you mind me asking who you have went with? I have just spoken with Sanitas and they are sending me forms. No call back from Blevins as yet. I will leave it an hour then try the number provided here by kaipa . Been trying to call embassy in Edinburgh but no luck so I have emailed them. I know the info is in here but due to timescales and me panicking could someone please post link or info 're visa. Can we start process online without speaking to someone and having healthcare in place? I said to Sanitas November for insurance, being hopeful, should just change this?


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

I can see how the healthcare issue is important given you are only in your 50s. The biggest grey area will be whether after 5 years residency in spain you automatically qualify for free healthcare. According to the UK government site you will, however as has been pointed out here we( the members) are still waiting for someone to confirm this personally , as other 3rd country nats ( USA) have said that this does not happen due to certain caveats in the law. In other words : will you only need to pay for healthcare for 5 years or up until retirement (67) when you should get uk coverage via an S1.?

Finally, not intentionality saying this, but you are aware that you will need to do a Spanish driving test if you intend to drive in spain? At the moment that is the law despite the uk government saying that a new agreement is being created- no one knows the reality of this but it does seem to be taking a long time. Keep an eye on it because obviously it could effect you further down the line.


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## Bigbroondug (10 mo ago)

Hi kaipa, we have budgeted for private healthcare for our lifetime, just me being cautious though we can reassess things in a few years I guess. I just spoke with Allianz who have me a basic quite of £570 a month!! I am 49 and my OH is 50. I am again confused as when they asked when insurance to begin i said November and they said they could only quote up to 31st October so this is what they based it on. I'm confused as for NLV application you need the healthcare set up. No email from Sanitas yet.
I was aware of the driving issue. This has been out dream for so long if we have to get electric bikes we will, lol. Hopefully the governments will work something out.....
I just spoke with someone from iaservices.org 're help with immigration. They said 200 euros for a 1 hour zoom call where I get to ask questions. Is this the normal procedure? Any other recommendations for similar companies?


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

Bigbroondug said:


> Hi kaipa, we have budgeted for private healthcare for our lifetime, just me being cautious though we can reassess things in a few years I guess. I just spoke with Allianz who have me a basic quite of £570 a month!! I am 49 and my OH is 50. I am again confused as when they asked when insurance to begin i said November and they said they could only quote up to 31st October so this is what they based it on. I'm confused as for NLV application you need the healthcare set up. No email from Sanitas yet.
> I was aware of the driving issue. This has been out dream for so long if we have to get electric bikes we will, lol. Hopefully the governments will work something out.....
> I just spoke with someone from iaservices.org 're help with immigration. They said 200 euros for a 1 hour zoom call where I get to ask questions. Is this the normal procedure? Any other recommendations for similar companies?


You will find that all these companies or firms that claim to offer help can only give you (expensive) guidance for filling out your visa forms. None of these companies can make promises for anything. They all end up expensive and only offer advice.

At the end of the day it is you that will need to fill in the forms, it will be you that has to arrange a meeting at the Spanish consulate in the UK and it is you that will need to supply all the necessary information required.

Be very careful not to be persuaded to part with your money for no real benefit.

Steve


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## Bigbroondug (10 mo ago)

Kaipa the number you gave seems no longer in use. Am hoping I get a call from them soon from my online request


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Bigbroondug said:


> Hi kaipa, we have budgeted for private healthcare for our lifetime, just me being cautious though we can reassess things in a few years I guess. I just spoke with Allianz who have me a basic quite of £570 a month!! I am 49 and my OH is 50. I am again confused as when they asked when insurance to begin i said November and they said they could only quote up to 31st October so this is what they based it on. I'm confused as for NLV application you need the healthcare set up. No email from Sanitas yet.
> I was aware of the driving issue. This has been out dream for so long if we have to get electric bikes we will, lol. Hopefully the governments will work something out.....
> I just spoke with someone from iaservices.org 're help with immigration. They said 200 euros for a 1 hour zoom call where I get to ask questions. Is this the normal procedure? Any other recommendations for similar companies?


