NON-LUCRATIVE RESIDENCY FOR BRITISH NATIONALS
September 2021 Sixth in Series
The Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa offers residency to British nationals who have the financial means to support themselves without working. The Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa scheme is therefore ideal if you are retired or have passive income, for example from a portfolio of properties or other investments.
WHAT DOES THE NON-LUCRATIVE VISA OFFER
The Visa allows full-time residency in Spain for up to 5 years, providing ongoing eligibility requirements continue to be met. The TIE, tarjeta de identidad de extranjero is the residency card that is issued. The first TIE is valid for 1 year and can be renewed twice for 2 years at a time. When 5 years of full- time residency has been completed, permanent residency can be applied for.
A VISA FOR FULL-TIME LIVING IN SPAIN
The Non-Lucrative Visa is intended for people who want to live in Spain full-time. Time spent in Spain does not count towards the Schengen limit, so travel in the rest of the Schengen area up to 3 months out of 6 months, is also still possible.
Spouse or legal partner, children under 18 years and dependent ascendants can also obtain residency in Spain under the Non-Lucrative Visa scheme. This of course providing there are sufficient financial means to support all applicants.
As there is a minimum amount of time that must be spent in Spain to be able to renew residency, it may be not ideal for holiday homeowners who want to spend more than 3 months all in one go, but typically spend less than 6 months altogether, e.g. 5 months over the winter.
APPLYING FOR A NON-LUCRATIVE VISA & RESIDENCY?
British nationals who wish to get a Non-Lucrative Visa, must apply for it at the Spanish Consulate in the UK, or if they reside in another country, through the consulate of that country. Once the visa has been approved, it’s valid for 90 days from the date of issue. During this time the holder must travel to Spain and apply for their residency card – TIE. The application for the TIE, must be made within 30 days of arrival in Spain.
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Read more: www.lifestylegroup.es/non-lucrative-visa
Email: nlv@lifestylegroup.es
Call: +34 951775544 +44 33 000 10 777
GOLDEN VISA RESIDENCY FOR BRITISH NATIONALS
August 2021 Fifth in Series
The Real Estate Investor ‘Golden’ Visa offers residency to individuals who invest or who have invested €500,000 or more into real estate in Spain.
Since the scheme came into existence in 2013, the main nationalities benefiting have been Chinese, Russian and US. However now that the UK is no longer in the EU, Brits can now take advantage of this visa to gain no strings attached residency.
WHAT DOES THE GOLDEN VISA OFFER
The visa is valid for 1 year and entitles the holder to apply for a residency card, or TIE, tarjeta de identidad de extranjero, which is valid for 2 years and renewable indefinitely, providing the minimum level of investment and other eligibility requirements are maintained.
A VISA FOR RESIDENCE, WORK, TRAVEL & PART TIME LIVING IN SPAIN
Golden Visa Residency allows the holder and their family to remain in Spain for an unlimited period of time. Time spent in Spain does not count towards the Schengen limit, so travel in the rest of the Schengen area up to 3 months out of 6 months, is also still possible.
Spouse or legal partner, children under 18 years and dependent ascendants can also obtain residency under the Golden Visa scheme, so the entire family can benefit. The investor and family members can also work or run a business in Spain if they so wish.
As there is no minimum amount of time that must be spent in Spain to keep residency. This makes the Golden Visa ideal for British ‘swallows’, owners of second homes, who want to spend the winter months in Spain.
APPLYING FOR A GOLDEN VISA
The application can be made via the Spanish Consulate in the UK, in which case a visa is issued, or if the applicant is already in Spain, residency permission can be applied for directly. The visa is the only one where the initial application can be made by a representative, the investor however, has to apply in person for their TIE.
Read more: www.lifestylegroup.es/golden-visa
Contact: gv@lifestylegroup.es /
34 951775544 +44 33 000 10 777
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HEALTHCARE IN SPAIN: FORTH IN SERIES
The public healthcare service, despite severe cuts as a consequence of the economic crisis of the last few years, is still rated among the world’s best.
If you are a non Spanish national living in Spain, you are entitled to state healthcare, if you are:
• Employed or self-employed and pay social security.
• In receipt of certain state benefits.
• Recently divorced or separated from a partner who pay social security.
• A child or pregnant.
• Under 26 and studying.
• A state pensioner (over 65).
REGISTERING FOR HEALTHCARE: With your social security number you will also be given a certificate stating that you’re entitled to medical care. Take the certificate, your passport and NIE number (foreigner’s identity number) along to your local health centre. You can then register with a doctor and apply for a health card (Tarjeta Sanitaria Individual or TSI). The health centre will also be able to arrange for you to get a Sistema de Informacion Poblacional or SIP card. You’ll need to show it every time you visit a clinic, hospital or collect a prescription from a pharmacy.
GOING TO THE DOCTOR: In Spain, you get primary heath care through a health centre (Centro de Salud or Centro de Asistencia Primaria or CAP), or a general doctor (Médico de Cabecera). You have the right to be accompanied by a friend or relative during consultations. You can change doctors easily, just by re-registering.
GOING TO SEE A SPECIALIST: If you want to be seen by a medical specialist in Spain you’ll need to be referred by a family doctor. If you have private health insurance, you’ll be able to see a specialist much faster than going through the public system.
HOSPITALS: In an emergency you go straight to a hospital. The Spanish word for A&E or ER is Urgencias. If you want to get any other type of hospital treatment, you’ll need a referral from a doctor. There are public and private hospitals. Only the public hospitals provide free treatment. When you go to hospital you’ll need to show your social security card, EHIC, or proof of private insurance. If you are discharged from a hospital and need medication, you take the hospital medical report to a pharmacy for the prescription to be fulfilled.
