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EU Travel Rules For Non-EU Family Members of EU Citizens

The EU travel rules for non-EU family members of EU citizens are different to the general rules for other nationals of non-EU countries. If you are a citizen of an EU country living in or or travelling to another EU country, your family can join you, including core family members who are not EU citizens.

Spanish residency card for family member of an EU citizen
Spanish Residency for non-EU family members of an EU citizen in Spain

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Consulate of Spain Houston
Spanish Consulates in the USA

There are nine Spanish Consulates in the USA including Puerto Rico.  The Consulates of Spain in the United States of America provide a number of legal and administrative services to both Spanish citizens and those intending to travel to or do business with Spain.  This includes processing long term visa applications such as the non-lucrative

Spanish Embassy USA
Spanish Non Lucrative Visa for Retirees Who Want to Live in Spain

The Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa offers residency to nationals from non-EU countries who have the financial means to support themselves without working.  The Non-Lucrative Visa residency scheme is therefore ideal if you are retired or have passive income, for example from a portfolio of properties or other investments.  The Non-Lucrative Visa is for people who intend

San Juan

San Juan is a festival celebrated on the night / morning of 23rd / 24th of June.  A magical night that welcomes the summer season, the celebrations take place during the shortest night of the year; the summer solstice. The festivities are usually held on the beach with friends around bonfires with drinks, food and

Tax in Spain for Residents and Non-Residents

Understanding tax in Spain is essential, not just if you live here, but also if you own a property in Spain. The Spanish tax year runs from 1st of January to 31st December.  Residents have to complete their income tax return, declaracion de la renta, by 30th of June the following year, and non-residents have until

British Mums in Spain Get Two Mothers Days

Aside from the sunshine and many other perks of living in Spain, British mums can enjoy two special days every year. Today is mothering Sunday in the UK, and people and families all over the country will be appreciating their mothers and treating them to a special day. In Spain the equivalent day, ‘el dia

Processionary Caterpillars – Marching in March

Processionary Caterpillars, the larvae of the Pine Processionary moth,(Thaumetopoea pityocampa), usually start emerging February to April onwards.  So by March they will typically be getting their marching in full swing. However with the mild winters we’ve been experiencing in their range in Southern Spain, processions are being spotted in some parts a lot earlier, frequently as early as

Digital Nomad Visa Spain
Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa for Remote and Online Workers

Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa and Residency is now more than a year old and has become the second most popular Spanish residency after the Non-Lucrative Visa.  This visa or residency permit allows the holder to live in Spain and work remotely or online.  It can be applied directly in Spain, or via the Spanish Consulate

Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa Applications in the UK handled by BLS International Visa Centres

All three Spanish Consulates in the UK have outsourced handling of Non-Lucrative Visa applications to BLS International. The consulates in London and Edinburgh were the first to make the switch at the start of summer in 2023 at the onset of Student Visa application processing. Manchester consulate continued handling Non-Lucrative Visa applications in house, though

non lucrative visa
The Requirements and Costs for British Nationals to Get Spanish Non-Lucrative Visas

It’s now the beginning of the 4th year since the UK left the EU changing the requirement and costs for British nationals to get residency in Spain.  British nationals apply for a Spanish residency visa if they want to live in Spain, and by far the most popular is the Non-Lucrative Visa. We initially published

Visas Residency Marbella
Spanish Residency Requirements for British Citizens and UK Nationals 2024

British citizens / UK nationals now have to follow the same process as other non-EU national citizens of third countries to get Spanish residency, i.e. there is a requirement to first obtain a visa. The financial means required for a British Citizen / UK national to obtain a residency visa, is a lot higher than

BLS Visa Centre Non-Lucrative Visa Applications Spanish Consulate London
Spanish Consulate London and BLS International Visa Centre

The Spanish Consulate in London covers the southern counties of the UK, Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories.  So if you live in East Anglia, the South East or the South West, you’ll take your application to the BLS International Visa Centre in London which handles visa processing for the Consulate of Spain in London.

