Moving to Spain- what’s stopping us?
Discussion
I’ve spent 22 years in the UK and for various reasons have had enough. We really enjoy the Costa del Sol, and home for us is around Estapona. Through an unfortunate incident, I have been fortunate enough to buy my UK home outright. I also own another home outright in the centre of York which I let on a holiday let basis.
The latter provides us with a decent income. I’m not bothered about living a luxury lifestyle, I just want my family to be happy. My eldest is not happy at school, my other half isn’t happy either, and quite frankly neither am I! We have little to leave behind here.
My eldest is 14 years old & my youngest three.
It’s getting to a point where I really want to move. I am wondering what stops us.
We could potentially buy something outright in Spain and still live from the York income. All I need is a small additional income, my other half would like to find a teaching position ideally.
What stops us from going now? I worry about going with my other half and two kids and no job, but at the end of the day there is a degree of security behind us. What would you do? Thank you
The latter provides us with a decent income. I’m not bothered about living a luxury lifestyle, I just want my family to be happy. My eldest is not happy at school, my other half isn’t happy either, and quite frankly neither am I! We have little to leave behind here.
My eldest is 14 years old & my youngest three.
It’s getting to a point where I really want to move. I am wondering what stops us.
We could potentially buy something outright in Spain and still live from the York income. All I need is a small additional income, my other half would like to find a teaching position ideally.
What stops us from going now? I worry about going with my other half and two kids and no job, but at the end of the day there is a degree of security behind us. What would you do? Thank you
Fear of change is stopping you as you have pointed out. It happens. Start making small steps for it to become a reality - looking at properties online as a family, send each other stuff you’ve found in the region that looks cool.
Your 14yr old is the key concern over change, is there enough times for them to become fluent in time for exams. Otherwise it seems like you can manage financially until you / your wife find work.
Given the last few years, Jfdi
Your 14yr old is the key concern over change, is there enough times for them to become fluent in time for exams. Otherwise it seems like you can manage financially until you / your wife find work.
Given the last few years, Jfdi
I'd recommend it, life is too short. I got the opportunity to live and work in Cadiz for 2 years and it was great. Great weather, cheaper food/drink, nice lifestyle and you can always move back at some point if you want. It's only 2 hours on a plane to visit back to the UK. Estepona is lovely and has a decent ex-pat community, although you need to learn the language and try to integrate too. Good luck!
Do you speak Spanish? Holidaying somewhere is not the same as living there. If you don’t speak the language it is difficult to integrate and even if you do it isn’t easy to break into a new and different culture.
Are you wanting to move because you like Spanish culture and lifestyle or because you are fed up with Britain and the weather?
What about your children’s future? There is a reason you come across so many young Spanish people in the U.K. They have much higher employment and job opportunities could be worse for foreigners. Fourteen a difficult age to move. It isn’t impossible to become fluent and take exams in two years but also far from easy.
I have lived most of my adult life outside the UK in five countries so certainly in favour of emigrating but it does have disadvantages too.
Are you wanting to move because you like Spanish culture and lifestyle or because you are fed up with Britain and the weather?
What about your children’s future? There is a reason you come across so many young Spanish people in the U.K. They have much higher employment and job opportunities could be worse for foreigners. Fourteen a difficult age to move. It isn’t impossible to become fluent and take exams in two years but also far from easy.
I have lived most of my adult life outside the UK in five countries so certainly in favour of emigrating but it does have disadvantages too.
In answer to the OP's title - well, first and foremost BREXIT.
You can only visit Spain for a max of 90 days in 180, so unless you want to t and fro to the UK, you will need a full Visa or residencia to live there.
I think there's now a visa that is based on proof of ability to support onesely financially (approx 28k€ in the bank per year IIRC) and you need private medical and this needs to be done annually - but don't quote me on it!
I think its a 'Non Lucrative Visa' - so if you are drawing an income from your property let, that may suffice - but proof of savings may also.
'In order to be elegible for a Non Lucrative Visa in Spain, the Spanish Government dictates that you must prove having a minimum monthly income of 2316,08€ / month and an additional monthly income of +579,02€ for each family member in your care.'
You have to show that you have 400% of the IPREM in your bank account annually. The IPREM is 579,02€ for a month for this year 2022.
eg 4 x 579,02€ (let's call it 580) = 2320€ per month. The 'permit' (not Visa) allows stay of a year, so it's 2320x12 = 27840€ (approx 24.2K GBP).
