# Spanish sim card / renting / registering as resident



## Ben100 (Sep 19, 2014)

Hi, this is my first time posting here. I'm moving to Frigiliana in southern Spain this Thursday and was hoping someone might have a tip on where to purchase a Spanish sim card, thanks.


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## fcexpat (Sep 25, 2014)

Hi Ben, I'm new to this as well and we're moving to the Nerja area in November and will need the same info so I'll follow your post with interest. Sorry I can't help you at the moment mate


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## fcexpat (Sep 25, 2014)

Just a thought, we stayed last Christmas at the Jimasol hotel on calle chaperil. Just around the corner, the street with Santander bank on the corner is a communications sort of shop. The guy's a brit, we intend to look in to him again when we get there in November to find similar things out, internet etc etc. I'm sure he would sort it out for you or tell you where to go. Hope this helps a little.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

In the same place you'd expect to purchase a SIM card in the UK......at phone shops -Orange, Movistar, Jazztel, whichever network you select - or in some supermarkets, such as Carrefour.


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## Ben100 (Sep 19, 2014)

fcexpat said:


> Just a thought, we stayed last Christmas at the Jimasol hotel on calle chaperil. Just around the corner, the street with Santander bank on the corner is a communications sort of shop. The guy's a brit, we intend to look in to him again when we get there in November to find similar things out, internet etc etc. I'm sure he would sort it out for you or tell you where to go. Hope this helps a little.


Thanks for that info. We're moving from London and renting a finca just outside Frigiliana. Will you be living in Nerja itself? I was listening to a Spanish radio station here in London and I believe you can now get broadband without needing a telephone line, for Euro 19.99 a month.


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## Ben100 (Sep 19, 2014)

Thanks


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## Expatliving (Oct 21, 2013)

I guess you would need a NIE number for a contracted SIM? Otherwise, it's just purchase as suggested above, but remember to keep the SIM topped up, or the number associated with the SIM will stop working.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

It depends on which company as to whether you need an NIE. Vodafone you do and Orange you can use your passport number. At least that was the case for us in Alicante.

Hitsmobile/movil seem to be OK from what I have heard, you can order it online and have it sent to you. No NIE required either.


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## fcexpat (Sep 25, 2014)

Ben100 said:


> Thanks for that info. We're moving from London and renting a finca just outside Frigiliana. Will you be living in Nerja itself? I was listening to a Spanish radio station here in London and I believe you can now get broadband without needing a telephone line, for Euro 19.99 a month.


It's looking like Nerja, her indoors wants to walk the beach every morning it seems. Broadband info is good, we're taking our Huawei myfi and hoping to change the sim. If that works and the net speed is good it should be a piece of cake.
Question for you now, we've heard vicious rumours that real estate agencies charge for introducing you to the property you pick. Did you find that with the finca you've rented ?


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## Ben100 (Sep 19, 2014)

fcexpat said:


> It's looking like Nerja, her indoors wants to walk the beach every morning it seems. Broadband info is good, we're taking our Huawei myfi and hoping to change the sim. If that works and the net speed is good it should be a piece of cake.
> Question for you now, we've heard vicious rumours that real estate agencies charge for introducing you to the property you pick. Did you find that with the finca you've rented ?


We're viewing properties this coming Saturday although we have a pretty good idea which one we want. The agent hasn't mentioned anything about a charge. I asked him about initial cost and he tells me we need the deposit, 2 months rent in advance and all local taxes are included. I'll let you know. We're using Burriana estate agency. So far he's been very helpful. Will you be applying for an NIE? It seems confusing, also I'm not sure if the European health is accepted in many hospitals in Spain?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Ben100 said:


> We're viewing properties this coming Saturday although we have a pretty good idea which one we want. The agent hasn't mentioned anything about a charge. I asked him about initial cost and he tells me we need the deposit, 2 months rent in advance and all local taxes are included. I'll let you know. We're using Burriana estate agency. So far he's been very helpful. Will you be applying for an NIE? It seems confusing, also I'm not sure if the European health is accepted in many hospitals in Spain?


for a furnished rented property you would (legally) pay 1 month rent in advance & two months returnable deposit - non-furnished is one month returnable deposit

most agents do indeed charge a finders fee on top - sometimes the tenant pays, sometimes the owner, sometimes it's shared


if you're moving here you are obliged to register as resident at the extranjería/national police within 90 days - they'll issue a NIE then if you don't already have one

you will need to show sufficient funds/income & healthcare provision

you can't use your EHIC - that's only for holidaymakers - so if you don't have an S1 from the UK you will need private healthcare


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Ben100 said:


> We're viewing properties this coming Saturday although we have a pretty good idea which one we want. The agent hasn't mentioned anything about a charge. I asked him about initial cost and he tells me we need the deposit, 2 months rent in advance and all local taxes are included. I'll let you know. We're using Burriana estate agency. So far he's been very helpful. Will you be applying for an NIE? It seems confusing, also I'm not sure if the European health is accepted in many hospitals in Spain?


