{"id":3219,"count":0,"description":"Moving to Spain exert such an attraction with its comfortable lifestyle, warm climate and rich cultural history that it is our second most popular destination. Spain also offers stunning architecture and beautiful beaches if you opt for the coast. From choosing a place to live, to arranging your removals, the list of jobs can seem endless! To help you get started, here\u2019s an overview of Spain with essential facts you may need about the country.\r\n\r\n

Moving to Spain: <\/span> About Spain<\/b><\/h2>\r\nLying in the southwest of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula, Spain is the third-largest country in Europe. It hosts a population of more than 45 million. Spain also uses the euro as its currency and along with a thriving tourism industry also excels in agriculture.\r\n\r\nThe north of the country has a more temperate climate with rain and cloudiness more common. Further south around the coastline, it\u2019s much hotter and there is far less rain, giving a much more typical Mediterranean experience. The interior of Spain is variable, with differences in altitude changing the climate. Mountainous areas can be quite chilly and provide the perfect setting for winter sports, but during the summer can become very hot.\r\n\r\n

Moving to Spain: <\/span> Things you should know<\/b><\/h2>\r\nThere are specific quirks about living in Spain; here are a few useful things you should know:\r\n\r\nDon\u2019t plan on going shopping during your lunch break. Other than in major cities, many shops are closed in the middle of the day\r\nThe country closes in August. Perhaps not literally but other than coastal areas, shops may operate reduced opening times and businesses may temporarily close. Everyone gets away from the heat for a while.\r\n\r\nBefore moving to Spain, open an account in your own country in a bank with established Spanish connections. You can then just transfer your account when you move to Spain. It will save you a significant amount of paperwork and the hassle of opening a brand-new account.\r\n\r\nBanks do come, and they do go \u2013 as far as who owns whom \u2013 so check out which banks function in which region. It would be frustrating if you\u2019ve taken the time and energy to open an account in your country with say, connections with a Spanish Bank in central Spain, only to find they are few and far between in the Basque region! Don\u2019t forget to take enough cash, or facility to retrieve money for your first ten days in Spain. Banks are only open until around 2 pm\r\n\r\nMealtimes are typically later, lunch at 2.30pm and dinner not before 9-10pm\r\n\r\nTime can be a very fluid concept in Spain depending on where you are and what you\u2019re doing. While on the streets, car drivers seem to become obsessed with getting anywhere as fast as humanly possible and have no patience for any delay. Conversely, if you book an appointment that will require any bureaucracy or paperwork, make sure you are not in a hurry. Appointments may well conclude many hours after they were due, so take a book, your knitting, or some other form of entertainment and settle down for a possible long wait.\r\n\r\nThe Spanish love a good festival \u2013 there are more festivals in Spain than days of the year!\r\n\r\n

Moving to Spain: <\/span> Visas Requirements<\/b><\/h2>\r\nWhen you\u2019re moving overseas, you need to consider the need to apply for a visa or other entry documentation. If you\u2019re from the EU or EEA, you won\u2019t need a visa nor any other form of paperwork before your departure.\r\n\r\nOther international visitors can apply for a visa in one of three categories: work, student or family\/retirement.\r\n\r\nYou\u2019ll also need to make sure you obtain a N\u00famero de Identificaci\u00f3n de Extranjero (NIE) \u2013 also known as a Foreigner\u2019s Identity Number. This NIE is essential to apply for a driving licence, pay taxes and open a bank account, amongst other things. Ensure you have multiple copies of passports, photos, birth certificates, proof of your Spanish address, etc. before your move. You will need them.\r\n\r\nEU and EEA visitors who are planning on staying longer than 90 days must register with Oficina de Extranjeros. You\u2019ll also need to register yourself and your family at the town hall (Ayuntamiento) for your certificate of \u2018Empandronamiento.\u2019 When you purchase a car, register for schools or use healthcare facilities, you\u2019ll need to show this certificate. The Empandronamiento allows the local government of the region to claim a budget based on the number of people living in each town.\r\n\r\nThe latest immigration figures from 2016 states over 10% of the inhabitants are foreign-born. British authorities cite the population of UK citizens living in Spain to be between 0.8 million \u2013 1 million. Contrary to popular belief, they aren\u2019t all UK pensioners either: only 21.5% are over the age of 65.\r\n\r\n

Moving to Spain: <\/span> Healthcare<\/b><\/h2>\r\nThe Spanish healthcare system is one of the best available, but as it\u2019s decentralised, you\u2019ll need to check more specifically for the area to which you plan on moving.\r\n\r\nIf you are contributing to the Social Security system, you will be entitled to receive free healthcare. However, some people still prefer private healthcare to bypass any queues and to access the best facilities.\r\n\r\nIf you aren\u2019t working or making Social Security contributions, you either choose to pay for your healthcare when needed or take out private cover.\r\n\r\n

Moving to Spain: <\/span> Language<\/b><\/h2>\r\nSpanish is the national language, but it\u2019s far more complicated than in other countries. Parts of Spain have their own separate, cultural identity and instead of speaking Spanish, they use similar but distinct languages such as Catalan, Galician and Valencian. In these areas, schools teach Spanish is as a second language. Then you have Euskera, in Bilbao and the Basque country.\r\n\r\nThese are sensitive cultural issues; if you plan on moving to one of these areas, make sure you understand their history.\r\nEnglish is the second most popular language in Spain. However, only just over a quarter of Spaniards understand it so you\u2019ll need to learn the local lingo if you genuinely want to mix with the locals.\r\n\r\n

Moving to Spain: <\/span> Removals to Spain<\/b><\/h2>\r\nYou will have lots of options for removals to Spain, but it\u2019s always recommended to use an international moving company which has the necessary experience in the country. European Moving has been organising relocations to and from Spain for over eight years. Please contact us to discuss your needs.\r\n\r\nThe accommodation you move to may be very different from your property at home, so it\u2019s worth taking the time to consider what furniture and belongings you want to bring.\r\n

Whether you choose our Load & Go<\/a> or our EasyMoves<\/a> solution, European Moving can help you with your removal. We shall be able to help you with the full list of restrictions that apply to removals to Spain and also provide advice on a whole range of removal issues you may not have encountered before.<\/p>","link":"https:\/\/europeanmoving.co.uk\/en\/moving-to-country\/moving-to-spain\/","name":"Spain","slug":"moving-to-spain","taxonomy":"category","parent":0,"meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/europeanmoving.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories\/3219"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/europeanmoving.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/europeanmoving.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/taxonomies\/category"}],"wp:post_type":[{"href":"https:\/\/europeanmoving.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts?categories=3219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}