I would have thought that 200 is very high and unnecessary as ( has been said) you have to do all the leg work and still have to do research etc so I wouldnt pay for immigration advice. I think the healthcare issue will ultimately come down to money. You are wanting to move to another country and unfortunately that often means it will cost especially if you are effectively retiring. If you can accept the fact that you have to pay for healthcare then that is fine. If you are constantly going to feel aggrieved by the fact that something that is free for many isn't for you then maybe you need a rethink. I totally understand if it was me- I wouldn't be prepared to pay for something I get for free in the UK ( due to a lifetime of contributions). Basically € 6000 a year is alot and Spain isn't that cheap. The again others will point out that the absence of council taxes and high property prices means 6,000 euros a year isn't such a bad thing. It really depends on how much savings you have and whether it will last you.


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

kaipa said:


> I would have thought that 200 is very high and unnecessary as ( has been said) you have to do all the leg work and still have to do research etc so I wouldnt pay for immigration advice. I think the healthcare issue will ultimately come down to money. You are wanting to move to another country and unfortunately that often means it will cost especially if you are effectively retiring. If you can accept the fact that you have to pay for healthcare then that is fine. If you are constantly going to feel aggrieved by the fact that something that is free for many isn't for you then maybe you need a rethink. I totally understand if it was me- I wouldn't be prepared to pay for something I get for free in the UK ( due to a lifetime of contributions). Basically € 6000 a year is alot and Spain isn't that cheap. The again others will point out that the absence of council taxes and high property prices means 6,000 euros a year isn't such a bad thing. It really depends on how much savings you have and whether it will last you.


Don't forget that even though you have full healthcare it doesn't cover the cost of medication. You will probably have to pay full price for tablets and any aftercare.

Steve


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

Bigbroondug said:


> Kaipa the number you gave seems no longer in use. Am hoping I get a call from them soon from my online request


Go online to asssa and fill in the quote form. It may show all zeros when you get the email as the prices change in November but then find the phone number of one of the offices and talk to them. The one in Altea have English speaking staff.
If you have no health issues it should be less than €200 a month for you both, aegon have a deal every now and again as well.

Healthcare here Jan to Dec. So if you take a policy now. It will auto renew 1st Jan...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

tebo53 said:


> Don't forget that even though you have full healthcare it doesn't cover the cost of medication. You will probably have to pay full price for tablets and any aftercare.
> 
> Steve


Yes, and that it also must be in place in time for the visa interview.


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## Bigbroondug (10 mo ago)

Just had a call from Blevins Franks. They will pass information to someone in Spain and I should get a call in 3-5 days to help with taxes. If we have to stay here until next year to save lots of money we would but I guess I'll need to wait to speak with them. 
I'm sorry to ask for clarification but it's not quite clear to me... How can the insurance be in place for visa if healthcare companies are only giving quotes up to end of October? Do we just take and pay for insurance from 31st October for visa application even though we don't have a set date when we can move. Really sorry for asking what must seem like a stupid question but at the moment the stress is getting to me and my head is mush. Can you fill in the visa application without having insurance in place?


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

Bigbroondug said:


> Just had a call from Blevins Franks. They will pass information to someone in Spain and I should get a call in 3-5 days to help with taxes. If we have to stay here until next year to save lots of money we would but I guess I'll need to wait to speak with them.
> I'm sorry to ask for clarification but it's not quite clear to me... How can the insurance be in place for visa if healthcare companies are only giving quotes up to end of October? Do we just take and pay for insurance from 31st October for visa application even though we don't have a set date when we can move. Really sorry for asking what must seem like a stupid question but at the moment the stress is getting to me and my head is mush. Can you fill in the visa application without having insurance in place?


You must have full private healthcare in place when you make the application for a visa. The healthcare has to be paid for a full year. When you are ready to submit your visa application then take out the healthcare insurance immediately before, say within a week or so. Also before submitting the application make sure everything else is available for submission e.g. Proof of income etc

Steve


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## combatfred (May 3, 2016)

Bigbroondug said:


> Can you fill in the visa application without having insurance in place?


Did you see the forum message I sent you?


