1. If you are an European Community citizen
2. If you are from a non-European country
3. Other requirements
1. If you are an European Community citizen
IF you are an European Community citizen, you don’t need to get the permanent residence permit any more, but if you wish, you can obtain one issued for 5 years and automatically renewable. To get the card, you also need to prove your financial means, if you are not working in Spain, and a health insurance.
European Union pensioners may transfer their rights to medical care to the Spanish Social Security medical system, when you have no medical insurance in your home country, you should contract a private health insurance in Spain.
When one spouse is financially dependent on the other, you must show your marriage certificate.
2. If you are from a non-European country
You should request a residence visa from the consulate in your country of origin, also it is required that you get the permanent residence permit at the Police Station of the Spanish city where you are going to reside. They will ask you some documentation such as the following:
- Your passport.
- Your residence visa.
- A certificate which proves that you have no criminal record in your home country.
- Current health certificate that you can obtain from a Spanish doctor.
- Health insurance.
- Proof that you have means of income.
- Your marriage certificate, together with its official translation.
When children under 18 are included in the residence application, their birth certificates are needed. The fees you must pay depend on where you come from. Spain has bilateral agreements with some countries.
3. Other requirements
Whether you are European citizen or not, be aware that you will need to make some arrangements to transferring your income to Spain. You shall open a bank account in Spain. Also you will need your tax identification number NIE (Número de identificación de Extranjero) for tax purposes.
Perhaps you want to import your furniture into Spain. If you are a European Union citizen you do not have to pay any custom duty, as the European Union assures the free circulation of goods within the European Union. If you are a non-European union citizen you can import your personal possessions free of customs duty, you will have to show your residence permit and make a prior deposit, which will be returned to you.