It's not really confusing at all. 

If you plan on staying here as a resident, then you need to get a certificate of registration. This will include an NIE unless you already have one. Sometimes it is more practical to get the NIE first and then the certificate of registration.

The EHIC is accepted in *ALL *public hospitals in Spain. However, as a resident in Spain, you will not legally be allowed to use it!


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## fcexpat (Sep 25, 2014)

Ben100 said:


> We're viewing properties this coming Saturday although we have a pretty good idea which one we want. The agent hasn't mentioned anything about a charge. I asked him about initial cost and he tells me we need the deposit, 2 months rent in advance and all local taxes are included. I'll let you know. We're using Burriana estate agency. So far he's been very helpful. Will you be applying for an NIE? It seems confusing, also I'm not sure if the European health is accepted in many hospitals in Spain?


NIE is something we've got to look forward to along with the other paperwork. To be honest we're going to refuse to pay two months rent, one month is the legal requirement it seems. We are not going to be ripped off. If they want to rent out their property they'll accept one month I'm sure. There's properties we've been looking at for months on the websites, the same ones, so negotiations to be done as well !! There's more properties out there than potential tenants mate so ball is in our court so to speak don't you think !! Get it right to begin with !! As far as health cover is concerned I believe we're covered with European health insurance card which reminds us ours needs renewing. With us being retired we'll be ok when we achieve residency for health cover but I've read that private med ins. is quite reasonable anyway. Hope you find what you want for the right price !!


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

fcexpat said:


> NIE is something we've got to look forward to along with the other paperwork. To be honest we're going to refuse to pay two months rent, one month is the legal requirement it seems. We are not going to be ripped off. If they want to rent out their property they'll accept one month I'm sure. There's properties we've been looking at for months on the websites, the same ones, so negotiations to be done as well !! There's more properties out there than potential tenants mate so ball is in our court so to speak don't you think !! Get it right to begin with !! As far as health cover is concerned I believe we're covered with European health insurance card which reminds us ours needs renewing. With us being retired we'll be ok when we achieve residency for health cover but I've read that private med ins. is quite reasonable anyway. Hope you find what you want for the right price !!


Why do you think that given my previous post? The EHIC is ONLY for when you are on holiday (that is, less than 90 days in one visit in Spain).

As you say, if you are receiving a state pension from UK, then you can apply for an S1 from DWP which will give you health cover in Spain.


Regarding the rent deposit, it's only one month if the property is unfurnished - but it's all negotiable.

As a landlord, I would love to get more of a deposit as one month's simply won't cover potential bills. I rent out 1-bed apartments for between 200 and 250€ per month. This would barely cover any outstanding bills when the tenant left. It also doesn't cover the sort of cleaning and repainting that I've just had to do after a tenant left after 3 months due to ill health.

Re your point about properties still being advertised - it's quite hard to get these removed sometimes when they are rented out .


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Ben100 said:


> Thanks for that info. We're moving from London and renting a finca just outside Frigiliana. Will you be living in Nerja itself? I was listening to a Spanish radio station here in London and I believe you can now get broadband without needing a telephone line, for Euro 19.99 a month.


I wouldn't assume that broadband will be available in all areas, and certaiinly not in rural ones, for that price.

I have a 20mb connection from a local cable company for €18 per month inc IVA (and we don't have a phone line), but I live in the middle of a large town and afaik there isn't a similar company in Nerja, let alone in the campo outside Frigiliana. Fibre optic is pretty much only available in the major cities, up to now.

You can get wimax broadband from a number of different providers but it is considerably more expensive than the price you quoted and the speed offered is normally UP TO 10mb (often quite a bit less in actual speed achieved). There is almost always a fair usage policy which caps your streaming ability which can be a problem if you want to use it for watching UK tv as we have to down here since the satellite option disappeared earlier this year.


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## fcexpat (Sep 25, 2014)

Hope everything has worked out for you and you have the place you wanted, we arrive on 14th November and will go through the same exercise.


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