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## Bigbroondug (10 mo ago)

Hi combatfred, I looked up SNIP and couldn't find anything inflationary Spanish immigration? Is that the post you mean?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Bigbroondug said:


> Hi combatfred, I looked up SNIP and couldn't find anything inflationary Spanish immigration? Is that the post you mean?


I had to remove the name of the company that was being recommended as per forum rules. 

We usually leave /SNIP/ to show that something was removed.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

Bigbroondug said:


> I had also read the visa would only take about 28 days. Quite worried now. Can it be done??


That´s probably a pretty optimistic estimate of processing times - after you had your appointment and submitted complete documentation.

Have you checked availability of appointments at the relevant consulate, yet? I understand appointments may be several (many?) months in the future.


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## combatfred (May 3, 2016)

Bigbroondug said:


> Hi combatfred, I looked up SNIP and couldn't find anything inflationary Spanish immigration? Is that the post you mean?


I sent a private message on this forum.
Click on the thumbnail in the top right of the screen.
There should be a red number against "Discussions" showing how many unread messages you have.


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## Bigbroondug (10 mo ago)

We have decided to call a company that will help us with visa and healthcare. I look on one side and it says you need an NIE for visa and another site says get it in Spain from a police station when you arrive. With the house sale and having to pack our lives up the less stress the better. Happy to pay a bit to make things easier. Hats off to all you who managed on your own! Honestly cant even think straight just now! We will pack up and rent somewhere short term here. I guess to live out our dream this is all a small price to pay. I will let you know how it goes.
On a different note we plan to rent in Gandia in Valencia with the hope of finding a home in or around that area. Anyone have any advice/experience of living here?


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Bigbroondug said:


> We have decided to call a company that will help us with visa and healthcare. I look on one side and it says you need an NIE for visa and another site says get it in Spain from a police station when you arrive. With the house sale and having to pack our lives up the less stress the better. Happy to pay a bit to make things easier. Hats off to all you who managed on your own! Honestly cant even think straight just now! We will pack up and rent somewhere short term here. I guess to live out our dream this is all a small price to pay. I will let you know how it goes.
> On a different note we plan to rent in Gandia in Valencia with the hope of finding a home in or around that area. Anyone have any advice/experience of living here?


Don't confuse NIE and TIE - I thought an NIE came with the visa. A TIE is applied for once you arrive in Spain


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## dancingspider (Mar 4, 2018)

Sanitas are very good and I can recommend them. One of their policies is specifically aimed at British needing full health care cover for their application.


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## manuka (May 26, 2014)

One of the most useful and important things we did was have Money Exchange Broker for a large sum from house sale FEB 2022. My husband found Tor FX after researching and they have been fine throughout, no problems. Sold our house in UK (Feb,)Offered us good £ to euro exchange rate prior to that for when sale money was finally paid to us.- anything above £150000 brokers start to give good rates. Good luck; there is so much to get your heads around!


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## manuka (May 26, 2014)

kaipa said:


> I would have thought that 200 is very high and unnecessary as ( has been said) you have to do all the leg work and still have to do research etc so I wouldnt pay for immigration advice. I think the healthcare issue will ultimately come down to money. You are wanting to move to another country and unfortunately that often means it will cost especially if you are effectively retiring. If you can accept the fact that you have to pay for healthcare then that is fine. If you are constantly going to feel aggrieved by the fact that something that is free for many isn't for you then maybe you need a rethink. I totally understand if it was me- I wouldn't be prepared to pay for something I get for free in the UK ( due to a lifetime of contributions). Basically € 6000 a year is alot and Spain isn't that cheap. The again others will point out that the absence of council taxes and high property prices means 6,000 euros a year isn't such a bad thing. It really depends on how much savings you have and whether it will last you.


