# UK Citizen and US Wife



## stuwoolf (Mar 11, 2018)

Hi all,

Need some thought and guidance on this quandry.

My wife and I married in Scotland in December last year with the idea of living in Scotland. We are both on the mature side of 55 (say no more). Due to a mistake with a visa we are now in limbo and await the issue of a UK Spouse Visa. My wife a US citizen born in Panama, is back in USA waiting for the visa to come through.

Having done some financial calculations it would appear that the eventual cost of obtaining ILR in UK will be circa £11,000 (1 x Spouse Visa + 1 x FLR(M) + 1 x ILR fee) and factoring in year on year increases (20%ish) as is the UK Govts way. The first stage (Spouse Visa) has already be paid (£2,300) leaving a balance of well, lots! This seems like a considerable sum of money which could be put to better use by us.

This large sum and the waiting time (given our age time is not something we have an abundance of) to get things going are giving us both cause for concern and we are exploring possible options. We have at least in theory 3 options, Spain, USA or Panama.

The question is what is invovled in my wife moving with me to Spain and how do we get jobs?

Grateful for any guidance


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## stuwoolf (Mar 11, 2018)

Any help?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

I would guess that you haven't had any response largely because of this question


> how do we get jobs?


Have a read of recent threads & you'll discover that although the unemployment situation in Spain is easing somewhat, it's still among the highest in Europe - so getting a proper contracted job is likely to be your stumbling block.

You, as the EU citizen, are required to register as resident within 90 days of your arrival. To do this, you have to have healthcare in place & either sufficient funds to support yourself, or a proper contracted job.

Once you are registered, your wife can then apply for residencia as the spouse of a registered EU citizen. You will have to prove that you can support her, & that she has healthcare in place. This has to be done within 90 days of her arrival, but once the application is in, she can stay until a decision is made one way or the other. 

If you don't have a contracted job, that will have to be 'money in the bank', and the healthcare cover for you both will have to be comprehensive private insurance.

If moving to Spain relies upon either one or both of you working here, it's likely to be no easier than moving to the UK.


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## stuwoolf (Mar 11, 2018)

xabiachica said:


> I would guess that you haven't had any response largely because of this question
> 
> Have a read of recent threads & you'll discover that although the unemployment situation in Spain is easing somewhat, it's still among the highest in Europe - so getting a proper contracted job is likely to be your stumbling block.
> 
> ...



Thanks for your response.

You mention "sufficient funds", what is considered sufficient and how much money in the bank is required?

What about healthcare insurance, from where can this be secured?

Given my wife is Panamanian born, are you able to advise if the Iberamerican element affects our position?

Thanks again for your reply.


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## stuwoolf (Mar 11, 2018)

stuwoolf said:


> Thanks for your response.
> 
> You mention "sufficient funds", what is considered sufficient and how much money in the bank is required?
> 
> ...



Can anyone help with my questions?

Grateful if you can.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

stuwoolf said:


> Can anyone help with my questions?
> 
> Grateful if you can.


There are no official figures for 'sufficient funds'. The extranjería where you apply will give you the figure for that area, at the time. 

In our http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/2725-faqs-lots-useful-info.html you'll find a section with information about health insurance with links to websites.

As far as I know, being Panamanian born makes no difference to visa requirements.


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## Phil Squares (Jan 13, 2017)

I might be able to help since my circumstances are similar but not the same. 

I am an Irish citizen, wife is American. Married in the early 80s and moved to the UK in 2000, then to Singapore and back to the UK in 2008. Wife took a teaching job (ICT teacher) to start in August. I am retired and receive a UK pension. Elected not to use the S1 as there was no agreement on post Brexit coverage. 

In order to get her NIE we needed to have medical coverage with zero deductible. In addition, needed to show an income stream of 750 Euros/person/month and savings of at least 10,000 Euros. This was what was required in Madrid. All documents had to be translated and marriage certificate had to be within the last 5 years. I was required to get my NIE first and then my wife, dependent of EU citizen could obtain her NIE. We used a law firm in Madrid, they were handling other things also, and the entire process from start to finish took about 6 weeks. The biggest delay was getting our marriage certificate re-issued from Texas and then translated. All bank documents and any other supporting documents needed to be translated by a translator "recommended" by the Madrid authorities. 

As far as work goes, once you have the NIE for all parties, you can then get jobs. How that works out, I have no clue. To be honest, unless you have a special skill, I would not expect to find work in Spain. You're not a Spanish citizen and rightly or wrongly, they have preference. 

Hope this helps.


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## stuwoolf (Mar 11, 2018)

Thanks for the latest help and guidance. I will away and do some reading.

Given what has been said about the prospects of employment, would buying a wee business be a better option? My wife is a trained nurse but for the last 20+ years ahe has been doing nail tech work. Maybe buying a nail business would be a better option. This line of work is very big business in US however unsure about demand in Spain. I suppose the tourist areas may be looking for such services but wouldnt want to live in a tourist area.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

stuwoolf said:


> Thanks for the latest help and guidance. I will away and do some reading.
> 
> Given what has been said about the prospects of employment, would buying a wee business be a better option? My wife is a trained nurse but for the last 20+ years ahe has been doing nail tech work. Maybe buying a nail business would be a better option. This line of work is very big business in US however unsure about demand in Spain. I suppose the tourist areas may be looking for such services but wouldnt want to live in a tourist area.


Honestly... doubtful, even in my dark corner of Spain there are nail bars, and I would have thought, tourist areas will already be chocked full, but like any business it’s all about location. 