PREGNANCY & MATERNITY CARE: The standard of care for pregnant women in Spain is highly regarded in both the private and public sectors. The degree of medical contact is reasonably high, with an initial appointment with a doctor or midwife (Comadrona/Llevadora) to confirm the pregnancy, antenatal appointments and hospital scans. Most births take place in a hospital although home births are becoming increasingly popular. A word of warning: if you wish to give birth at a private clinic, it’s advisable to take out medical insurance well ahead of getting pregnant otherwise it might be hard to find an insurer.
VISITING THE DENTIST: Dental treatment is not covered by the state healthcare system unless in an emergency. You must either pay for dental treatment unless you have private health insurance. Dental surgeries are everywhere in Spanish towns, so you won´t have trouble finding one.
PHARMACIES: Look for a store with a large green cross sign outside. Farmacias are usually open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 2pm and 4pm to 9.30pm, and Saturdays 9.30am to 2pm. There’s usually a notice on the pharmacy window or door with details of the nearest 24-hour pharmacy (Farmacia de Guardia).
IN AN EMERGENCY: In a serious, life-threatening emergency, call the pan-European number 112 – free of charge from any mobile/cell phone or landline.
Other emergency numbers include:
• 060 for an Ambulance (Ambulancia)
• 961 496 199 – Emergency dentists
• 963 600 313 – On duty pharmacy
JUNE 2021: THIRD IN SERIES
British nationals moving to Spain are now subject to general immigration rules for citizens of third countries. This means that in most cases, the procedure and requirements for a British national to get Spanish residency, there is a requirement to get a visa first, before obtaining a residency card, ‘tarjeta de identidad de extranjero, or ‘TIE’ as its commonly known
SPANISH RESIDENCY VISAS FOR BRITISH NATIONALS THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF THE TYPES OF SPANISH RESIDENCY VISAS THAT BRITISH NATIONALS CAN APPLY FOR:
SPANISH RESIDENCY VISAS FOR BRITISH NATIONALS
This is summary of the types of Spanish residency visas that British Nationals can apply for
NON-LUCRATIVE VISA
This visa for Spanish residency is for those who have the financial means to support themselves without working whilst residing in Spain. Residents with this visa cannot engage in any economic activity in Spain, so it’s suitable for retired individuals or those who have other secure financial means, such as substantial cash savings.
INVESTMENT ‘GOLDEN’ VISA
British Nationals can obtain a Spanish residency visa under the Spain’s Investment Permit Program. More commonly known as the ‘Golden Visa’, it allows the investor and their families to get Spanish residency by investing in Spain. The minimum qualifying investment is €500,000 into property.
WORK & ENTREPRENEUR VISAS
To apply for a Work Visa, an offer and contract of employment from a Spanish employer. There are a few exemptions from the requirement for a Spanish work visa. There are also visa for those wishing to start a business, expand their existing business into Spain, or to work on self-employed basis.
APPLYING FOR SPANISH RESIDENCY VISAS
The Spanish residency visa application is made in person at the Spanish Consulate in the UK. The Investor ‘Golden’ Visa, can be applied for by a legal representative. Once you arrive in Spain with the visa, the application for the TIE, ‘tarjeta de identidad de extranjero’, is made.
EXCEPTIONS TO THE VISA REQUIREMENT
Certain family members of British Nationals that already reside in Spain have an automatic right to residency, e.g. spouse and children. An individual that was already living in Spain (legally) before 31 December and can prove this, may also be apply to get residency under pre-Brexit Withdrawal Agreement terms
Read more:
www.lifestylegroup.es/spanish-residency-visas Call: (+34) 951 77 55 44 or (+44) 033 000 10 777
MAY 2021: SECOND IN SERIES
WHAT IS THE WITHDRAWAL AGREEMENT TIE
AND DO I HAVE TO GET ONE?
The withdrawal agreement TIE ‘tarjeta de identidad de extranjero’ has been in place since July 2020. It is a special foreigners ID card for British nationals which indicates the holders retained EU rights under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.
British nationals who already have a Spanish residency certificate, can exchange it for the TIE.
At the moment exchange is voluntary, both the old green residency certificates, A4 and credit card sized, remain valid for UK nationals and also prove the holders residency and retained rights under the withdrawal agreement.
The card is a full bio-metric national ID card, therefore much more useful than the old paper certificate, and the exchange process is straight forward so it’s worth doing.
IS IT TOO LATE TO EXCHANGE MY UK DRIVING
LICENCE FOR A SPANISH ONE?
If you registered your intent to exchange your driving licence with the DGT (trafico), before 31st December 2020, then you can complete the exchange of your licence to a Spanish one. If you didn’t register your intent, then at the moment it is not possible to exchange you licence.
Spain and the UK have to set in place a new agreement for exchange of driving licences. For now, if you were already resident in Spain on the 1st January 2021, your UK licence remains valid until 30th June 2021. Otherwise, if you got your residency after 1st January, its valid for 6 months from the date your residency was approved.
CAN I STILL GET AN S1 AND REGISTER IN THE
SPANISH STATE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM?
The final Brexit agreement retained the reciprocal arrangement for social security cooperation. This means that British nationals who are resident in Spain who qualify, can still access the Spanish state healthcare system via the S1.
You can request your S1 by calling the Overseas Healthcare service on +44 191 218 1999.
If you have more questions about living in Spain after Brexit or need help getting things set up
https://lifestylegroup.es/everyday-services