I am a UK citizen and my husband is an EU citizen- because of the latter, we thought it would be straightforward than it turned out. We for sure needed and have an immigration lawyer, to sort out my residency and it's still going though. We found early on, we needed a Spanish speaking Gestor to translate for us in the formal/ legal situations we are facing because of my UK citizenship. Thank fully got though a lot now, should get my residency when we go to the town hall with the lawyer next week plus there is the routine appointment she will make for me at the police station. I think and hope those are my last two hurdles-


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## dancingspider (Mar 4, 2018)

To be honest manuka, I think you should be thanking your lucky stars that you have a spouse who has an EU passport.

The hurdles you face pale into insignificance when compared to what those without a EU face!


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## Bigbroondug (10 mo ago)

Have looked at Wise for transferring money though will definitely have a look at others. I called Sanita's who emailed us a basic quote only based on our age. It was much less than Allienz who were £560 a month for us both, again only based on age so I can imagine what it would go up to if you mentioned you ever had a headache, lol. I found the policy difficult to follow and there was an extra bit for repatriation with extra payment instead of all included so I got a bit scared it wouldn't meet vise requirements. I'm going to call the company who says they will walk us through visa process so am hoping for less stress than I felt yesterday. Thanks again for all the help. I'm sure I'll have lots more questions as time goes on..


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## Bigbroondug (10 mo ago)

Feeling a bit less stressed today.I called the company who offer to deal with all aspects of visa including making appointment, translating,medical certificate etc and it all sound good. They are saying about 4-6 weeks to get everything ready for visa then about 4 weeks to get visa so about 3 months all in. I think we will hope for January to allow for any delays.


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

Bigbroondug said:


> Feeling a bit less stressed today.I called the company who offer to deal with all aspects of visa including making appointment, translating,medical certificate etc and it all sound good. They are saying about 4-6 weeks to get everything ready for visa then about 4 weeks to get visa so about 3 months all in. I think we will hope for January to allow for any delays.


Those companies will promise the earth to get your business and cash. There has been posters on other expat sites complaining that they have been waiting weeks to get an appointment and still waiting for acceptance confirmation of the visa application. But maybe......

Steve


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Bigbroondug said:


> Feeling a bit less stressed today.I called the company who offer to deal with all aspects of visa including making appointment, translating,medical certificate etc and it all sound good. They are saying about 4-6 weeks to get everything ready for visa then about 4 weeks to get visa so about 3 months all in. I think we will hope for January to allow for any delays.


That seems like a reasonable time line for everything and gives you time to do some more research on other issues. Remember that no one can tell you exactly how long the process will be but it is not quick and depends on so many different factors but I Imagine 2 to 3 months would be reasonable guess. You will need someone to help you in Spain with the residency process too but obviously you don't need to worry until you have the visa and are in Spain.


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## Penza (Sep 9, 2018)

I can comment on Wise and the cat!

Firstly with regard to Wise, I have used them several times and found them VERY competitive for smaller amounts of money, and I think they deal in a wider range of currencies. If you want to exchange larger amounts - say the proceeds of your house, then have a look at OFX - I find them better for larger amounts. Usually I call Wise first for a quote and then get OFX to better it - but as I said this has been for larger amounts of money. Neither of them are banks, they are both exchange houses - you send them the agreed GPB amount and then they deposit the agreed Euro amount it which ever bank you nominate.

The cat - I have only flown with a dog in cabin out of the UK, but I have to qualify, only from Heathrow and Gatwick. To do this pet and carrier together need to weigh less than 8kgs. There is usually only limited space on the flight for a pet (often 2 per flight) so you need to make sure they have space before you commit to the ticket. The pet flies with you and the carrier goes under the seat in front of you. Different airlines have different dimension rules, but if you get a soft carrier, then you can usually squeeze it into the space - I used to fly alot with my pup, we often got weighed, but never got measured. The big thing is the UK airlines do not allow pets in cabin - Ryan Air, Easy Jet, BA etc. So the best is to fly Air France, Iberia (but make sure it is not a code share ticket and actually a BA flight) or Lufthansa. These are the pricier flights, but will accept your pet. The European airlines, even the budget ones, are generally very pet friendly.
This probably goes without saying, but make sure your cat is used to travelling and expecially used to travelling in the carrier you will use. The whole flying experience can be quite stressful for pets, and the last thing you want is poor kitty howling from stress (or worse) all flight, especially since you will probablly have a connection.