Spanish Non Lucrative Visa London
Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa for UK British Nationals

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 income from rental properties or other investments.  The Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa is intended for full-time residency in Spain,

Spanish residency for a non-EU family member of a British national who is resident in Spain under the withdrawal agreement

The withdrawal agreement guaranteed EU rights for British citizens and UK nationals that were legally resident in Spain before ‘Brexit’, and a special residency card was introduced.  The withdrawal agreement TIE,tarjeta de indentidad de extranjero, for resident Brits in July 2020.  The ‘Brexit’ foreigner’s ID card recognises the holders pre-Brexit rights and most British citizens

BLS Manchester Non Lucrative Visa Applications
Spanish Consulate Manchester and BLS International Visa Centre

The Spanish Consulate in Manchester covers Central UK.  So if you live in the Midlands, the North West, Isle of Man or Wales, you’ll take your application to the BLS International Visa Centre in Salford Manchester, which handles visa processing for the Consulate of Spain in Manchester. Locations that come under the Spanish Consulate in

Register a UK car onto Spanish plates
Register a UK Car in Spain

The UK is no longer in the EU and the process and costs to register a UK car in Spain are a lot more than they were before Brexit. This is because UK cars now are now treated as vehicles from third countries and must clear customs, have import duty and VAT paid, or get

Check Non Lucrative Visa Application
How to Check the status of Your Non-Lucrative Visa Application

Now that BLS International have taken over processing of Non Lucrative Visa Applications, it is no longer possible to track your application through the Spanish Consulate portal.  BLS have their own tracking system and in addition to this your can also check the progress of your residency application on the Spanish immigration website.

Spanish Consulate Edinburgh
Spanish Consulate Edinburgh and BLS International Visa Centre

There are three Spanish Consulates in the UK that issue Spanish residency visa.  The Spanish Consulate in Edinburgh covers the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.  So if you live in one of these areas, you’ll take your application to the BLS International Visa Centre in Edinburgh which handles visa processing for the Consulate

Spanish EU Residency Certificate
Spanish Residency Certificate for Citizens of EU Countries

Spanish Residency Certificate for Citizens of EU countries All EU and EEA (European Economic Area) citizens and their family members have the right to visit, live or work in Spain.  A Spanish residency certificate confirms your status as a resident in Spain. For stays of up to 3 months there is no need to register

Registering an EU car in Spain
Register a Car from an EU Country in Spain

There are a few steps involved in the process to register a car from an EU country in Spain.  Fortunately because of European standardisation, or homologation as it’s known, in most cases, provided you know the steps, it’s relatively straight forward. The following is a basic run through of the steps and process.

Spanish Golden Visa for Property Investors
Spanish Golden Visa for UK British Nationals

The Spanish Golden Visa offers residency to individuals who make a real estate investment in Spain of €500,000 or more.  The Spanish Golden Visa scheme has been in existence since September 2013 when legislation for the ‘residency by investment scheme’ was passed.  The aim being to attract foreign investors at a time when the economy

Currency Exchange
Getting a good deal on Currency Exchange

When buying holiday money or sending money abroad, many banks and brokers include hidden fees and or a mark-up in the exchange rate.  Not surprising, a recent study into international money transfers and payments found that 75% of consumers do not know about, or do not understand currency exchange rate mark-ups. In recent years specialised currency

Property Investor golden visa residency Spain
Portugal Ends It’s Golden Visa Residency for Property Investors – Will Spain Be Next?

