How to Move to Spain
Spain is a country with a rich culture in food, dance and music. The Iberian peninsula enjoys a moderate climate with mild winters and very warm, dry summers, making it a very attractive place to relocate. It's not all tapas and sangria for foreigners, though. Spain is famous for its red tape and tricky bureaucracy, which makes getting a work visa or residency permit very difficult. Although you might need a good lawyer and lots of savings, Spain is a place with friendly people and lovely scenery to keep you from feeling too homesick.
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Instructions
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Secure employment or interviews before making the journey abroad. Having a job set up in Spain makes all visa applications and property searches much easier. Employers can often be the best people to help with accommodation, bank accounts and the complex Spanish legal system. Even just an interview can be a good source of information.
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Clear your schedule to search for accommodation as soon as you arrive in Spain. Property in the larger Spanish cities is snapped up almost as quickly as it's advertised, so moving fast is a necessity. English speakers often have to pay over the odds, so it's worth finding a bilingual friend to help you find the best deal. Non-Spanish speakers can expect to pay up to 50 percent more for accommodation in Spain. Agents can make things simpler but will expect to be paid for their efforts, and fees range from one month's rent to three months' rent.
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Employ a gestor. Lawyers can be expensive, particularly one who is familiar with both Spanish and American law. For a relatively small fee, Spain-based gestors can help expats negotiate their way through all the confusing bureaucracy. Gestors can speed up the process for receiving an NIE number (Número de Identificación de Extranjero), which essentially registers expats with the Spanish tax system. A gestor is a good idea because in the case that your job won't provide you with a work or residence visa, gestors can arrange the forms and make sense of the red tape surrounding the immigration process.
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Tips & Warnings
Try to gain a working knowledge of Spanish. Eventually any long-term resident of Spain will have to speak the language as English is not spoken anywhere near as widely as in Northern European countries. Joining an intercambio (language exchange) will also help you experience the culture and mix with locals.
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