The Convenio Especial is Social Security scheme which allows individuals who don’t otherwise qualify Spanish state healthcare, to make voluntary social security payments to access the system.

You can apply to register in the Convenio Especial scheme in your region, if you have been resident in Spain for 12 months.

The Convenio Especial social security payment is €60 per month if you are under 65, and €157 for those over 65, and gives you full access to the Spanish state healthcare system.  Pre-existing conditions are covered, however, general pharmaceutical prescriptions, ortho-prosthetics, dietary prescriptions and non-urgent medical transport are not.

What’s required to apply for Healthcare under the Convenio Especial?

You’ll need the following:

• Application form*
• Passport
• NIE, residency certificate or TIE (some places will not accept NIE – only green residency certificate or TIE)
• Padron Certificate
• Proof of non-entitlement to healthcare provided by another country

*Note – each autonomous region has its’s own application form and process.  Below is is a link to the form for the region of Andalucia:

We get asked a lot of questions about schools and the system of education in Spain. A lot these questions are answered in our in Spain mini guides.  Being based in the Costa del Sol, we also often get asked by people moving to or planning to move to the area, about International Schools in Costa del Sol, so we’ve created a list of those that we know.

International Schools Marbella:

The ‘padrón’ is the municipal register of inhabitants.  It records how many people are registered as living in each Town Hall ‘municipality’.  The list is also used by the National Institute of Statistics, the INE, (Instituto Nacional de Estadística de España) to complete a national census every year.  The word ‘padrón’ is an abbreviation of the word ’empadronamiento’ which means census.

The Origin of the ‘Padrón’

The origins of the ‘padrón’ have been traced back by historians to a census conducted in Spain called the `Secretaría de la Balanza´ who put forward the national control of the population – the `Padrón de Calle-Hita’.  Today’s laws regarding the ‘padrón’ stipulate that everybody who resides in Spain should be registered on it.  Part time residents, such as holiday home owners can register voluntarily.

When you register you are given a certificate, (certificado de empadronamiento), which is often required by the authorities as proof of where you live, when you use or apply for public services. The registry entry should therefore also record all the names of all people living at the address, including children, so that they appear on the certificate, as well.

Some examples of things that a padrón certificate is required for are-

Modelo 720 is the form which has to be completed by Spanish residents to declare overseas assets to the Tax Office.  The requirement applies to anyone who lives in Spain, who owns, or is beneficiary to overseas assets worth €50,000 or more.

The Modelo 720 overseas assets reporting requirement, was introduced to clamp down on tax fraud being committed by Spanish residents who have acquired, or intend to acquire, assets, and or hide wealth outside of Spain in order to evade paying tax.  You can read more about this in our article – Overseas Assets Declaration.

The TIE, Tarjeta de Indentidad de Extranjero, is the Spanish identification card for citizens from third countries (non-EU) who reside in Spain.  Since July 2020 British UK nationals moving to Spain have also had to apply for this card, as the UK is no longer in the EU.

If you already have a Spanish residency certificate, you do not have to apply for the TIE, but you can voluntarily exchange your certificate for the card.

Both the Spanish and UK Government websites and their Consulate pages confirm that the green residency certificate, A4 and credit card sized, remain valid for UK nationals and prove the holders residency and retained rights under the withdrawal agreement, having settled in Spain before the UK left the EU.  However considering the issues some have encountered during the recent Covid19 travel restrictions, e.g. multiple incidences of authorities and airlines not understanding the rules and denying certificate holders entry to Spain, it is advisable to get the TIE.

Aside from this the card is a full bio-metric national ID card, therefore so much more useful than the paper certificate.  The card also has the words ARTICULO 50 TUE, a reference to note that the holder was resident in Spain before the end of the transition period and has retained rights.

‘Semana Blanca’ and ‘dia de Andalucia’ (white week and Andalusia day), are a school holiday week in Málaga and a regional holiday in Andalucia.

Semana Blanca

During ‘Semana Blanca’ the majority of the schools are closed for a week to ‘catch up’ with the number of  the number of school days off for public holidays, compared to the rest of Spain.

Every province or region in Spain has their own traditions and festivities for which schools are closed.  Some places have a few less public holidays than others, so to be fair to students in Málaga, they give extra time off in ‘la Semana Blanca’ to balance things out.

Why is it called Semana Blanca?

Advice on the Gov.UK points out that ‘rules for driving, passports, EHIC cards, pet travel and more may change from 1 January 2021’.  This is because on that date, as it stands the transition period ends and the UK will be out of the EU without a deal have been agreed.  Even if a deal is a agreed things may well be different for British Nationals driving in Spain post brexit.

This is a summary of some key points for British UK nationals relating to driving in Spain, after the transition period ends.

Driving Licences

An international driving permit (IDP) to drive with a UK licence.  If you’re moving to Spain, you won’t need an IDP, but you will need to exchange your licence for a Spanish one.  At the moment, this is a straight forward swap.  When the transition period ends, British Nationals living in Spain who haven’t already swapped their UK licence, may have to take a full driving test to get a Spanish driving licence.

Read more about exchanging a UK driving licence

Insurance

UK motor insurance currently provides as a minimum, third party cover to drive your vehicle as a tourist in EU countries.  If you are moving to Spain and taking a vehicle, you should check the cover they are able to provide, and whether a UK policy will still be valid after the end of the transition period.  In the even of there being no deal, UK financial service providers including inserance companies, will not be allowed to provide service to people residing in Spain, unless they have set up in the EU.

Find insurance in Spain

Registering a UK Vehicle

UK vehicles are currently treated the same as vehicles from other EU countries when it comes to registering them in Spain.