Portugal has ended its Golden Visa residency program for property investors. This announcement came just a week after Ireland terminated of its ‘Golden Visa’ Immigrant Investor Program. Both countries introduced Golden Visas in 2012, as did Spain, as they struggled to recover from the global financial crisis. The aim was to prevent banking collapse by

Residency Malaga Costa del Sol
Spanish Residency Certificates Visas & TIE

If you’re not a Spanish citizen and want to live in Spain, you have to obtain Spanish residency.  The process that you have to follow to get Spanish residency depends on your nationality, whether you are from an EU country, and if not, what you plan to do whilst you are a Spanish resident. Nationals

Private Medical Insurance for Spanish Visas and Residency
Private Medical Insurance for Spanish Visas & Residency

A Private Medical insurance policy for Spanish visas and residency has to provide a level of healthcare cover equivalent to that provided by the state healthcare system.  For a lot of private medical insurance providers this will mean taking out their top level fully comprehensive policy.  Co-payments policies that have much lower monthly or annual

Wealth Tax Andalucia
Goodbye Wealth Tax Hello Large Fortune Tax

Andalucía has become one the top 3 regions in Spain with the least taxes.  On the 21st September 2021, the regional president, Juanma Moreno, announced the scrapping of Wealth Tax in Andalucía. The tax has accounted for just 0.6% of income for the regional government (€95m annually), and Moreno believes the change will have a

A picture of a villa residence in Spain
Non Residents Property Tax

Aside from Local (IBI), Capital Gains, Wealth and Inheritance Taxes, non residents must pay tax on any income they receive that arises in Spain.  Income tax for non-residents is charged at a fixed rate of 19% if you are a resident in an EU or EEA country  For non-residents from the rest of the world,

Moving from UK to Spain and Planning For Spanish Tax Residency

When changing tax residency from the UK to Spain, there are potentially costly mistakes that can be made due to not taking advice, or getting the wrong advice, as well as advantages that can be achieved with well advised planning. Our legal, financial and tax professional associates assist our client with all the formal matters

Getting Set Up In Spain
Getting Set Up in Spain After Obtaining Your Non-Lucrative Visa

You have your non-lucrative visa, and you’re on your way to Spain to start your new life in Spain.  Congratulations! You now start the process of getting yourself registered and set up in Spain. Here’s our rundown of all the essentials that you’ll need to get done in your first few months of your non-lucrative

Modelo 720 Overseas Assets Declaration
Spain Amends Overseas Assets Declaration Law Following EU Ruling Deeming It Illegal

Since the introduction of legislation in 2012, (LEY 7/2012, de 29 octubre, de prevención y lucha contra el fraude fiscal), Spain has required all Spanish residents to make an overseas assets declaration, notifying the authorities of the worldwide assets that they own or control. Under the Law, failure to make an overseas assets declaration, or

Extranjeria Foreigners Office for TIE Applications
Withdrawal Agreement TIE for British UK Nationals in Spain

The TIE, Tarjeta de Indentidad de Extranjero, is the Spanish identification card for citizens from third countries (non-EU) who reside in Spain.  The Withdrawal Agreement TIE is a special version of this card, issued to British UK nationals who have retained EU rights under the terms of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. The qualifying requirements for

Spanish Residency & Planning for Tax in Spain

Understanding and planning fiscal residency and Spanish tax is a very important when making the transition to become a resident in Spain.  Tax in Spain is very different to the UK, and has become even more complicated since the UK left the EU as the way certain types of income are treated changed. Here we

UK Passport ETIAS Visa Waiver
ETIAS Visa Waiver and UK Passport Holders

The ETIAS Visa Waiver is a visa waiver program created by the European Union to protect and strengthen its borders.  It copies the US Visa Waiver Program which provides prior travel authorization through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorization System.  The main goal of the ETIAS

healthcare requirement non-lucrative vis
Medical & Healthcare Requirements for the Non-Lucrative Visa

There are two main healthcare requirements for the Non-Lucrative Visa.   Firstly you must be free from any of the diseases listed under the International Health Regulations 2005, and secondly you need to have unrestricted access to healthcare in Spain. Doctors Letter or Medical Certificate for a Non-Lucrative Visa Application The first requirement is satisfied by

Document Translation Certifying and Legalisation
Document Translation Certifying and Legalisation

Fortunately these days, if you don’t know the Spanish language, translating basic documents is relatively easy.  There are abundant translation apps such as the popular Google Translate which a quite accurate.  Of course, if you need to have a Spanish translation of a more detailed or official document, you’ll need to get someone to do


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