Married to UK citizen, moving to Spain

[lagdm]

I don't know if this is the right place to ask, but any info will help.
I'm mexican, my husband is Scotish, my dauther was born in Mexico but has a UK passport. We got married in Venezuela 22 year ago and we have been living in Venezuela all this time. We are planning to leave Venezuela en the near future and settle in Spain. I have been reading posts in this forum about getting the residency in Spain for UK citicens, but I didn't find anything similar to my case. Does any of you have information that can help me. Thanks!

[missmulticulture]

Relocating to Spain with a Uk passort is easy - no documentation needed. As you are married to someone with a UK passport I doubt it will be a problem

Originally Posted by lagdm

I don't know if this is the right place to ask, but any info will help.
I'm mexican, my husband is Scotish, my dauther was born in Mexico but has a UK passport. We got married in Venezuela 22 year ago and we have been living in Venezuela all this time. We are planning to leave Venezuela en the near future and settle in Spain. I have been reading posts in this forum about getting the residency in Spain for UK citicens, but I didn't find anything similar to my case. Does any of you have information that can help me. Thanks!

[Joppa]

A EU citizen has an absolute right to move to another EU state to live and work, and to take their dependent family with them. So there will be no problems about your moving to Spain with your husband - in fact it's easier to move to Spain than UK, as EU rules take precedence over often restrictive UK law. As a Mexican you may be able to just arrive in Spain with your passport and sort out your residency afterwards, but normally you apply for an EEA Family Permit at the Spanish consulate in Caracas, and then after arriving in Spain, get your residence permit (carte de resdencia) locally. Inquire at the Spanish consulate for exact details. You may like to ask this question on Spain Expat forum.

[lagdm]

Originally Posted by Joppa

A EU citizen has an absolute right to move to another EU state to live and work, and to take their dependent family with them. So there will be no problems about your moving to Spain with your husband - in fact it's easier to move to Spain than UK, as EU rules take precedence over often restrictive UK law. As a Mexican you may be able to just arrive in Spain with your passport and sort out your residency afterwards, but normally you apply for an EEA Family Permit at the Spanish consulate in Caracas, and then after arriving in Spain, get your residence permit (carte de resdencia) locally. Inquire at the Spanish consulate for exact details. You may like to ask this question on Spain Expat forum.

Thanks for your answers Missmulticulture and Joppa. I did ask the question also on the Spain Expat Forum and got the same answer, plus the page of the relevant Ministerio, where I confirmed what all of you have told me. I have another question though. I have been married for 22 years, but apparently I have to live for a number of years (2 or 3 I think) in the UK to have the right to apply for a British Passport. Does my time living in EU (Spain) will count or I have to live in the UK to get that right?

[Joppa]

Three years in UK or crown possessions (like Channel Islands, Gibraltar, Falklands etc). Other EU countries don't count, I'm afraid. UK government wants to see close connection with UK (other than being married to a British citizen) before considering you for naturalisation. Also there is a limit to how long you can stay away from UK during the qualifying period - I think it's around 90 days. You also have to pass Life in Britain Test. Before you move to UK, you have to apply for a settlement visa, which costs a whopping £585.

[lagdm]

Originally Posted by Joppa

Three years in UK or crown possessions (like Channel Islands, Gibraltar, Falklands etc). Other EU countries don't count, I'm afraid. UK government wants to see close connection with UK (other than being married to a British citizen) before considering you for naturalisation. Also there is a limit to how long you can stay away from UK during the qualifying period - I think it's around 90 days. You also have to pass Life in Britain Test. Before you move to UK, you have to apply for a settlement visa, which costs a whopping £585.

Thanks Joppa, you seem to be quite knowledgeable in these matters and maybe you can help me with another doubt. My daughter (UK passport and birth certificate holder, born in Mexico) has studied all her life in American schools, she is 15 years old now and she is starting 10th grade, missing 2 more years to finish the IB program. We will move to Spain but we want her to continue her education in an international school. She speaks Spanish, but have studied all her life “in English” so she prefer to go to the University in the UK. What would be her “status” as a student in the UK? I know some countries don’t make a difference and if you have the nationality you are considered as “local”, but I know some other counties require residence. Thanks again!

[Joppa]

You have to have lived for three years immediately prior to starting uni (but not for the purposes of education, like attending school) to be considered a home student, and pay standard tuition fees of £3225 max (for 09-10), or be a non-UK EEA citizen. Your daughter will be classed as overseas or international student and pay the fees set by each uni, which varies between around £8000 to £10000 a year, and she won't be eligible for any loans or grants home students are entitled to. I think on the continent, fees are usually lower and overseas students don't get charged vastly inflated rates. Exceptions are made for sons or daughters of those serving outside UK as diplomats or representatives of UK organisations.

[lagdm]

Originally Posted by Joppa

You have to have lived for three years immediately prior to starting uni (but not for the purposes of education, like attending school) to be considered a home student, and pay standard tuition fees of £3225 max (for 09-10), or be a non-UK EEA citizen. Your daughter will be classed as overseas or international student and pay the fees set by each uni, which varies between around £8000 to £10000 a year, and she won't be eligible for any loans or grants home students are entitled to. I think on the continent, fees are usually lower and overseas students don't get charged vastly inflated rates. Exceptions are made for sons or daughters of those serving outside UK as diplomats or representatives of UK organisations.

I was afraid that would be your answer… well, those are the inconvenient of the expat life. Still three years to go, so we’ll see what she will decide to study and which will be her options according to that. Thanks a lot!