Talk Quesada forum

Moving to Quesada in February would appreciate members comments on the pros and cons of taking up residency or staying as non resident.
Would appreciate constructive comments on both

Beesknees wrote:Moving to Quesada in February would appreciate members comments on the pros and cons of taking up residency or staying as non resident.
Would appreciate constructive comments on both

The main thing is, if you want to stay longer than 6 months in Spain per year then you have to get residency. If you want to stay Non - Resident then you can only be in Spain for 6 months or less. Sorry if this is obvious but it does depend on this in the first instance. The pros of being Resident, others can no doubt advise you better but it seems to me, other than being able to stay in Spain full time, to be for tax and health care reasons.

If you are moving to Quesada, as you say, then it may not be a choice you have to make, as you will have to take up Residency to live in Spain full time.



Jan

Firstly, you don't really have a choice. If you intend to remain in Spain for more than 6 months a year then you should become a resident of Spain as it will be your main place of residence. Yes,many people do stay "under the radar" but it really is the law that you become a resident if you are here for that length of time.
Now, advantages. Banking. You will be charged admin fees for a bank account, around 100 plus euro per year, if you keep it as non resident. You also pay a non-resident certificate fee every 2 years of around 30 euro (depending on the bank).
Next, residency is for life. That sounds dramatic but it isn't. It means you get your residency certificate (little green card) and you never have to renew it. Non-residency certificates are available but have to be renewed every 2 years. Once you have the residency card there is no need to update it, ever. You can even store away your NIE certificate as it will never be needed again, the residency card has your NIE number on it and it's all you need.
Non-residents also pay an imputed income tax. If you don't rent your property out, you are deemed to have a benefit of owning property in Spain and and have to pay for that benefit. It can work out over 100 euro a year per person. Resident s don't pay that.
You have also have health benefits. If you are over pensionable age you can register on the Spanish health service and receive free health care and either free or reduced prescription charges. As a non-resident in Quesada you can use your EHIC but would have to pay the full price for prescriptions. Even if you are under pensionable age you can join the Valencia health scheme but only after being a resident for more than a year.
If you decide to sell your home in Spain, as a resident there is no 3% retention fee and you will not be subject to Capital Gains Tax if you are buying another property. If one of you unfortunately dies, the allowances for inheritance tax are very generous for residents and you can end up paying nothing. As a non-resident the surviving spouse will be liable to tax on 50% of the value of the property.
A mundane thing but, if you are stopped for speeding or another traffic offence, as a resident you are given a fine and have a certain time to pay it in. As a non-resident you have to pay on the spot and can have your car impounded until you do so.
If staying for a certain amount of time, you need to change your UK driving licence for a Spanish one. You can't do that as a non-resident and, if it runs out, you can't renew it in Spain.
You have no say in the running of the council as a non-resident. As a resident you can vote in local elections, EU elections and are able to pose questions to your local councillor.
It's much easier to buy something like a car if you are resident. Just show the residency card as it has all the details.
There's a few things to be going on with. The main point is if you intend to spend more than 6 months a year in Spain then you are required to take out residency.

Much appreciated marcliff very constructive and knice to know

Hi just to pick up on a bit od advice,i have been resident here since late september 2014.question -- should i still be paying tax in sept (SUMA) or not.

QUESADALAD wrote:Hi just to pick up on a bit od advice,i have been resident here since late september 2014.question -- should i still be paying tax in sept (SUMA) or not.

The SUMA is the council tax (rates) so is payable whether resident or not.

Hi everyone, Can you please tell me how long it takes to get residency and can my solicitor arrange this when I am in the process of buying a property. I plan to move permanently. Have a good day. Sandra

Aboyne wrote::D Hi everyone, Can you please tell me how long it takes to get residency and can my solicitor arrange this when I am in the process of buying a property. I plan to move permanently. Have a good day. Sandra

There is no need to panic about becoming resident. Once you are here & sorted you can either do it all yourself
(a bit long-winded but very do-able), or you can pay for it to be done by someone in that line of business. If you search on here you will find recommendations. Your solicitor may not do this for you or will be more costly than the other methods.
Just remember, you have at least 6 months to sort it once you have arrived. Good luck & welcome.

I did my residency myself, not difficult just some queuing really. Cost me ten euros for a solicitor to go through a form with me checking answers.