EXTRA TIME FOR RESIDENCIAS

Sun Lawyers are the people to go to if you are looking to become a Spanish resident, and even with the new Brexit date of January 31st, there really isn’t that much time for you to get yourself legally set up here in Spain, though getting an appointment is getting easier. Come and see us first at Sun Lawyers to get the advice and help that you need to go through the process. It all may seem a bit daunting, but here at Sun Lawyers, we’ve lost count of how times we’ve gone through applying for a residencia down the decades, and it is straight-forward. Sun Lawyers will do virtually all the work for you to give you peace of mind, and make sure that you have all the correct documents to enjoy your time in Spain. Delays earlier this year in applying for a residencia have been largely cleared up, with a new quick appointment service introduced in Alicante City, and the good news is that in the south of Alicante Province, more appointments are available in Orihuela City. To get an Alicante City appointment, you need the following requirements:- If you are pensioner, you need your state pension paid directly into a Spanish account, which has been used on a regular basis for three months, ahead of applying for a residencia. You also need a S-1 certificate. If you are not working, you need a seven thousand euro average balance per person in your Spanish account over the last three months. Married dependant applicants without their own health care provision or financial means will need an up-to-date marriage certificate(no older than three months from the issue date) plus a legal translation from a Spanish-registered translator. Don’t forget that you should apply for a Spanish residency card if: You’ve spent more than 90 days in Spain. You want to be legal in Spain. You want to be legible for the Spanish healthcare system. Let’s examine those three points in more detail. You’re staying in Spain for over 90 days It’s all down to the law, and clearly states that if you spend more than 90 days in a 180 day period in Spain (or any other country in the Schengen area), then you must apply for a residency card, which in effect is a stay permit. The embassies of the EU have stipulated that as long as no other citizens from the Schengen area are obliged to obtain a Visa for the UK, then British citizens will have a reciprocal agreement to not require a Visa for the Schengen zone, but the 90 day rule will still apply. If you are from the UK, the Brexit issue is clouding the waters, but essentially you have to get yourself covered with a residencia, pure and simple, and we at Sun Lawyers can get that sorted for you and your partner and family. The proposed UK-EU withdrawal agreement allows residencias to continue, but they will then be swapped over to a different card, which the Spanish government said earlier this year would be a straight-forward process. That looks like being the case as well in a no-deal Brexit scenario according to Madrid, but you must get a residencia right now, and time is ticking by quickly, with under three months to go before the new January deadline. You want to be legal in Spain This is a simple matter of “peace of mind”, as doing everything according to Spanish rules can only bring benefits, and Sun Lawyers have the expertise to tell you what’s what! As an example, an EU person that is residing in Spain, once you have obtained your Spanish residency card, you then you have a period to switch your EU licence for a Spanish driving licence. Yes, EU driving licences are valid in Spain (as long as they have not expired), but since it looks likely that the UK will be leaving soon the EU, then you will see on the British Consulate website a recommendation that if you are resident in Spain, you need to stay within the law and swap over to a Spanish licence, rather than going through all kinds of hassles, some of which could cost you time and money. That’s just one example over being legal, and we at Sun Lawyers have the checklist that you need to make sure that you will be fine for many years to come. You want to use the Spanish healthcare system Essentially there are two main categories here: Limited and temporary healthcare in Spain. At present, this must be done through the EHIC health card, but this does not include ongoing treatments and as, yet no bi-lateral agreement has been signed to continue with this for UK citizens once the UK leaves the EU. Permanent all-inclusive healthcare in Spain. Right now, state pensioners from other EU member states can transfer their rights to health care from their country of origin with the S1, E121 & E106. In the future, we will see if it is still the case for UK citizens, depending on negotiations between UK and Spain in the case of a no-Brexit deal and what future deals are struck with the EU. Requirements for non-workers and early retirees to qualify is to have proof of Spanish residence during at least a year and then they can begin contributions (Convenio Especial). Sun Lawyers will sort that out for you, once you have got that residencia, and there are countless people that we have helped on that score, with many years of experience on how to do it. Ready to act? It is common for Sun Lawyers to see people postponing important decisions, like the need to apply for Spanish residency or sorting out the taxes or buying a home with a reputable lawyer. Don’t plough on without the right advice and experts behind you and get in touch with the English-speaking Sun Lawyers team to apply for your Spanish residency, which is imperative that you get right now! If you have any questions, then please send an email to admin@sun-lawyers.com or call on the office & ask for the Relocation Department on 965 321 193.