Residencia and NIE help!

[Bekki]

Hello! I went to the police station a few weeks ago for my residencia, I took all my relevant paper work with me and was given a green piece of paper with my nie number on and my address and mother and fathers name. I have been told different stories from a few different people that this is not my residency and that it is just my nie number. I have also been told at one bank that I can open a reaidents account with this form yet another bank is telling me I can only open an extranjero (foreigner) account. Can someone please shed some light on this as I'm totally confused!! Thanks

[nurse ratchet]

If you've got RESIDENCIA the piece of paper will be green and written at the top beneath the word ESPAÑA, will be
CERTIFICADO DE REGISTRO DE CUIDADANO DE LA UNIÓN

If you have this certificate you can open a residents bank account....simples

[Bekki]

Yes that's what I have but I am being told that it is not a residency and that I need something else, some other paper..

[casabonny]

They are probably refering to you being Fiscally resident ie paying your taxes here and not in the UK.You need to go to Hacienda for this however most banks accept the certificado de Registro as proof along with your Passport.A lot depends though on the Bank and in some cases the branch!

[Bekki]

That's what I thought but I've already been to the hacienda and also got my social security and empadronamiento (think that's how you spell it) as far I was aware I had everything. The funny thing is one branch accepted it all to open a residents account and another branch of the same bank didn't so it's just confused me a bit.

[nurse ratchet]

That's what I thought but I've already been to the hacienda and also got my social security and empadronamiento (think that's how you spell it) as far I was aware I had everything. The funny thing is one branch accepted it all to open a residents account and another branch of the same bank didn't so it's just confused me a bit.

I've lived here for 8 years and am still confused;)

[woodchip68]

As you are a member of the European community you no longer need a residencia. The green paper is a certificate of registry in Spain, allowing you to work, open a bank acc. etc..
If you are not paying socials into the Spanish state you are classed as a none fiscal resident and if you are, your a fiscal resident. Its as easy as that! Simples!!!
Note: You only need a residencia in Spain if you are a passport holder from a none EU state.

[Bekki]

Okay that's great. Thanks for all your help

[stu_bhoy07]

On this note when you go to the police station for a NIE does anyone their speak english. Land in three weeks and obtaining this document is daunting.

[woodchip68]

They dont really need to, their abit like machines. Passport, dos photo, mamas name, papas name, have your address writen down. Stamp, stamp - done. Advise: do not go too early, leave it till about 12.30. They close at 2pm and everyone gets there early. Opposite the Las Americas ugly police station there is a cafe, on the side road to it is a photogapher that does the photos to the correct size. Done this lots of times with people, its easy peasy.

[Bekki]

Also, I have seen signs in a few places I've been to like the police station, hacienda etc that say that they do not do any photocopying for you. So when you need photocopies of passports etc make sure you do them yourself, I saw a couple of people told to come back when they had everything they needed as they hadn't photocopied their passports.

[woodchip68]

Thanks Bekki, forgot about the copies, but you forgot about the stapler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXWZ3uAEKsw

[stu_bhoy07]

cheers pal, thats another concern off the checklist!

[nath]

Opposite the Las Americas ugly police station there is a cafe, on the side road to it is a photogapher that does the photos to the correct size. Done this lots of times with people, its easy peasy.
Could you inform me of correct sizes please? Last year when we went to get the NIE we had pictures made but we did not need them. Now we want to get our residencia so I might as well use the pictures we had made last year. Just wondering if we really have the correct size though (they are really small, much smaller as in Holland).

[woodchip68]

They are very small, about half of our normal passport pic

[nath]

They are very small, about half of our normal passport pic
Then they must be the correct size and I can actually re-use them then, that's good!! Ow, I just remembered I had my hair cut from long to short.... hmmmm they might not accept that if they got up on the wrong side of the bed that morning then.... Well can try I suppose. Thanks for your fast response.

[mossy]

Could someone post a link of where the police station is on google map por favor?

[junglejim]

It´s just along from Magma Centre and bus station

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=San+Eugenio,+Adeje,+Espa%C3%B1a&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=28.067682,-16.726127&spn=0.004184,0.010568&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=11.488016,43.286133&z=17&layer=c&cbll=28.067554,-16.725957&panoid=S2p2HQNEJPuXuNXJmpLNSQ&cbp=12,64.07,,0,0

Last year they weren´t bothering about photos , but take them anyway !

[Colincbayley]

As you are a member of the European community you no longer need a residencia. The green paper is a certificate of registry in Spain, allowing you to work, open a bank acc. etc..
If you are not paying socials into the Spanish state you are classed as a none fiscal resident and if you are, your a fiscal resident. Its as easy as that! Simples!!!
Note: You only need a residencia in Spain if you are a passport holder from a none EU state.
I am a non-fiscal resident, I have been here for 7 years (on and off) with only an NIE, I don't have a residecia. I own a car here, and a house, have a Spanish bank account. But I work in the UK, I travel back to the UK every other month or so just for a week and leave the wife and kids here for that time.
Do I need a residecia or the like? and if so why, what is the advantage/disadvantage?

[woodchip68]

Theres is no residencia for UK passport holders in spain, only a certificate of registry. If you have an NIE the you dont really need to register, but for example, the certificate gives you the same discount rights as a spanish resident for theme parks, ferries and flights etc.. It also seems to give you more credability with the Spanish as they see you as a more serious member of the state. If you are living in Spain for more than 183 days per year you are classed as a resident of spain for fiscal reasons and if you become a fiscal resident, in some circumstances you can claim some tax you are paying to the UK back. You should speak to a Gestor.

[Goldenmaniac]

There are two issues:
1st is registration of an EU citizen if they are staying (or intending to stay) in Spanish territory for longer than 90 days, that is a legal requirement and you will receive the green paper once you have done it have a look at the UK in Spain consulate website http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-spain/residence-req if you are unable to understand the Spanish instruction official websites.

That is an immigration requirement - it has nothing to do with FISCAL residency which is basically where you pay your taxes.

2nd As a rule of thumb (ONLY) if you stay for more than 183 days in any calendar year here you will also be required to have fiscal residency, BUT tax is a convoluted and complicated subject and no one size fits all so you should check on your own particular set of circumstances.

So to sum up you must have a green certificate if you stay here longer than 90 days you may have to be fiscally resident as well.