At the end of January we were joined by a panel of experts to discuss how Brits can move to Spain and what the restrictions are post-Brexit (you can watch the full recording here). Take a look at the key take-aways from that session below:
- No changes to the process or cost of buying a property in Spain
- If you earn rental income from a property you will be liable for a higher rate of tax - 24 per cent, not 19 per cent
- Unless you have a visa/Spanish residency you can spend a maximum of 90 days in each 180 in Spain every year
- In due course the Spanish government might agree to these 2 x 90-day periods being rolled together (consecutive), as per rights of Spanish citizens in the UK
- If you spend more than 180 days (6 months) at a time in Spain you will automatically become tax resident in Spain. Tax residency is not the same as legal residency
- Unless you can prove that you were settled (living permanently) in Spain before 31/12/21 Britons must now apply for a visa if you want to move stay for longer than 90 days or move there.
- Unless you can prove that you were settled (living permanently) in Spain before 31/12/21 Britons must now apply for a visa if you want to move stay for longer than 90 days or move there.
- The Non-Lucrative Visa allows people not working in Spain to stay there for more than 90 days. You must apply to the Spanish Consulates in the UK (London & Edinburgh) before you go, meet certain income criteria and have private medical insurance. Each family member must apply.
- This visa allows you to remain in Spain but once there you must apply for TIE (foreigner’s identity card) and register with the Padron (census) in your local municipality within a month of arriving there. The visa is renewable after a year.
- If you are hoping to work in Spain you must apply for a different type of visa - a work permit - providing a business plan for approval; or your employer applies
- The Golden Visa is available to those who buy a property (or- properties) in Spain worth at least €500,000 (or have done so since 2013). You can work in Spain and there is no limit on days spent there. Each family member needs to apply.
- If one of a married couple has an EU passport then the process can be easier: the British citizen can piggyback on the EU citizen’s application for residency. Common-law partners might need to provide proof of status
- Over-65s moving to Spain will continue to enjoy the same access to Spanish state healthcare as Spanish citizens, via the S1. This is a healthcare entitlement certificate available to those in receipt of a UK state pension
- Note that not all healthcare is free of charge (even to the Spanish) and that post-Brexit, over-65s will not retain right to access the NHS if they return to the UK.
- Under-65s must take out private healthcare - but once they have been living (and social security contributions) in Spain for a year then they can access Spanish state healthcare (via convenio)
- Pensioners can draw their pensions whilst living in Spain - UK State pensions will be uprated - but both private and state pensions will be taxed in Spain if they are tax resident there. They will be subject to the same minimum-income requirements for the non-lucrative visa as under-65s.
- If you have a family member already living in Spain you might be considered for ‘family reunification’ rights in your application.
More on moving to Spain after Brexit:
