Spain represents a great destination to settle down, it is very well located, has an excellent quality of life, numerous study and work opportunities, and it is definitely a beautiful country with an enormous cultural richness, beautiful landscapes, countless tourist places to visit and enjoy.
In addition to its party atmosphere and excellent gastronomy, as well as the friendly treatment of its people, it is not in vain that it is considered one of the best countries to live in.
What you should know before moving to Spain?
In the case of citizens with English nationality, it should be borne in mind that as a result of Brexit, the United Kingdom is no longer part of the EU, so the procedures for emigrating to Spain must be carried out as a non-European citizen.
To live in Spain for a period of more than three months, anyone with English nationality must apply for the corresponding residence permit.
As a non-European citizen, a series of requirements must be met in order to reside in Spain. To do so, it is essential to define the length of stay in the country and the reason for the trip.
The corresponding visa must be applied for according to each case:
Residence visa
This is a temporary visa, generally associated with persons whose reasons for stay are work-related.
They are classified as follows:
- Self-employed residence visa: You must be over 18 years of age, with income from self-employed commercial activities. It authorizes staying in the country for more than 3 months and less than 5 years.
- Residence visa for employed persons: the person must be over 16 years of age and have a previous contract from a Spanish company. It allows a stay of more than 3 months and less than 5 years.
- Visa no lucrative: authorizes a person to stay 3 months in Spain as a resident for study purposes, but does not authorize work.
Stay visas
They are related to permits to stay in Spain, whether traveling, volunteering, or studying, their duration is limited, and they are classified as follows:
- Short-stay visas: authorize a stay of between 3 and 6 months, they are very suitable for certain trips or courses that do not exceed this period.
- Long-stay visas: authorize a stay of up to one year, which applies to several students, and they are allowed to work for only 20 hours per week.
Permanent Residence
For those who have a residence visa, once the 5 years of stay in Spain have elapsed, they can have access to permanent residence.
With the permanent residence card, if the person stays 10 consecutive years in Spain, he or she may apply for nationality.
If the stay in the country has been continuous for three years and you have a temporary residence visa, you can apply for a permanent residence visa.
On the other hand, in addition to obtaining the visa, it will be important to have the support and security of health insurance in Spain that guarantees medical assistance during the stay in the Iberian country.
Some interesting aspects of Spain
In addition to knowing what you need to know to move to Spain, it will be very interesting and useful to learn about some characteristic aspects of the country before you arrive, such as the following:
- The passion for football is huge in Spain, it is the national sport and with world-renowned teams and players, every match between leading teams such as Real Madrid and Barca brings the nation to a standstill.
- They have extraordinary gastronomy, are well known for their tapas along with a delicious glass of wine or a refreshing beer, in addition to their delicious food such as paella, cocido madrileño, tortilla, etc.
- Countless bars and restaurants can be found throughout its territory, where you will be able to share and enjoy very pleasant moments.
- Festive spirit, it is a characteristic of its citizens. They are welcoming people who love to welcome tourists and celebrate every national and regional tradition.
It is common to have dinner around 9 or 10 p.m. and lunch between 2 and 3 p.m., and in the holiday season, it is normal to even eat a little later.
- Napping is another after-lunch custom, but if you have the responsibility of working, this does not apply.
- The official language is Spanish, but its citizens strive to learn English in particular.