There are companies that will organise for your pet to fly cargo, I have never used one, but I know people who have. You certainly pay for it, but on the other hand you benefit from their experience.

The other option, as somebody else suggested is to drive - the ferry from Plymouth to Santander allows pets in cabin! The ferries to France require you to leave the pet in the car. Also you can take a pet on the Eurotunnel. But you CANNOT take a pet on the Eurostar! You also cannot take a pet as a foot passenger on the ferries to France.

Make sure you have the correct paperwork for the pet - gov.uk will give you all the advice you need, do not necessarily rely on your vet to know, make sure you are properly informed before you go to the vet. The most important part is that your cat will need to be microchiped and have up to date rabies shots - microchip first and then rabies. If these are not up to date then there is a 21day quarantine period before the cat can travel, after the most recent rabies shot.

There are also people who will drive your pet to Spain. I know there is somebody who offers a regular service between Mallorca and the UK, so I am sure there will be one for your part of mainland Spain.

Hope at least some of this is helpful.


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## Penza (Sep 9, 2018)

One thing I forgot to mention - follow 'Magic Car-Pet Transfer' on Facebook. About 6 days ago they did a really good post, with video about the paperwork needed to get pet to Spain.


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## Gazeeboo (Jan 23, 2019)

We started gathering our paperwork at the beginning of June. We were held up by S1, but you will not have that problem. The first appointments we could get one after another were the 18th August in London, and were told that it is a 2-3 month wait to receive a yay or nay. They have kept our passports, so we're stuck in this country with no home as we completed on ours. Our plan was to go to Spain where we have somewhere to live and come back to collect our visas if granted. All best laid plans! It's not easy to get the timing right and London seems to take the longest time, but hopefully Edinburgh will be quicker for you. We had a lawyer in Spain to help with the paperwork and evidence and if we ever get to Spain, they will be helping with the TIE etc. For us, it is money well spent. As for your cat, if you are driving and want to book it on the ferry, then you will probably need to book a pet friendly cabin well in advance as they are like gold dust, or you could take your car through the eurotunnel. We have taken our dog both by ferry and eurotunnel as we were driving. There are companies that transport pets also. As mentioned previously by another poster, if your cat and carrier are within the weight limits it could fly with you. Good luck with your plans.


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## Bigbroondug (10 mo ago)

Thanks so much for all the good and advice. I will definitely have a look at the Facebook post on car travel. We figure a day's stress of flying would be better than days driving for him. I have looked online with a couple of companies that could help but I guess there is time for that. Still waiting on a date to move out of here so we can get a rental here till we have our visa. Started packing items for storage. Is really quite freeing actually managing to throw out all the stuff you hang on to for years just in case....lol.


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## Bigbroondug (10 mo ago)

Just a wee update. We are now in temporary accommodation in the UK. The company who are helping us with the visa process have been really good at explaining all the steps including arranging health insurance.We did leave our jobs a bit earlier than anticipated as Edinburgh now seem to be asking for a P45. We are hopeful we may be ready to make the move early January. I have also been in touch with a company, recommended on here, who will be assisting with taxes etc. We plan to hire a car initially though hope to buy a car asap. Hoping the driving licence issue will be resolved at some point next year. Is buying a car in Spain a similarities to the UK? I have read second hand cars can be more expensive in Spain. Does anyone have any recommendations of car dealers around Denia area of would we be better going to a larger one in Alicante. How about car insurance? Will they take into account UK no claims discount or do you start as a newbee in a new country? Are there comparison sites in Spain to make this easier to find the best deal or a particular company Whitbread with expats? We will be flying our cat over as he wouldn't do well with days of driving from Scotland. I will look into Penzas advice of flying with an European airline as it would be better to have him in cabin with us rather than in hold. Any advice/tips greatly received.


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## Bigbroondug (10 mo ago)

Any advice on car purchase?


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

If you need to drive it in any town or city, make sure it has the necessary environmental rating. As of January almost all towns will have to introduce restrictions for private cars.


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