Does your advice only apply to US citizens? I subscribe to IL but am a UK resident.

Hi there! That's wonderful! What did your son study in the Netherlands?

The job market in Spain is tough as the country suffers from high unemployment and low wages. Getting a visa sponsorship is difficult, however, some roles that are in demand may qualify for the highly qualifeid visa (tech, finance, senior management).

An easier route to Spain is through the digital nomad visa (DNV). If Chris can get a qualifying remote job that is based outside of Spain, he could apply for the DNV and take his remote job to Spain. In this case he would not require a visa sponsorship. This is the most popular route right now for remote workers who want to move to Spain.

After 2 years on the digital nomad visa in Spain, since he is a Colombian citizen, he could apply for Spanish citizenship. After applying for citizenship the waittime to a response/approval is generally 6 months to 2 years.

I hope this helps! Please le us know if you have any quesitons.

Cepee, IL Correspondent - Spain

Hi there,

That's really exciting! I'm not familiar with Oviedo enough to know which areas to focus on, however, I would suggest reaching out to a local real estate agent to get insights from someone on the ground. Here is one suggestion - Agencia Alvarez: https://www.agenciaalvarez.com/

Since Oviedo isn't a popular city for expats it may be challenging to find a real estate agent who speaks English. Do you speak Spanish by chance?

Idealista.com is a popular website to check real estate go get an idea of what's on the market, you can also see listings by individuals and agents. That may be a good place to find other agents to speak to. https://www.idealista.com/

Best,

Cepee, IL Correspondent - Spain

Hi Ken,

Costa del Sol is a great choice!

I'm sorry to hear you're not eligible for EHIC coverage, which means you’ll need to take out private health insurance plan. And, it’s true that many private insurers in Spain have age caps, often around 74.

That said, you should still be able to find a plan. There are brokers who specialize in finding coverage for expats in exactly your situation. I recommend checking out Gidea–Insbrok. They’re an expat insurance broker in Spain and can often help find plans even for those over 75 or with pre-existing conditions. You can get a free quote through my link: https://insbrok.com/shehitrefresh/

Also, once you’ve been living in Spain for over a year and have been registered with your local town hall (‘empadronado’), you may be eligible to apply for the public health insurance scheme called the Convenio Especial. This is a monthly paid plan through the Spanish public system that gives you access to healthcare regardless of age. Details and applications are handled by your regional health authority, so be sure to check their website.

I hope this helps!

Best,

Cepee, IL Correspondent - Spain