If no deal is agreed stating otherwise, when the transition period ends, UK cars brought to Spain will be treated as non-EU imports.  This means they will need to go through customs.

They will attract a 10% customs duty plus customs and handling fees ranging from €200 – €300 on top of the usual registration costs.

Have a look at our services for registering a UK car onto Spanish number plates

If you have questions about driving in Spain post brexit, the Gov.UK website has a section dedicated to this and many other Brexit related topics.

Read the full UK Government guidance relating to driving in Spain

[iframely]https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad[/iframely]

Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party swept to victory in a decisive election outcome, winning on the promise to ‘Get Brexit Done’.  His withdrawal agreement wasvoted through, and albeit with a handful of challenges, the Bill was passed.

The agreement has now been signed by both sides, and will be passed by EU parliament.  The deadlock surrounding Brexit, and a lot of uncertainty has now come to an end.

The UK will be leaving the EU on the 31st January, with ‘a deal’. Brexit is going to happen. But those who voted Conservative because they just want to ‘get Brexit done’, need to think again if they are feeling relieved and think that it’s now all done and dusted.

For a long time private holiday rental regulation in Andalucia was uncontrolled.  This changed at the beginning of 2016, when the regional government, Junta de Andalucia, brought in a host of regulations to conform with changes in national legislation.

Properties under Holiday Rental Regulation in Andalucia

Holiday rental regulation in Andalucia applies to:

• Individual privately owned properties where the complete dwelling is let for holiday purposes.
• Rooms in individually privately owned properties, in which the owner resides, e.g. bed & breakfast, Airbnb.

The maximum capacity, i.e. number of beds/people that can stay in the accommodation is limited by the occupation license, subject to overall maximum of 15 beds for complete dwellings and for bed & breakfast type arrangements – 6 beds, with no more than 4 beds in any one room.

Owners of holiday rental properties that fall into these categories, firstly need to list their property with the Registry of Tourism of Andalusia (RTA), in order to meet the first part of the regulatory requirements; secondly, meet the requirements within a year. During this time owners will not be allowed to host tourists/rent accommodation until fully compliant.

The Requirements of Holiday Rental Regulation in Andalucia

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Countdown to Brexit

The extension of article 50 has put the clock back on Brexit.  This is good news for Brits in Spain, especially those who haven’t yet managed to get their Spanish residency paperwork sorted out.  In addition to time being bought, the chance of a no deal Brexit has also reduced considerably.  MP’s voted in March, (albeit narrowly), to reject a no deal Brexit under any circumstances.

Deal or no deal Brexit what difference does it make?

Whilst a no deal Brexit seems to be off the cards at least for now, it could still happen.  So if you are a UK national living in Spain,it’s still important to understand how you may be affected in this Brexit scenario.

If the UK eventually departs under the agreed Brexit deal, even though it may no be the best deal, at least we can expect that the future outside of the EU, will include some continuation of current rights afforded to UK citizens in the EU, and vice versa.  There will also be the ‘transitional period’, during which time the agreement will be worked into place. For the UK and it’s citizens, nothing will change during this time.  The UK will remain ‘in the EU’ during this transitional period, before finally leaving.

When it comes to a no deal, or hard Brexit, the United Kingdom will cease to be part of the EU and become a 3rd country.  Unless the member state they reside in has legislated otherwise, UK citizens will overnight lose their EU rights.  This could have profound implications for many living in the EU.

EU Freedoms

The founding principles of the EU are the free movement of goods, services, labour and capital.  These principles allow residents in member states freedom to live, work, and travel anywhere in the EU, and provide other entitlements as EU citizens.

In a no deal Brexit scenario, UK nationals will be restricted to visits of 90 days to EU countries.  There will be no automatic right to work and reside.  EU states will be able to impose 3rd country tariffs on goods being imported, and set special tax rates.

How will a no deal Brexit impact on UK citizens in Spain?

In the event that the UK becomes a 3rd country at Brexit, numerous, freedoms, rights and entitlements currently taken for granted, will disappear.

There was more good news for Brits in Spain earlier this year.   The Spanish Government published it’s ‘No Deal Brexit’ Contingency Plan.  The Contingency Plan confirms that the the Spanish EU registration document, (residency certificate), can be used by Brits to confirm legal residence in Spain, and thus entitlement to preservation of existing EU citizen rights.  The plan also makes provision for those residing in Spain who’ve not obtained their residency certificate before Brexit, to obtain residency documentation.

Read more about Brexit and Spanish Residency for British Nationals.

Is there anything I need to do?

Deal or no deal, things will change either way, just more so in the event of a no deal Brexit.  British nationals who plan to move to Spain, or that already live here and want to continue doing so, should do everything possible to show that they are settled in Spain before Brexit.

The UK Government brought in a process for EU citizens in the UK to get certification of their ‘settled status’. They also indicated that some EU citizens who are unable to prove their settled status, may face deportation.

Spain has defined it’s process for UK nationals to prove their ‘settled status.  Those without a residency certificate, will not be ‘authorised to reside in Spain’.  This will not be an immediate issue, as the no deal Brexit legislation passed by the Spanish Government, provides a grace period for Brits who haven’t have got their ‘settled status’ to do so.  This legislation however, also makes clear, that British nationals ‘unsettled’ before Brexit, i.e. without a residency certificate, will be treated differently to to those who obtained their certificate BEFORE the UK leaves the EU.

For Brits living in Spain or planning to do so, the answer to this question is simple.  If you haven’t already done so, get your residency certificate as soon as possible.

Need help getting your residency certificate?

Spanish Residency – Made Easy!

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