I guess you need to reapply each year.
See also Golden Visas. Invest 500k in property (unsure whether you can live in it) and you can apply for a 2 year Visa. One other benefit is that a Spanish Golden Visa, in addition, the residence visa derived from the Golden Visa allows free movement through the rest of the 26 European countries
All that said, seek some professional advice as to how best go about it - good luck!
You can only visit Spain for a max of 90 days in 180, so unless you want to t and fro to the UK, you will need a full Visa or residencia to live there.
I think there's now a visa that is based on proof of ability to support onesely financially (approx 28k€ in the bank per year IIRC) and you need private medical and this needs to be done annually - but don't quote me on it!
I think its a 'Non Lucrative Visa' - so if you are drawing an income from your property let, that may suffice - but proof of savings may also.
'In order to be elegible for a Non Lucrative Visa in Spain, the Spanish Government dictates that you must prove having a minimum monthly income of 2316,08€ / month and an additional monthly income of +579,02€ for each family member in your care.'
You have to show that you have 400% of the IPREM in your bank account annually. The IPREM is 579,02€ for a month for this year 2022.
eg 4 x 579,02€ (let's call it 580) = 2320€ per month. The 'permit' (not Visa) allows stay of a year, so it's 2320x12 = 27840€ (approx 24.2K GBP).
I guess you need to reapply each year.
See also Golden Visas. Invest 500k in property (unsure whether you can live in it) and you can apply for a 2 year Visa. One other benefit is that a Spanish Golden Visa, in addition, the residence visa derived from the Golden Visa allows free movement through the rest of the 26 European countries
All that said, seek some professional advice as to how best go about it - good luck!
Edited by Stig on Thursday 8th September 18:09
We've been again recently and nthe wife has been looking at property and potential to work there.
ISTR she mentioned something about Spain potenitally opening up avenues for working non-EU residents to relocate there but I can't recall any more than that I'm afraid.
ETA - not sure how relevant this would be to your situation but it's the Digital Nomad Visa. Yet to go through parliament apparently.
ISTR she mentioned something about Spain potenitally opening up avenues for working non-EU residents to relocate there but I can't recall any more than that I'm afraid.
ETA - not sure how relevant this would be to your situation but it's the Digital Nomad Visa. Yet to go through parliament apparently.
Edited by Swervin_Mervin on Thursday 8th September 18:11
Leicesterdave said:
I’ve spent 22 years in the UK and for various reasons have had enough. We really enjoy the Costa del Sol, and home for us is around Estapona....
It’s getting to a point where I really want to move. I am wondering what stops us.
Because what works as a holiday destination may not work as a 365 days/year living destination.It’s getting to a point where I really want to move. I am wondering what stops us.
And will your eldest be happier in a foreign school where they all talk Spanish?
Consider also housing costs - from what I hear you may not be able to move back if you want to.
As you are EU citizen then no problem. We’ve had our house in Costa Blanca for over 20 years and spend half the year there and love it. Friends moved with teenagers and they learnt the language very quickly, certainly easy for the younger ones, not so for us older ones!
Tourist areas like Estapona are pretty cosmopolitan, though if you go inland you will find life more of a challenge to start with. Teaching jobs should be ok though the traditional hospitality jobs are not so available.
I’d keep the rental in the Uk if you have a good managing agent, and sell the main property to fund a purchase in Spain. That way there is always a route back if you need it.
Spanish paperwork is legendary though, finding a good Spanish lawyer pays dividends.
Good luck
Tourist areas like Estapona are pretty cosmopolitan, though if you go inland you will find life more of a challenge to start with. Teaching jobs should be ok though the traditional hospitality jobs are not so available.
I’d keep the rental in the Uk if you have a good managing agent, and sell the main property to fund a purchase in Spain. That way there is always a route back if you need it.
Spanish paperwork is legendary though, finding a good Spanish lawyer pays dividends.
Good luck
Lots of personal experiences in this thread..
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I moved to southern Spain 3 years ago. Love it here and have no intentions returning to the Uk.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I moved to southern Spain 3 years ago. Love it here and have no intentions returning to the Uk.
Whats the worst that can happen?
