Moving to Spain as Brexit kicks off?

[BumpkinPie]

Short back story. We currently live in the UK, my husband owns a business which supports us and I'm a SAHM with three preschoolers. We have sufficient equity in our house to buy a considerably better one over there at current prices (nothing fancy but big enough for the family, which this one isn't). My MIL lives in a very ex-pat area on the Spanish coast which isn't my ideal but is nice enough as a stepping stone to living in the country. We're considering the move over there to be closer to her as she's getting older and showing no inclination to move back here, and she misses her grandkids.

We've both discussed moving abroad in a theoretical way over the years as part of 'the dream', I'm happy enough to up sticks and the kids are of an age I feel it would be easy enough to move them/pick up a language. My only real hesitation really is that my parents live here and also dote on our kids and currently see them at least once a week. Travel for them is difficult as my dad isn't in the best of health. However I do have a sibling who lives in the UK (other sibling also abroad) who doesn't live nearby but could be counted on in an emergency.

Really just looking for any and all input and opinions from those with experience of moving/living in Spain. My main practical concerns are financial (tax implications of different income/residential countries) and of course the looming shadow of Brexit. Any helpful links would be wonderful as Google seems to be a minefield of contradictory info! I'm not looking for a bashing on the decision to move, but constructive help would be very gratefully received. Thanks!

I do, yes.

My bank is Bankia and I have to have my salary paid in each month and that's it.

I've been here since April last year, so I can't imagine things have changed that much?!

I also don't have tax to worry about in the UK, I don't have any financial ties there, so slightly different situation than the OP.

I have literally just helped an old British lady set up her British sterling pension to be transferred to a Spanish bank. But she has NO British bank account. I think that's key here. The money has to all be pai into a Spanish account. But I am not a lawyer!! I know just what I have been told and also, each province is different!!

Elche is lovely!

That's odd?! I just had to renew my NIE for the bak and had to prove all that! two weeks ago They are a bit funny here though!
Yes, I think that's the difference, I cut all ties, husband never had any!

*bank

I'm in the fortunate position of having a Spanish DP too, so he basically could translate and help me with everything. I read a lot of things on the internet before I came and it's true, things are very regional, as the reality was much simpler. Here it's relatively straightforward, but obviously depends on where you live and if you get a grumpy person at the police station when you're applying for your documents!!

My NIE never has to be renewed and my residency is indefinite. Things may change with Brexit though, I'm waiting to see what I have to do after that as I won't be an EU citizen.

expat I agree, I think the main thing is that you have a job here and pay you tax every month, into a Spanish account so you are different. A Spanish DP is handy too!.

I am indefinite, problem was, 15 years ago I got a piece of paper with my NIE on it, al stamped and official, from the police.

They now have a green NIE card with photo etc so I had 'update', 'renew' was the wrong word! sorry! Every 3 years or so banks seem to want NIE holders to just reprove who they are. It is a pain and seemingly random! This is the province of Valencia, NOT Alicante, I have no idea about there.

All I know is, so far this year, many checks have been done on me, DH and even DD's SIP card. Weird, I think it's why I'm a bit fed up!

Do you have a green NIE card? Is you SIP blue and white?

Lovely to speak to someone else here btw!

My SIP is red and grey and NIE is green. DD''s too.

Nice to speak to someone else here too!!

Oh, expat if you've been married 5 years to a Spanish resident or, if you have lived here 10 years, you can get a Spanish passport. That is fact as I am doing it now!

They seem to change the rules whenever they fee like it though. I agree on if the person that day is grumpy!

Honestly, a SIP card for us has been the hardest. There was a man on the door with a machine gun! I kid you not!

DD is 10, born here, Spanish. I can't count how many times they have blocked (then immediately reinstated) her SIP. It's getting SO annoying!

Yes, my SIP I just checked! Says valid only in the province of Valencia. Go help me if I got ill in Madrid. So yours is a completely different colour to mine!

op if you're still there, stay outside Valencia!! It seems definitely more complicated here.

Asexpat says, regions vary hugely (and in regard esp with inheritance and tax laws)

Thing is, here is orange picking. So many immigrants are employed to pick the famous Valencian oranges! I am surrounded by oranges!!

I think that's why they are being very brutal here.

Now, with Brexit it has got worse, I know there is something about tomato pickers atm. Who knows what's going to happen.

expat we are OK with Brexit as we have Spanish partners, otherwise I would be a bit worried TBH.

Would you not be better off waiting a year or two to see what happens with Brexit? Your mil might be less keen to stay there is she no longer has access to healthcare etc.
When we moved to Asia we found our relocation agent invaluable. There must be someone you can consult with here before going further down the line..so far it doesn’t really sound like the best of plans on a number of fronts! Not trying to be mean just realistic .

danTM That's awful regarding the SIP card and your child! I think in this region they must be more lax, or I have a surprise to come!! The good thing with a smaller place like Elche is DP has contacts in the doctor' surgery (his uncle is a nurse there), at the bank (his cousin works there) and in the immigration dept at the police station (a very good friend of his dad's works there). We can generally get reliable information and a bit of extra help through the red tape, which makes things easier.

