With the news that a new Brexit deal has been agreed between London and Brussels, there is increasing confidence that the UK and the EU can reach an accord. For those who are considering moving to Spain, or those of you who are already living here, Raquel Perez, Managing Director of Perez Legal Group, gives her advice to help make your life easier before and after Brexit.
Register as a Resident in Spain.
Assuming a deal is ratified, the most recent understanding is that any UK national arriving in Spain before the end of the implementation period will be able to register as resident in Spain under the current rules, and will have their right to residence in Spain protected for as long as they remain living here.
If you are registered as a resident in Spain, you have the right to work in Spain. If you don’t yet have a residence certificate, you have to make sure you have proof you were living here before Brexit (such as Padrón registration or a rental contract). After Brexit, in any scenario, you will need to change your registration document for a new card.
You may be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK if you live in Spain and you receive:
- an exportable UK State Pension
- a contribution-based Employment Support Allowance
- another exportable benefit
The UK and Spain have each taken steps to ensure that people living in each country can continue to access healthcare as they do now until at least 31 December 2020. The agreement is based on reciprocity and would mean that if you are currently living in Spain and the UK currently pays for your healthcare, for example you are an S1 form holder, your healthcare access will remain the same after 31 October 2019 until at least 31 December 2020.
If you are not an S1 holder, but are registered for public healthcare in Spain in another way and are travelling outside of Spain, you must apply for a Tarjeta Sanitaria Europea (TSE – a Spanish-issued EHIC) online (in Spanish).
If you are resident in Spain, your current rights on access to healthcare in Spain is expected to be the same as long as you remain a resident in Spain. You may be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK if you live in Spain and you receive:
- an exportable UK State Pension
- a contribution-based Employment Support Allowance
- another exportable benefit
Check if your passport is valid to travel.
Check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip, you’ll need to renew your passport before travelling if you do not have at least 6 months left on your passport.
If you renewed your current passport it expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date.
Exchange your UK driving licence to Spanish Licence.
If you hold an old UK licence that doesn’t have a 10-year validity period, you must renew or exchange it for a Spanish licence once you’ve been a resident in Spain for 2 years.
If you have not already exchanged your licence you should register your request for an appointment by 1 November.
If you are in Spain and your UK driving licence is lost, stolen or expires, you will not be able to renew it with the UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). You will need to apply to the DVLA for a ‘certificate of entitlement’ in Spanish to be able to apply for a Spanish driving licence.
If you register as a resident or spend longer than 6 months of the year in Spain, you must register your vehicle with the Spanish authorities and you may need to pay some taxes.
Visiting Spain.
The government always advises UK citizens to take out comprehensive travel insurance when going overseas.
Medical care is given to anyone needing urgent attention, you can expect to be charged in full for any care you are given without an EHIC. Make sure you’re treated by a healthcare provider in the state system, your EHIC will not cover you for private healthcare.
The government always advises UK citizens to take out comprehensive travel insurance when going overseas. Your EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance and therefore you should have both when you travel abroad.
As a third country national, you will be able to stay up to 90 days in another EU, EEA or EFTA country, within a 180-day period. You must retain evidence of travel (such as train and plane tickets).
Keep all receipts and any paperwork and make copies if necessary. You or your insurance company might need them to apply for any refund. It is expected that your EHIC will continue to give you access to the necessary state-provided healthcare in Spain at a reduced cost, or sometimes for free, if you’re staying there temporarily.
Need help? Perez Legal Group offers a range of relocation to Spain services. Visit our web page for more information. https://perezlegalgroup.com/expat-issues/new-relocation-to-spain-package/