How do go about moving to Spain?

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Jane S

If you are British and hold a British passport, you do not need a visa for any of the EU countries. But you will need a permanent resident card. I'm American. I don't know how it works, but I hear the red tape can be daunting, and that the rules can change according to whom you speak with.

You need to have enough to, probably, get through about six months, just in case you don't find a job right away. You probably won't use it all, but you should be prepared anyway.

I wonder what sort of work you intend to do? I think, with the recession, getting a job ANYWHERE is going to be difficult, so, you might as well be out of work in a nice place as in England (btw, I think England is really exotic, so....just something different, right?)

Yes, you should learn basic Spanish...it's only fair. Why should everyone IN SPAIN learn to speak English, to accommodate you? You should ALWAYS learn the native language if you intend to move to a foreign country. In fact, you should always learn a few basic phrases if you are going to travel for a week!

For accommodation...try looking online. Figure about 2000â‚¬/month for an apartment, but it might be more or less, depending on size, location, etc. I don't know what the touristy areas run. In fact, I only have a passing knowledge of what a residential place should run.

Just search the cities you are interested in, and you should get all sorts of ads for lodging. Search permanent places...not vacation apartments, but the sites generally have all sorts.

focus

You do not need a visa to move to Spain.
I would suggest that you do not commit yourself to living in Spain until you have stayed here for a few weeks
Jobs are very difficult to find and be warned that the wages are far less than they are in the UK.
It would be a great help if you could learn basic Spanish.
I suggest you stay in a cheap hotel or better still rent a cheap apartment until you have got a steady job and had time to look around for more permanent accommodation.
We have retired to Spain and been here for 6 years. We hear many stories of young people trying to start a new life here but then find it so difficult the they have to move back. I suggest you do not cut off all your ties to the UK just in case your hopes do not turn out well.

Molertolga

Don't get a wrong idea of Spain: Lanzarote and Benidorm are very touristic beach areas and you went there probably on summertime! That doesn't represent the kind of life you can lead in the most part of Spain the most part of the year.
Touristic areas are very crowded and alive during spring or summer but you will have absolutely nothing to do there the rest of the year. Besides, winters can be quite chilly in some parts of Spain (OK, not like in England but cold enough to bring your coat). Plus there are lots of beautiful towns and cities far away from the "cheap tourism" routes.

Don't think of Spain as "The endless bikini party at the beach", it's not only that (luckily for the ones that actually LIVE here!)

dubie

I'm presuming you are English.
If so, you don't need a Visa to move to Spain. You will need an NIE number though. This is a number used for everything in Spain from opening a bank account to buying a car to getting married.

The amount of money you require depends on whether you have found a job first or not.

If not, you may need for Benidorm about 2 months' rent plus a deposit (max) which would be say 1800â‚¬ (about 1400 quid)
Then maybe minimum 400â‚¬ spending money (about 300 quid).
It may help if you also have a credit card for emergencies.

It is not harder to get a job than it is in the UK.

In Benidorm it is not wholly necessary to speak Spanish though it all helps.

However, the best way to learn Spanish is to live in Spain

You could look for accomodation through any manner of agencies. There will be lots of agencies with English speaking staff there.

Or, you can look in any of the local English language papers for ads or just roam around areas you like and look for "Se alquila" signs and phone the number. That means (for rent).

Good luck. You should definitely try it. You can always move back to England if it doesn't work out but new experiences enrich your life always!

(remember to always keep enough money or someone close who can buy you a return ticket)

rose1

Why not apply to holiday companies like Thomson or Cosmos, to be a rep in a Spanish resort. It would be a big plus if you could speak the lingo too. The wages are not much, but you get free accommodation and sometimes food in some hotels. It's long hours and sometimes hard work, but rewarding too. If you are a people person I think this is your best route. The time to apply is now and you have nothing to lose.
They may want to send you somewhere else other than Spain first but hey that in itself is an advantage if you ask me.

I have lived in Spain (Benidorm) 17 years and it has become a real struggle for work just like the UK.......too many people and not enough jobs. There is of course bar work here and Benidorm is all year round work, but wages are low and renting a flat is around 450E to 600E a month.
You do not need a visa, you will need an NIE number from the police once you arrive and intend to stay longer than 90 days. There is no job seekers allowance at all unless you have worked and then your work contract has run out........then you are eligible, otherwise you will get nothing. I know you didn't ask about that but you may wish to know it.
Good luck

Xabier

* Would i need a visa if so how difficult is it to aquire? - you're from England it's in the E.U you can move here easily

* How much money would i need to set up a life there - it depends... would you buy or rent a house ? the prices vary by region area and even road

* Is it hard to get a job there? - yes we have almost 3million people who want jobs here but can't

* Would i need to learn basic spanish? - yes basic only, and you will need to pay a translator to do all your legal paper work

* How would i go about looking for accomidation? - look at an estate agent, think of the price you can afford a month, where you want to live thinking about work ect. in the University cities an estate agent will be able to help you find an English or English speaking Â´flate mateÂ´

knitknackers

No you don't need a visa. I suggest money wise you have one year's money to live on.
It is hard to get a job as unemployment is running very high.
The more Spanish you know the more likely you are to get a job. Also when you come to register for residency and social etc if you can speak Spanish it will save you the expense of paying someone to do it for you.
I suppose it is depending on where you go in Spain but in the coastal regions there is any amount of vacant property up for rental at reasonably rates.

Think long and hard before you make any decisions it is not as easy as it appears from television programmes etc.

Elenas Mummy

I can answer your questions about moving to Lanzarote as I lived there for five years (currently in Tenerife) but don't know much about Benidorm I'm afraid.

- No you wouldn't need a visa for living/working in Lanzarote and the permanent resident card previously mentioned now no longer exists however you still need to apply for an NIE number.
- Life in Lanzarote is quite expensive, it is the second most expensive Canary Island for cost of living.
- Bar work is easy to come by as is restaurant work however if you're looking for office work then it's a bit more difficult especially without the language. Alternatively, try the tour operators (First Choice, Thomson etc, your accommodation would be provided then)
- Learning the language of whatever country you're living in is always an advantage.
- Due to the state of the economy just now there are loads of places for rent in Lanzarote, a lot of ex-pats are heading home and renting out the properties they have bought. Check out http://www.segundamano.es where you can find property for rent without going through agents or if you want an English speaking estate agent try http://www.grupoestupendo.com or visit the free magazine website http/www.gazettelive.com

Good luck!!

Charlotte Z

Hi!

The following website might help you with finding a job, an apartment and even a mode of transport: www.loquo.com

If you would like to learn spanish, check out this website: www.estudiohispanico.com

These sites helped me settle down a lot!!

good luck!

Sali

best part of Spain is Costa del sol, weather wise and good for finding a job either in Spain or Giblartar which is 120 min drive from Malaga airport.

If you need to buy, rent an apartment visit the website www.marbellaeye.com

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