Permits to live in Spain

Permits needed to live in Spain In theory, EU citizens no longer need a Resident's Permit. In practice not all government departments have changed their internal rules to handle that. You must have a NIE - Numero de Identidad de Extranjero. You will also need to consider in which country to be domiciled for taxation purposes - Spain or your home country. That is a matter for discussion with the appropriate expert, but if you are a full time resident here then it is of course to the Spanish authorities that you will need to submit returns. They are tough on enforcing rules, but the general rule seems to be not to enquire too too closely about the tax affairs of foreign residents - they are bringing money into the Spanish economy! If you become a permanent resident, there are a number of matters that will need attention.

1. You will want to transfer your Social Security entitlements to Spain as well. To do that you first need to contact the appropriate department in the UK - the DHSS. They are generally well-informed and helpful. The process in Spain can be a little tedious however.
2. You will need to obtain Spanish license plates for your car if you bring it from the UK, and pay a tax based on its value. This is enough to be a nuisance. There is a case for selling in the UK, and buying locally ? let alone the fact that it is helpful to have the steering wheel on the correct side.
3. Your English driving license is only valid for 6 months, and not at all if you drive a car registered to you in Spain. You need to exchange your British license for a Spanish driving license. This is one of the departments that insists on you having Resident?s Permit. They are wrong, but it is useless arguing.

As elsewhere, we adivse that you use a gestor. This is a very useful service. A gestor acts as your intermediary with all Spanish government departments, saving you from having to stand in endless queues to deal with a rather less than helpful officialdom in a language that you may well not speak fluently. We will be glad to put you in contact with a gestoria in your town.