Government

Brexit

Brexit has instigated a number of changes of UK National as visitors to the EU and Andalucia and present and future UK National residents and home-owners of Andalucia.   There are also changes for UK and Andalucia business conducting trade and offering services.   Many of the details of these changes is not known. It is the intention of this page to try and keep up to date with such info and changes.    

Spanish Visas

The 'Long term Visa or 'National Visa' is a collective name for the many different Visas that can be applied for by Non-EU Nationals who wish to reside, work or Study in Spain.'

Golden Visa

The Spanish Golden Visa is a special resident Visa directed towards Non-EU nationals investing in Spain as part of Europe. 

Andalucian Government

The executive cabinet or "Consejo de Gobierno de la Junta de Andalucia" is comprised fo the President of Andalucia, Vice Presidents and 'Consejeros'. (as distinct from 'Ministeros' in the national government. Translation to English is often confusing as they are neither Ministers nor local Councilors).

Work Permits and Visas

Before making any plans to live or work in Andalucía or, indeed, anywhere in Spain, you must ensure that you have a valid passport (with a visa if necessary) and the appropriate documentation to obtain a residence card or work permit. The free movement of workers within the EU and Spain became effective on 1st January 1992, after a six-year transition period.

Police

The Guardia Civil wear green uniforms and are less reactionary today than they were during Franco's control. They are responsible for national security, customs and for crowd control at large events. Their traffic department patrol the main highways with cars and motorbikes and organise radar speeding checks.

Voting and Elections

Election campaigns are well organised in Spain. The general order of events is as follows: Voting - Foreigners wishing to vote in local (but not regional or national) elections need to prepare in advance in order to be admitted to the polls on election day. Municipal Elections - The last town hall municipal elections in Spain took place on the 22nd May 2011. They take place every four years.

Civil Servants

The word “funcionario” is one most foreigners learn rather early on as no one gets very far without meeting one. “Funcionario” is Spanish for “public worker”. The percentage of government workers in Spain is one of the highest in Europe and one that is entrenched in Spanish history as past governments were famous for multiplying their agencies and offices at often amazing rates.

Customs entering Spain

Duty-free allowances have been abolished within the EU. Travelers entering Spain from any EU country may take in the following generous quantities of alcohol and tobacco: 200 cigars, 3,200 cigarettes, 400 cigarillos, 10 litres of spirits, 110 litres of beer, 20 litres of fortified wine and/or 90 litres of wine.

Foreign Consulates in Andalucia

With so many tourists visiting southern Spain every year, it is hardly surprising that the area has a large number of foreign consulates. For your reference, we have included a list of some of them below. Remember most consulates are only open to the public in the morning.

Spanish Constitution

Following the death of General Franco in 1975, which heralded the end of 36 years of dictatorship, Spain has become a parliamentary democracy. A year after Franco's death, political parties were legalised, the Socialists in February 1977 and the Communists in April. The first general elections were held in 1979 and were won by the Unión de Centro Democrátia (UCD).

Law

If you are buying property in Spain, investing or starting a business, or making a will (among other reasons), you should definitely employ the services of an experienced lawyer. You will find that fees are generally lower than those charged by lawyers in northern European countries and when preparing contracts involving a sum of money, (ie property purchase), fees are calculated as a percentage of the sum involved.

TIE Residence Cards

The Royal Decree 240/2007 requires that everybody planning to reside in Spain for more than six months should obtain a Residence Certificate or Card at the local Oficina de Extranjeros.  The TIE card is issued to Non-EU foreigners legally resident in Spain, hence it is a useful document to have to prove your status.

Red Tape Survival Tips

Bureaucracy is never fun. It is even less so when you feel lost and don't know where to start in order to find the information you need and to understand why certain documents and procedures are required. Following is a list of tips and suggestions that can help you cut just about any type of red tape.

Empadronamiento

The "padrón" is a municipal list of residents. A "certificado de empadronamiento" refers to a certificate the town hall will give you on request to demonstrate that you are registered on the padron. The process to register is simple and does not require that you have your residency papers in order. It is free and does not incur any additional taxes.

Adoption

It is possible to carry out either a Spanish or international adoption via the Andalucian Regional Government. However, not everyone is eligible for every type of adoption. As requirements are continually changing, it is best to contact the "Centro de Atención al Niño".

Data Protection

If you are living, working or running a business, club, association, community or any other organisation in Andalucia, you are advised to understand data protection law as it applies to you. “Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence” according to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights.

Public Health System

In Andalucia the acronym SAS is more likely to conjure up images of healthcare than air travel. It stands for Servicio Andaluz de Salud, or Andalucian Health Service and is run by the regional government.

Getting Married in Spain

In Spain, it is possible to arrange civil and religious marriages between foreigners or a foreigner and a Spanish national provided you do your paperwork first. In addition, the Spanish government is working on agreements with major non-Catholic faiths in terms of accepting their religious marriage ceremonies.