International Living Community

I recently went to Cadiz and shared my thougths on this up and coming corner of Spain. If you're looking for an authentic Spanish experience, Cadiz is the real deal!

https://internationalliving.com/countries/spain/cadiz-spain/

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 great that you're looking to spend the winter in Spain. Have you been to Valencia and Cartegena yet? If not, both are lovely options and quite different.

Valencia is Spain's 3rd large city (population about 800,000) with a lot of culture, restuarants, arts, and entertainment, as well as mild winters, although lows can get into the 40s and highs are in the 60s.

Cartagena is very lovely, however, a much different lifestyle than Valencia. It's a smaller city (around 200,000) and will be more laid back, and has much less going on. However, there is lots to see in and around the city.

Spain has a wonderful public and private healthare system. Your wife being Italian, she may be able to get on a EHIC: https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies-and-activities/moving-working-europe/eu-social-security-coordination/european-health-insurance-card/how-use-card/spain-european-health-insurance-card_en

Let us know if you have any questions!

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

Hi Catherine! That's very exciting. Since you are a Hungarian citizen you are eligible to access the Spanish public health insurance program. However, you would need to first obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to access the benefits. There's some information here on how to apply for yoru EHIC: https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies-and-activities/moving-working-europe/eu-social-security-coordination/european-health-insurance-card/how-use-card/spain-european-health-insurance-card_en

Regarding private health insurance, the most popular private health insurance providers are:

Sanitas
Adeslas
Asisa
DKV
Assa

You can often request a quote on their respective websites or speak to someone on the phone to discuss the right plan for you.

I am from the US and reside in Spaina and I have a private plan with Sanitas.

If you have any questions just let me know.

Cepee Tabibian, IL Correspondent - Spain

Hi Ilkka,

For private health insurance, the most popular private health insurance providers are:

Sanitas
Adeslas
Asisa
DKV
Assa

You can often request a quote on their respective websites or speak to someone on the phone to discuss the right plan for you. Coverage will depend on the plan you select.

I am from the US and reside in Spain and I have a private plan with Sanitas.

If you have any questions just let me know.

Cepee Tabibian, IL Correspondent - Spain

Hi Catherine! That's very exciting. Since you are a Hungarian citizen you are eligible to access the Spanish public health insurance program. However, you would need to first obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to access the benefits. There's some information here on how to apply for yoru EHIC: https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies-and-activities/moving-working-europe/eu-social-security-coordination/european-health-insurance-card/how-use-card/spain-european-health-insurance-card_en

Regarding private health insurance, the most popular private health insurance providers are:

Sanitas
Adeslas
Asisa
DKV
Assa

You can often request a quote on their respective websites or speak to someone on the phone to discuss the right plan for you.

I am from the US and reside in Spaina and I have a private plan with Sanitas.

If you have any questions just let me know.

Cepee Tabibian, IL Correspondent - Spain

Hi there!

How exciting that you'll be in Malaga and at the conference in Portugal! I'll be there too. Thank you for letting us know about the email issue. We're looking into it.

Here are a few recommended realtors for Malaga:

Remax Top Málaga (Hamilton Beau Bone), Av. Del Obispo Angel Herrera
Oria 2, 29007 Málaga
+34 952310562
https://www.remax.es/buscador-de-agentes/malaga/malaga/cruz-de-humilladero-arroyo-del-cuarto/hamilton-bone-26986/

Inmobiliaria Krauel, Calle Sancha de Lara, 13 bajo, Málaga 29015; tel.
+34 (952) 210-457 and +34 (952) 210-947; email: krauel@innmokrauel.com;
website: www.inmokrauel.com

Málaga Estates, Calle Hinestrosa, 25, Málaga 29012; tel. +34 (952) 223-288
and +34 (600) 783-711 mobile; email: info@malagaestates.com; website:
www.malagaestates.com

Marisa Kagan, is a “global ambassador” for the National Association of Realtors, for Italy, Portugal, and Spain. She’s based in US, but has reliable contacts in Spain, and can provide some recommendations too.

mkagan@globalrealtysolutions.com

I hope this helps!

Cepee Tabibian, IL Spain Correspondent

Hi! Currently the tax of up to 100% on the value of properties bought by non-residents from countries outside the EU is just a proposal by the Spanish president and not yet a law (it's unknown if it would ever pass into law). The president has not provided a timeline for presenting it to parliament for approval.

It's best to speak to a tax attorney if the proposal become law at some point in the future to inqurie about how it may work.

Cepee Tabibian, IL Spain Correspondent

Great question! I'm not familiar with any sites or organizations in Spain that highlight accessible housing or communities. I would say that major cities would be the most accessible - Madrid and Barcelona. Smaller towns may be accessible in some areas but overall I find much of Spain was not built with accessibility in mind (except for the visually impaired). Most new buildings will have elevators but the units themselves may not be wheelchair accessible. Buses are wheelchair friendly but not all sidewalks are. I hope this helps!

Hi! Just to clarify, are you inquiring about private health insurance for Spain?

Hi! Great question. The most popular rental site in Spain and Portugal is Idealist.com: https://www.idealista.com/

You can search by city and filter for what you're looking for.