Clarifying Documents Needed for Spanish Residency

[IreneD]

Can you knowledgeable folk confirm that to become Residents we need to take to the police station:-

Our passports
Our escritura
Filled in EX 18 forms
Marriage certificate
S1 forms (or do I need these later, at the SS office?)

Is there anything else we should know? Thank you!

[jaycecampo]

You will need also an EHIC or proof of private Health Insurance. Maybe the S1 will be OK. When I obtained my residencia in December in Malaga my EHIC was passed along to the other desks as an example to people that didn't have one! You will also need a bank statement showing you have enough money to support yourself. Don't forget to take copies of everything.

[Lavanda]

Times have changed and I suppose the crisis reflects the change. Six years ago all we needed was passport, NIE and the escritura which was the reason why we wanted to be resident - we had property here. No healthcare or money things were involved at all.

[El Cid]

You only need your passport and a copy, the completed form and a copy.

You will also need proof of income and health cover. Exactly what that needs to be is not clear and will probably depend on the individual office. A S1 form might be acceptable but an EHIC would probably not be acceptable as a resident cannot use it if it was issued to a UK resident - it would depend on the office.

Officially you do not have to produce photos but I was asked for them. Better to take some in case.

There is no requirement for your escritura or marriage certificate. The escritura is required when you apply to go on the Padron.

I assume you will be using the office in Torre so it would be useful if someone has first hand experience of that specific office.

Sid

[barry]

It might be best to use the old spanish rule of, take everything, because we were asked for padron, and like cid, photos. I presume padron as proof of address.

We then took the residence certificate with all the rest to the healthcare office with the S1 form and the residence certificate was the one piece of paperwork they never asked for.

[knowal]

Can you knowledgeable folk confirm that to become Residents we need to take to the police station:-

Our passports
Our escritura
Filled in EX 18 forms
Marriage certificate
S1 forms (or do I need these later, at the SS office?)

Is there anything else we should know? Thank you!

Passports and copies - yes.
Escritura - NO.
EX18 forms - Yes.
Marriage cert, NO
S1 forms, Yes, if it is your proof of healthcare.
The office I registered at required a padron certificate less than 3 months old.
You will also need to pay the fees for each certificate issued, but it's best to do that at the time, they will give you the forms to take to the bank.

[Lavanda]

We took our Escritura because residency was given for a REASON and the reason was we had property in Extremadura. In those days, here, you couldn't just be a resident because you wanted to be one, etc.

[El Cid]

You do not have to give a reason any more as it is a legal requirement to register if you are going to stay for more than 90 days.

The only requirement is that you are an EU/EEA citizen.

It doesn't in itself make you a resident by applying - it's more like a visa to allow you to stay in Spain.

If you want to apply for the right of permanent residence you must have lived in Spain for 5 years.

Sid

[Lavanda]

It certainly makes more sense these days than when we did it.

[El Cid]

It's certainly pretty straightforward but so much depends on the local office.

We use Motril and they are always efficient and there is virtually no queuing. They have always been that way but other towns can be really slow.

I remember when we first applied for the old "Residencia" card 13 years ago, they wanted proof of income/health so it's not a new idea.

Sid

[BENIDORM]

Certainly the whole procedures of applying for anything in Spain have improved dramatically recently, I have found almost all of the 'officials' to be polite and helpful and it is certainly not to be a 'worrying experience'.
My advice is always take every bit of documentation with you, be patient and polite and calm and you will not have any problems.
It is a far cry from some years ago, as Sid said,and I can remember being 'herded' into 'sheep pens' with a load of North Africans, I thought I was about to be sold into slavery.

Regards,
Gordon

[IreneD]

Thank you very much, everyone. The only small problem I can see is if they are not happy with our income - I hope they consider it sufficient .........

Hopefully my daughter is bringing the S1 forms out with her tomorrow, she is coming for a short visit - as our address here is dodgy - (wrong house no. on the wall) I asked the very helpful chap I spoke to in DWP in Newcastle to send the forms to her.

I will let you know what happens and will pop back to this thread in case someone who has used the Torre office can shed any more light, as Sid suggests.

[El Cid]

Thank you very much, everyone. The only small problem I can see is if they are not happy with our income - I hope they consider it sufficient .........

Do you have your UK pension paid directly into your Spanish bank? If so that should be acceptable as proof of income.

Sid

[IreneD]

No, we haven't got around to doing that, yet - it goes into our English bank but we can print off statements if that would help, do you think?

[ajtg1952]

My only suggestion about the Torre del Mar office is to get there early. They open at 9 [if you go nearer 11 they will turn you away] and there is a queue but the police officer on the door will give you a numbered ticket; just like the fish counter. Go to the side door, beside the tram tracks, not the main door at the end of the building [where all the police cars are parked].
The desk you want is on the left as you go in. The chairs on the right face this lady so just take a seat and wait. If it is the normal lady, she is very patient and will help you through the forms if they are not correct. She does not speak much English but she is helpful [just hope she is not on holiday].

She will send you to the bank to pay the fees. Caja Mar. Turn left back towards the town centre and it's across the tram tracks on the right, about 300m.

Go back to the police station and stand and wait till the lady is free then barge in and she will deal with you; no need for a number this time.

Good luck.

[El Cid]

No, we haven't got around to doing that, yet - it goes into our English bank but we can print off statements if that would help, do you think?

Well it wouldn't do any harm - I would take them.

Sid

[IreneD]

Will do - keep your fingers crossed all goes smoothly

[quebin]

Thursday(market day) in Torre Del Mar seems to be the quietest day.OH went with a friend last year for her NIE and was in and out including a trip to the bank in about 15 minutes.Sat in a bar waiting and only just had time for a beer.

[alicia]

I have the green A4 Resident Certificate. After five years resident do you have to do something more to be considered permanently resident then?

[IreneD]

Thanks quebin, I'll remember that. My daughter is here now - unfortunately minus the S1 forms I was hoping she would bring.........hopefully she will be able to send them out in a new envelope re-addressed to our wrongly numbered house - I felt I should give the correct number to the official in the DWP office .

Alicia, I think there is a thread here with asimilar question to yours and I believe the answer was you don't need to do anything.