Relocating to Spain: moving house checklist
Find happiness in Spain. The people who live here enjoy a very pleasant climate, especially on the coast and the rich Mediterranean diet. This makes the country a very popular destination for people moving from abroad. There are many good reasons to do so. And ham is one of them. When you come to Spain, it is essential to make a checklist for moving and make sure everything goes smoothly from the beginning. The experts at Zebrabox have put together a list of key things to remember when moving home.
Spanish citizens live happily enjoying many hours of sunshine and good weather and a rich diet. The cost of living in Spain is one of the lowest in the EU and if you add the great variety of food and homemade dishes in the country, you have the complete package! In addition, the crime rate is one of the lowest in Europe. Most people who move to Spain are more than happy with their new home, the climate and life in the country.
Living in Spain: nothing but siesta? Quite the opposite
Thinking of moving to Spain? The sooner the better? Wait, not so fast. Take the time to finalize your own checklist of things to remember and mentally prepare for relocating. Preparation is key. It begins when you start packing your things.
All your personal and household belongings that you want to take with you to use in your new home should:
- have been in your possession for at least 6 months to be exempt from VAT (this includes automobiles). Important: have your vehicle registration documents and proof of purchase ready at the border! Get rid of new furniture!),
- continue to be used by you and
- be on the moving inventory list. Any belongings must be declared on the customs office application form - including value and weight! You must present this complete list of goods to be relocated to customs upon arrival in Spain. Label or number your boxes and put the numbers on your relocation inventory list. Why go to so much effort? If it is marked, it will be much easier to find all the important items.
Are you well prepared to move to Spain?
To avoid surprises at the border and make the move to your new home as easy as possible, you’ll need the following entry documents:
- Complete copy of valid passport or travel title.
- Copy of the documentation proving that you are qualified.
Important! If you wish to take your personal belongings with you across the border, you will normally only be able to do so Monday through Friday during the opening hours of the relevant Spanish customs office in charge of commercial goods. We recommend that you check the opening hours of the office through which you will be entering, as each office has its own opening hours on weekends.
Moving to Spain requires preparation
The beach is calling you. And so is Spain. Many people dream of moving to Spain and sharing the happiness of the country known as the Land of ham and fiesta. Some stay for a while, some stay a little longer and a large percentage stay forever. This is no problem, at least for EU citizens, thanks to the free movement of people agreement between Spain and the EU. When you move to Spain, you will only need your identity card or passport to automatically obtain a residence permit for up to six months. Do you want to stay longer or live in Spain permanently? If you have a permanent employment contract (more than one year) or a permanent place of work, you can easily apply for a temporary residence and employment authorization by filling out form EX03. This will allow you to stay for another five years. What happens after that? You can apply to extend your residence permit again by presenting your passport and proof of employment. Those who are self-employed must present proof that they have the means to support themselves in order to obtain a residence permit.
All this is easier for EU citizens but remember that if you come from a third country you will need to consult the specific information for obtaining a visa from your country.
Living in Spain: what you can and cannot bring with you
Do you love honey, salami and cheese from your region and want to take them with you? Who knows when you will have the next opportunity to get them? Pay attention to the limitations! If you are traveling in the EU, you can bring meat and dairy products as long as they are for personal consumption. If you are coming to the EU from a non-EU country, you cannot bring meat and dairy products. However, you may travel with a limited amount of fruit and vegetables, eggs, egg products and honey.
As for alcohol, if you come from the EU you can bring up to 10 liters of liquors (e.g. whiskey or gin) or 110 liters of beer. But if, on the other hand, you are not a member of the EU, you can only bring 4 liters of non-sparkling wine and 16 liters of beer. In addition, you can bring one liter of liquor with an alcohol content of more than 22% (such as vodka or gin). We recommend you to check out this web all the limitations regarding these products.
Moving to Spain with animals: Can Linda, Max and Yaco go with you?
If you are moving to Spain with your beloved dog or cat, then put them on the moving list! Find out here which vaccinations, permits and documents you need. Permits for exotic animals are investigated on an individual basis.
Moving to a smaller or furnished apartment in Spain
4 bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom, city center: the dream of many newcomers, until they see the rental prices in Spain. Then the apartment turns out to be much smaller than expected. Some stay a few months to work and rent an apartment or a furnished room during their stay. When moving in it is common to hear: "The rooms looked bigger when we looked at the area (or on the Internet)!" People don't need much to live in, but enough space! Space is like time: for many it's never enough. And even if you can't create a bigger apartment - you can make it more spacious! Moving boxes, clothes, folders, binders, books, spare furniture: take everything out and put it in a storage room, then sit back and enjoy the space. A happy ending.
Moving to Spain
Make sure everything goes smoothly!
Zebrabox has compiled a list of the most important things to remember when moving to a new country