We did it, and moved to rural Italy with a then two year old, four years ago. We arrived with two suitcases, and couldn't speak a word of Italian.
Two points in this thread i'd think on a little, are, as mentioned, sometimes your problems follow you.To elaborate a little, we travelled in a campervan for 9 months prior, to get a taste of where we wanted to be, and most of that time, my mental health was a shambles. in hindsight, i was trying to outrun myself, but wherever we ended up, i was always there. perhaps not the same for you, but worth checking in on yourself to make sure you're not hoping the place will change the person.
the second, is that being on holiday, is not the same as living it. However, the views are the same either way, as are the people, the climate, the food, and popping to the bar for a coffee in the morning! bills and bureaucracy are crap in any language, but it's all part of the package.
I was pretty miserable in the Uk and couldn't see a way to change that and stay. Leaving when we did was the best thing we've done i would say. Tough, but laying such a good foundation for our future.
Have you asked your elder child how they feel about an adventure? your youngest will be such a sponge, and fluent long before you
Always happy to share anymore if it helps.
craig
We did it, and moved to rural Italy with a then two year old, four years ago. We arrived with two suitcases, and couldn't speak a word of Italian.
Two points in this thread i'd think on a little, are, as mentioned, sometimes your problems follow you.To elaborate a little, we travelled in a campervan for 9 months prior, to get a taste of where we wanted to be, and most of that time, my mental health was a shambles. in hindsight, i was trying to outrun myself, but wherever we ended up, i was always there. perhaps not the same for you, but worth checking in on yourself to make sure you're not hoping the place will change the person.
the second, is that being on holiday, is not the same as living it. However, the views are the same either way, as are the people, the climate, the food, and popping to the bar for a coffee in the morning! bills and bureaucracy are crap in any language, but it's all part of the package.
I was pretty miserable in the Uk and couldn't see a way to change that and stay. Leaving when we did was the best thing we've done i would say. Tough, but laying such a good foundation for our future.
Have you asked your elder child how they feel about an adventure? your youngest will be such a sponge, and fluent long before you
Always happy to share anymore if it helps.
craig
Specifically what is making you all unhappy, and what about Spain offers the solution?
Not a trick question, we intend to f o elsewhere ourselves in due course, for a myriad of reasons.
Moving is extremely unsettling for kids, yours (from the little I know of kids) is at an age when being unhappy in school is not unusual... Would being in a school where he's even more of an outsider be better?
Also +1 on Spain's economic situation and opportunity for your kids... Spains economy is basket during the better times and good times isn't what's on the way
Not a trick question, we intend to f o elsewhere ourselves in due course, for a myriad of reasons.
Moving is extremely unsettling for kids, yours (from the little I know of kids) is at an age when being unhappy in school is not unusual... Would being in a school where he's even more of an outsider be better?
Also +1 on Spain's economic situation and opportunity for your kids... Spains economy is basket during the better times and good times isn't what's on the way
I’d have liked to have done it.
One child is sorted with own house
Other just started working
We like Tenerife but the prices are daft
So Spain would be a better option for us.
I wouldn’t want to work though I’d do it when I’m retired.
But that leaves you with ten years of good health if your lucky
Then brexit happened
So I think we’ll just find a couple of places we can rent a month at a time and go when we feel like it
It’s still amazes me how people thought brexit was a good idea
One child is sorted with own house
Other just started working
We like Tenerife but the prices are daft
So Spain would be a better option for us.
I wouldn’t want to work though I’d do it when I’m retired.
But that leaves you with ten years of good health if your lucky
Then brexit happened
So I think we’ll just find a couple of places we can rent a month at a time and go when we feel like it
It’s still amazes me how people thought brexit was a good idea
There’s a British school outside Benalmadena (our Spanish friends work there) so your 14 year old doesn’t have to move to Spanish school either
Spain probably the lowest risk foreign escape of all - you should do it. The worst that happens is that it doesn’t work out and you either go somewhere else, or come back to another part of the UK if it’s the current location that’s not helping
Kids are tough and resilient and it gives them a life backstory!
Spain probably the lowest risk foreign escape of all - you should do it. The worst that happens is that it doesn’t work out and you either go somewhere else, or come back to another part of the UK if it’s the current location that’s not helping
Kids are tough and resilient and it gives them a life backstory!
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff