06 Apr 2013 14:16:

As I understand the SIP system

a) You have to have "residencia" to get health care
b) Prove income to support yourself

There is an alterrnative way to get a SIP card if you are under UK retirement age and that is for the DWP to write a letter saying that you are no longer eligible to received heathcare via the NHS - once again though you have to have resicencia, and be aware that if you talke this route you have now denied yourself health care in the UK

If you don't already have residencia then getting it now will be much harder as, once again as I understand it, not only do you have to prove annual income but also prove that you have €6000 lodged in a bank account.

I certainly discussed this with DWP recently and was told that I stood very little chance of getting one.

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Regarding the double taxation laws themselves, I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. I split my time between UK and Spain - usually slightly more in Spain I have to admit so go over the 183 days which makes me a tax resident. However, after the 1st year away from the UK you only have to spend 90 days in the UK to be classed as tax resident. So just where am I tax resident as I ususally spend quite a few more days than the 90 in the UK?

Heaven forbid that someone will make it clear to me.

Thread: New Double Taxation Agreement between Spain and UK

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08 Mar 2013 02:23:

To get a driving job in Spain I think you have to get a full Spanish license.

A friend used to drive the mini buses to/from one of the airport parking places and he had to swap. Its a bit beaurocratic to get one - You just need to have a medical and jump through the hoops.

Also agree with everyone else - getting a job aint easy - especially if you don't speak Spanish.

And the pay is pants. Friend used to work 66 hours a week including permanent nights and got paid €1000. Initially as autonomo and then managed to get contract - but half the money was on the black. Not a good situation!

Thread: moving to quesada in april

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04 Mar 2013 22:22:

UK Passport renewal can only be done via Embassy in Madrid - by post only, not in person.

Full information on Passport website

Thread: Renew my Passport

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20 Feb 2013 15:38:

Thanks for this. I'll sede you at one of the meetings

Thread: British citizens in Spain urged to make correct use of European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs)

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08 Nov 2012 13:40:

On our development at Roda Golf in Murcia, many owners have defaulted on mortgages or merely handed back keys as they can no longer afford to keep the property. Many are with Banco de Valencia in San Javier and they now have a lot of good, new modern properties that are on the market.

I know of 2 garden flats - both 2-bedroom 2-bathroom - that are on the market at half the original purchase price. These were built in 2007 to a high spec so although still more expensive than say a village property or apartment in somewhere like the urban sprawl at Torrevieja they are still cheap for what they are.

So you will be able to get some new properties not needing TLC on bank repos.

Thread: Cranes back in the Skyline...I was amazed

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