# UK citizen considering moving to Spain from France



## rynd2it (Feb 2, 2010)

Hello,

We are retired UK citizens permanently resident in France with full residential status ( Cds) and health care provided via a UK S1 form to CPAM. We have discussed the idea of moving somewhere warmer especially in winter and are looking at Almeria province for starters. Naturally we have a load of questions so here goes for starters:

a) What are the rules for people in our situation looking to make a permanent move to Spain?
b) How do we qualify for the Spanish healthcare system? How good is that system vs UK/France etc?
c) Would we need to register our car in Spain - it's RHD on French plates?
d) What taxes etc are levied on property?
e) Does Spain require a tax return showing world-wide income? I also get a pension from the USA.

Thanks in advance and if anyone reading this is actually in Almeria, I'd be interested in discussing the area

Cheers


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

If you are no EU passport holders you will need to acquire visas which means doing so before coming to Spain. You will need to do this in the British Consulate in France. You will need to provide proof of funds ( 27,000 approx per person) plus private healthcare policy and some other administrative documents. Once you have Visa you can then apply for residency in Spain. The S1s should allow you to access the Spanish healthcare system but I am not sure if they are applicable after Brexit to people moving to EU member states. If you have a European driving licence you can exchange it for a Spanish one. If UK you will need to do a Spanish driving test possibly in Spanish!! Tax is on all income world wide. Property is also taxed.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

kaipa said:


> If you are no EU passport holders you will need to acquire visas which means doing so before coming to Spain. You will need to do this in the British Consulate in France. You will need to provide proof of funds* ( 27,000 approx per person)* plus private healthcare policy and some other administrative documents. Once you have Visa you can then apply for residency in Spain. The S1s should allow you to access the Spanish healthcare system but I am not sure if they are applicable after Brexit to people moving to EU member states. If you have a European driving licence you can exchange it for a Spanish one. If UK you will need to do a Spanish driving test possibly in Spanish!! Tax is on all income world wide. Property is also taxed.


+/- 27.000€ for the first person & +/- 7000€ for subsequent family members


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## rynd2it (Feb 2, 2010)

kaipa said:


> If you are no EU passport holders you will need to acquire visas which means doing so before coming to Spain. You will need to do this in the British Consulate in France. You will need to provide proof of funds ( 27,000 approx per person) plus private healthcare policy and some other administrative documents. Once you have Visa you can then apply for residency in Spain. The S1s should allow you to access the Spanish healthcare system but I am not sure if they are applicable after Brexit to people moving to EU member states. If you have a European driving licence you can exchange it for a Spanish one. If UK you will need to do a Spanish driving test possibly in Spanish!! Tax is on all income world wide. Property is also taxed.


Thanks for the information. We are on UK passports (I also have a US one) so visas it is. Currently both on UK driving licenses but mine expires soon so I'll be getting a French one - that route is not open to my wife as she still has 6 years on her UK and the French won't exchange it until 6 months before expiry. 
I must look into the S1 issue further, we arrived in France before the Brexit date so were fine.
When you say proof of funds I assume you mean actual holdings rather than income.
Thanks again


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

You should probably consult the Spanish Embassy pages on living in Spain: Pages - Aller en Espagne
Available in Spanish or French, but they can be translated fairly easily to English using on online translator. 

I don't believe that your time spent in France gives you much (if any) advantages in moving to Spain (or any other EU country) at this point. Having a French driving license being the big exception - that should transfer fairly easily. But I don't think the S1 will "transfer" like that. I could be wrong, though, so definitely go and check it out.


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## MataMata (Nov 30, 2008)

Your French residency gets you nowhere unfortunately

S1 is transferable, you only have to request a new one to a Spanish address. You will still need private insurance for the visa and first year though.

Note DWP will inform France of the S1 reissue who will very promptly demand return of your Carte Vitales.

French licence exchange no problem.

1st hand personal experience in each of the above.

UK licences are no longer exchangeable in Spain so your wife will have to take a Spanish test within 6 months of arrival.

Might be a good time for her to ''misplace' her licence if you get my drift


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## rynd2it (Feb 2, 2010)

Bevdeforges said:


> You should probably consult the Spanish Embassy pages on living in Spain: Pages - Aller en Espagne
> Available in Spanish or French, but they can be translated fairly easily to English using on online translator.
> 
> I don't believe that your time spent in France gives you much (if any) advantages in moving to Spain (or any other EU country) at this point. Having a French driving license being the big exception - that should transfer fairly easily. But I don't think the S1 will "transfer" like that. I could be wrong, though, so definitely go and check it out.


Hi Bev
you following me? 😆
Thanks for the link


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## rynd2it (Feb 2, 2010)

Small update. I had to contact NHS Overseas Health on another matter and asked about the S1 transfer. The S1 scheme is still functioning for those who qualify (UK state pension basically) and if you move to another EU country you need to apply for a new S1 to be sent to your new address. There is no exchange of the old one which must be returned to NHS.


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## MataMata (Nov 30, 2008)

You do not have to return an S1 nor in fact can you because it is normally retained when you apply for health care in another country.

Whether the S1 I used in France got returned to UK by CPAM when I moved to Spain I have no idea but neither do I care as they sent me a new one.


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## rynd2it (Feb 2, 2010)

MataMata said:


> You do not have to return an S1 nor in fact can you because it is normally retained when you apply for health care in another country.
> 
> Whether the S1 I used in France got returned to UK by CPAM when I moved to Spain I have no idea but neither do I care as they sent me a new one.


Not what they told me but irrelevant


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## smifffymoto (Dec 4, 2020)

I looked into it and your french residency helps,or it did unless Spain has changed the rules.
Seek professional advice as I believe the above advice is wrong.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Residency in one EU country does not give UK nationals any advantage over UK nats resident in UK. This was made clear during the negotiations. Free movement ended for Brit nats after Brexit


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## rynd2it (Feb 2, 2010)

kaipa said:


> Residency in one EU country does not give UK nationals any advantage over UK nats resident in UK. This was made clear during the negotiations. Free movement ended for Brit nats after Brexit


That is my understanding as well - however, this idea is now well on the back burner. It was just an idea triggered to be honest by seeing the climate & landscape in Almeria which reminded me of Southern California.


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## smifffymoto (Dec 4, 2020)

Like I said,I think the above advice is wrong.


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## rynd2it (Feb 2, 2010)

smifffymoto said:


> Like I said,I think the above advice is wrong.


Please provide the source of this


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

kaipa said:


> Residency in one EU country does not give UK nationals any advantage over UK nats resident in UK. This was made clear during the negotiations. Free movement ended for Brit nats after Brexit


In this post-Brexit world, for British citizens, the only way to enjoy a certain degree of free movement is to qualify for NLV, work visa etc in one EU state in the same way as any other third country national and then obtain permanent residency after 5 years. Then you can use EU rules to move to another EU state (except Denmark, which has an opt-out) and transfer your residency there. Those who obtain permanent residency under the withdrawal agreement don't have this right. Also those Brits who have gained permanent residency before Brexit don't have FOM either, as their status was absorbed into the provisions of WA at the time of Brexit.


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