I do think things are set up badly here and the processes are unnecessary bureaucratic and quite old fashioned. Everything seems to
need to be done in person, with lots of waiting around and reams of paperwork. Getting DD into a local school was a bit of a pain and I couldn't get her in until the start of the new school year, so I had to homeschool her for a term. Sometimes you get different information depending on who you speak to!!

expat thanks for the input, sounds easier in Alicante than Valencia!
Elche might be a possibility in terms of distance, how do you find it there? Especially with kids? I have to be honest, I've visited MIL quite a few times but as we don't have transport over there other than when she drives us I've visited very little of the area. Haven't actually ever been to Torrevieja, just Quesada and the beaches nearby. Obviously the reason for moving would be to be within striking distance of MIL (say within half an hour) but I'd be very grateful for any suggestions as to where might be more pleasant areas to focus on.

Peppa yes it's not really a plan of action as yet, more dipping my toe in the water. Obviously if it turns out to be impossible we'll sack it off, but it seems odd to think we can have a good income, a decent amount of capital, and still not be able to realistically move country. Of course if we do decide to move ahead with it we'll consult a professional about exactly how to handle finances etc, I just like to have an idea of what I might be dealing with. I agree waiting may seem the more sensible thing to do but then so many years are wasted waiting for stars to align, and I suspect if we did that it would all come to nothing.

Brexit is ridiculous

BumpkinPie Elche is very Spanish, there are very few British people living in the city itself. It depends how you feel about that and could find it a bit isolating. We moved here because it's DP's hometown.

I really like Alicante. I think there's more to do there and more job opportunities too, plus the beach on your doorstep. If city life isn't for you, San Juan de Alicante is smaller and has a nice vibe. I have heard Denia is nice, but I haven't been. It may be a bit far if your mum lives further down the coast. If you would prefer to live amongst British people, La Marina and Gran Alicante are fairly popular (near my area) and there are lots of urbanisations where a mix of nationalities live. You'd have more of an expat life there.

Murcia is very nice too and not to far out of the way of where your mum lives. I'm a Londoner, so the bigger cities appeal to me. I'd live in Madrid or Barcelona if I could!!

Elche is ok with kids, but you def need a car.
DD loves her school and is now fluent in Spanish. She is the only British child on her school and I have never come across any other British children here, well not ones who attend local schools anyway.

Spanish kids don't do play-dates, have sleepovers etc. They tend to socialise within the family, with cousins, brothers, sisters etc. They hand out when they are a bit older, high school age, but not at primary apart from birthday parties etc. If that's important for your kids, I would suggest moving to a more 'expat' area. We have had no issues integrating, as DP is Spanish and comes from here, but I've heard of families that have moved to very 'Spanish' areas and have found it difficult.

Thanks expat that's really interesting and useful info! I'm country born and bred, I lived in London for a year once and busy city life isn't really for me, but the smaller towns you mention sound like they're worth investigating. The children play well together but yes, I think they'd struggle without the odd playmate - as would I as they fight a lot less when they have a friend over!

Oh and we'll definitely have a car as I can't even imagine how I'd ferry the kids around without!

expat SO true about playdates and sleepovers. No, no and no! Mums at the school gate (well, one very horrid one) switches to Valenciano as she thinks I can't understand. (I can, it's like French)

Think I'm moving to Elche!

It is isolating. I think you are SO lucky with your DP expat knowing everyone, having contacts as that is TOTALLY how it works here. The problem for me is DH is from Madrid so, although Spanish, we don't have the connections.

Don't underestimate the problem with that Bumpkin it's real and exists!

I have no car (grew up in London, never needed one) don't need one here TBH, as I live in a city.

Murcia is lovely, but they have a HUGE problem atm with immigration and Brexit as it is the vegetable capital of Spain!! I know as I have a friend here (born and bred) who works for an import/export fruit and vegetable company.

I lived in Madrid for 3 years, in some ways it was much easier and I had a great job, but I like the life here better. Love popping to the beach etc. And it is super cheap! Really, really cheap, compared to London and Madrid! A very healthy lifestyle too, but no question it comes with a personal price!

“We're considering the move over there to be closer to her as she's getting older and showing no inclination to move back here, and she misses her grandkids.”

This is ridiculous. If she misses them she should move back to the UK or visit more often. Why should a family of five uproot themselves and move away from other family (ie yours) just for one person? Who is more physically well and able to travel for visits, your parents or MIL? Do you have any other reason for moving to Spain or is she literally the only reason?

Living abroad is hard. It’s a huge upheaval, it can be isolating and hard work to make friends and settle in, it’s hard when you miss family and friends back home, there are a lot of practical things to sort out, you have to adapt to a different education and healthcare system etc. Not to mention jobs, unemployment is a huge problem in Spain, which is fine if you move there when you’ve retired, but what if you want to return to work at some point? It’s hard enough returning after a break in your home country let alone one where you (presumably) aren’t fluent in the language and jobs are scarce. And don’t get me started on how much harder it’s going to be for your DH to run his business from Spain instead of the UK.

All those things might be worth overcoming if you both had a really strong desire to do it, but I’m not reading any reasons other than MIL who sounds a bit selfish tbh.

You made very valid points anotheremma, I agree with you. It is not easy, but I could not move back to the UK now, I'd be a foreigner there too now, I think.

Where MIL lives, I would never live OP. There are much lovelier places quite nearby.

I also think it will be harder than you realise given that neither of you speak any Spanish. You’re not exactly going to learn overnight. If you’re serious about it you should start learning Spanish now so you have some of the basics before you get there.

I’m fluent in French and good at languages but couldn’t manage in Spain without DH who speaks the basics. I could learn but it would still take work.

I know you said you didn’t want a “bashing” for the decision to move, and I’m not trying to “bash” you, but I think the decision needs to be based on realistic expectations rather than an idealistic dream.