Ready for an adventure- hoping for Spain

[Xtraincome]

Hi all,

Long time poster here, have repeatedly expressed misery around where we live and lack of quality of life/future for kids.

We are considering Spain, Alicante or Valencia. Will be medium-term time-wise spent there with the hope of longer-term.

We have visited Spain loads but not Valencia but it rates high for Quality of Life. Will obviously be visiting it this year to be sure.

Lastly, we are looking at an international paid-for school for DDs

Just wondered if anyone has recommendations for solicitors/face2face advice? I could get a digital nomad visa but DH couldn't. We are just exploring options. We feel positive about our choice and think our DDs 9&6 would benefit massively from it.

We don't want to regret not going for it in 10 years time!!

What is it about Spain in particular? Have you got a job lined up? If you have an International school in mind for your DDs, perhaps look at that location to live.

Hi there,

So yes have researched 2 International schools, one in Valencia one in Alicante. Working on locations with a mile of Valencia school and 5 miles of Alicante school.

Spain because DH and I have travelled there a lot. We know a lot of families who did it but non are our generation and all pre-Brexit.

I qualify for digital nomad and have FT fully remote job. Just need to know if there's a solicitors/advisors we can go through to nail down visas etc.

If you earn enough, you can take your family, though your DH wouldn't be allowed to work.

Would you earn enough alone to meet the visa requirements and, of course, pay for living expenses and school fees?

Have you explored health insurance requirements?

I imagine you already know of the Spanish government's page on the digital nomad visa
https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/londres/en/ServiciosConsulares/Paginas/Consular/Digital-Nomad-Visa.aspx

How is your Spanish? Would you be able to cope with life admin in Spanish, or would you need to pay for translation services?

The longest the visa can last is 3 years. If you could not extend that period, or did not wish to, what would be the situation with regard to jobs and accommodation and school places if you returned to the UK?

@Chersfrozenface thanks for replying. To answer your questions...

We would learn a bit of Spanish before we left, there is no time pressure on the move. DH is already lower-intermediate level.

I earn enough to meet the threshold for digital nomad visa BUT this is why I want some professional guidance as I don't earn enough to support us all with the additional health care costs.

We have enough equity to buy a small property outright in Valencia from our house in UK. So we look good in that respect.

Where we currently live in UK, schooling is just awful. I do not see our children being educated well at Secondary level. We are extremely conflicted about coming back. Additionally, we can get a buy to let here if needed for the future to move into. I know there are considerations for this.

My biggest concern is DH, not about his work ethic as he is ready, we need 2 incomes to make it work. We are not super high earners.

Final note, we are also exploring opening a small business. I am an English teacher with TEFL as well with 5 years experience so there's another avenue to explore there too.

We are not short on options but we just need someone to hold our hand a bit around our visa options and how we can look better on paper.

We’re in the DNV process now. Valencia is also on our list, although it’s a bit too humid for me and it has a real housing crisis. It’s taking people months and months to find a rental and costs are up 42% year on year.

Do you earn enough to take DH & DCs on your DNV, or just enough for you?

You’d need to wait a year after you opened a new small business, if that’s the route you took.

It’s quite a black and white visa, so you don’t really need to make yourself look better on paper. They stick rigidly to the published guidelines.

Would DH be able to work remotely from Spain at all? That could be an option. It would limit his visa to being just two years - you’d get three as standard if you applied from Spain.

Bear in mind competition for schools and nurseries in Valencia, as it’s such a hot spot for expats. You need to apply in April and then start in September. You’ll need to be there with your NIE and TIE numbers sorted by then, to apply. We missed that this year and can’t find a nursery spot, so we’re waiting until early next year to make the move.

Thank you so much! Great food for thought there.

We would hopefully buy in Valencia instead of rent.

I am right on the cusp for the DNV so I think it would be a stretch as a family. We are looking at remote jobs for DH now. He's been with Royal Mail 21 years!

Thank you for that advice re schooling as well.

@YouveGotAFastCar fingers crossed for your application! How exciting 😀

Hi @Xtraincome

I was just wondering if you had had success? I'm wanting to start the process too as I work remotely and full time for a company here in the UK and I just had a few questions....

Thanks!!

@YouveGotAFastCar sorry I hurriedly read this yesterday and just saw you're going through the process too, I realize it's nearly a year later but I'd love to ask her your experience, I seem to be getting conflicting answers from the Internet and a lawyer in Spain 😐

Sure @TodaysAngelaLansbury, ask away!

Ah fab!

For starters, did you go out as an employee of a company? And did you use a lawyer/solicitor for the whole process?

I’d recommend FB group: Go Spain- moving to and living in Spain.

it’s really helpful.
we’ve been here since 2018 so didn’t need visas or anything. But my children have really enjoyed school and life here and settled in so quickly.
My advice is: get yourselves and your children as many Spanish lessons beforehand as possible. Being familiar with basic questions and being able to answer, and ask for help when needed will really help the first day at school.