I think most people on here would say, Spain is a great place to live etc etc, but high unemployment and although recovering from recession this is not a place to “take a punt” unless you can afford to lose. 

We always sound like old curmudgeons but it’s just as we see it

Wish you good luck


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Megsmum said:


> Honestly... doubtful, even in my dark corner of Spain there are nail bars, and I would have thought, tourist areas will already be chocked full, but like any business it’s all about location.
> 
> I think most people on here would say, Spain is a great place to live etc etc, but high unemployment and although recovering from recession this is not a place to “take a punt” unless you can afford to lose.
> 
> ...


I'd have to agree. There are dozens of beauty salons offering nail services amongst other things in the town where I live, and in some of them the advertised prices are so low I often wonder how they can keep going (manicures for between €5-8, for example). That's who the OP's wife would be competing with.

We know a young couple who moved here from overseas (not the UK). She is a qualified beautician and nail technician and opened a salon in Torre del Mar, thinking that it would be more successful in a more tourist-orientated town than where we live 5km inland. It dideks't even last a full year and she is now working for one of the home care agencies in the UK, flying over to do 2-week assignments then back here for 2 weeks, as her husband has not been able to find any work here either.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

There is an article here about the proliferation of these "low cost" establishments, which are having a devastating effect on traditional salons. We have two of them in my town alone.

Las peluquerías 'low cost' se multiplican en Málaga - La OpiniÃ³n de MÃ¡laga


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## stuwoolf (Mar 11, 2018)

Thanks Megsmum and Lynn R. Grateful for your honesty.

Looks like we need to think very carefully about our next step.

All the rules and requirements governing a move to Spain are most interesting. Much of what I have read seems to be weighted in favour of the indigenous population. How quaint.......if only UK had a similar outlook when it comes to immigration!

I say this as my wife and I are in the throes of trying to get her a Spouse visa. The biggest mistake we have made is to try to follow the immigration rules and do things legally! Its been a very difficult time for us.

Once again, thanks for all the help and guidance offered.


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## stuwoolf (Mar 11, 2018)

Lynn R said:


> There is an article here about the proliferation of these "low cost" establishments, which are having a devastating effect on traditional salons. We have two of them in my town alone.
> 
> Las peluquerías 'low cost' se multiplican en Málaga - La OpiniÃ³n de MÃ¡laga


I wonder if the "low cost" establishments are fully legal?


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

stuwoolf said:


> I wonder if the "low cost" establishments are fully legal?


I really don't know, but then again many ordinary Spanish businesses don't appear to be fully legal either, in that earnings are often under-reported for tax, payments in cash above the legal limit are still accepted, and I have been told quite openly by various businesses that if I don't want a factura (an invoice) then they won't charge IVA (VAT).

That particular chain is a franchise operation. No doubt the hairdressers and beauticians who work in them are not employees but "self-employed" so it will be down to them whether they declare their earnings fully or not.


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## Patico (Sep 24, 2017)

I am surprised that if they are not legal that they haven't been "denounced" by the legitimate traditional salons you mention, as we are all aware people here do love a "denuncia"


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Phil Squares said:


> All bank documents and any other supporting documents needed to be translated by a translator "recommended" by the Madrid authorities.


You have to use a translator "recommended" by the Madrid authorities, or it has to be a "traductor jurado" of which there is a list for every region?


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## Phil Squares (Jan 13, 2017)

The law firm we used in Madrid is very familiar with the ins and outs of the authorities in Madrid. The "recommended" list was shown to us and we left it up to the attorney which one to use. However, I can say a price list of all the translators was supplied to us by the firm and they were all pretty much the same. At the end of the day, the entire process went off without a hitch at all. There was no surprises when the documents were presented and to me, that's all that counts. 

At the end of the day, we could have used anyone, but we were paying them for their expertise and took their advice. All I know is we were in and out in less than 5 minutes for my NIE and there were others who were arguing with the clerks the entire time over various forms and documents. Good enough for me!!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Phil Squares said:


> The law firm we used in Madrid is very familiar with the ins and outs of the authorities in Madrid. The "recommended" list was shown to us and we left it up to the attorney which one to use. However, I can say a price list of all the translators was supplied to us by the firm and they were all pretty much the same. At the end of the day, the entire process went off without a hitch at all. There was no surprises when the documents were presented and to me, that's all that counts.
> 
> At the end of the day, we could have used anyone, but we were paying them for their expertise and took their advice. All I know is we were in and out in less than 5 minutes for my NIE and there were others who were arguing with the clerks the entire time over various forms and documents. Good enough for me!!


I was trying to clarify if the firm you used implied that you have to use a sworn translator off a particular list. *I understand why you would use the translators that they recommended,* but just so that other people know, there are many sworn translators in Spain (my BIL is one) and I'm am quite sure that you don't have to use any specific ones on a list ie you can look for your own translator if you wish.
Thank you for your information.


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## Phil Squares (Jan 13, 2017)

The list was of translators they had used previously in immigration matters. The translators were also approved by the immigration office in Madrid. Ultimately, you could use anyone you wanted. But, why bother.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Phil Squares said:


> The list was of translators they had used previously in immigration matters. The translators were also approved by the immigration office in Madrid. Ultimately, you could use anyone you wanted. But, why bother.


As I said, I understand why you went ahead and used the translator list already used and approved by them. I just thought that somebody, somewhere reading this thread might misunderstand and think that they had to use translators named on an official list and that is not so.
That's all!


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