Hello - newbie here

[callie]

What a brilliant source of info this forum is - Thanks Hepa - I've added Currency Exchange Firms to the OH's list of research areas - do the forum rules allow you to share the name of the one you use?

And yes - the question of whether to brush up our Castillian, to start on Catalan or just to give in and go straight for Mallorquin language lessons is a challenge - but all part of the adventure

[xabiachica]

Originally Posted by callie

Thanks very mnuch Xabiachica - that's good news about the UK bank statement possibility - I'll check again a bit nearer the time when things (may) have settled down a bit. And yes the tax thing will be complicated but I'm sure it will work out in the end (ever optimistic) .

I completely take your point about not applying for a resident cert on a visit & that wasn't part of the plan - what we were planning was to apply for NIE's to facilitate banking etc. and Thrax raised the issue of a non-resident bank account having the potential of the bank closing it after 3 months if it's opened with a non-resident NIE. So I'm wondering if it is possible to get anything other than a non-resident NIE during the initial visit.

non-resident bank accounts don't just get closed/frozen after 3 months for no reason - they must have realised that thrax was resident & hadn't kept them informed - obviously true non-residents can keep accounts running for years

you can't get a resident account unless you have a resident cert

you can't get a resident cert without proof of income & healthcare provision

if you are planning to use the S1 for the healthcare provision proof then you are effectively 'signing off' UK healthcare & then won't be able to (legally) use the NHS except for emergencies

[callie]

Originally Posted by xabiachica

non-resident bank accounts don't just get closed/frozen after 3 months for no reason - they must have realised that thrax was resident & hadn't kept them informed - obviously true non-residents can keep accounts running for years

you can't get a resident account unless you have a resident cert

you can't get a resident cert without proof of income & healthcare provision

if you are planning to use the S1 for the healthcare provision proof then you are effectively 'signing off' UK healthcare & then won't be able to (legally) use the NHS except for emergencies

Thank you that's really, really useful info .

Even though we could get the S1 we had planned to take out Health Insurance at least for the first couple of years till we knew we'd settled. And the way things are changing who knows what the situation will be when/if we make the move

[Hepa]

I believe I can provide you with a link seeing that you have asked.

Foreign Money & Currency Exchange Services, Euro Exchange, UK Currency Converter :: SmartCurrencyExchange.com

Very professional firm.

[xabiachica]

Originally Posted by callie

Thank you that's really, really useful info .

Even though we could get the S1 we had planned to take out Health Insurance at least for the first couple of years till we knew we'd settled. And the way things are changing who knows what the situation will be when/if we make the move

well, exactly - who knows

I'd use the S1 though, if I were you - why pay for something when you don't have to/already have (effectively)

also, private ins wouldn't cover any pre-existing conditions

[Hepa]

Don't forget if you are one Winter Fuel allowance in the U.K. it will continue when you emigrate.

I get it here and we haven't used heating for two years!!

There are some photos on the below link, of the small island we live on.

[Solwriter]

Originally Posted by Hepa

Don't forget if you are one Winter Fuel allowance in the U.K. it will continue when you emigrate.

But only if it is claimed initially from a UK address I believe.

So if someone takes up residence in Spain before they reach state pension age...
(My OH missed out this way).
The WFA isn't much, but it's something to factor into timing calculations.

[callie]

Originally Posted by Solwriter

But only if it is claimed initially from a UK address I believe.

So if someone takes up residence in Spain before they reach state pension age...
(My OH missed out this way).
The WFA isn't much, but it's something to factor into timing calculations.

I would imagine that by the time we're all sorted I will be of state pensionable age - assuming the don't change the goalposts again

Thanks for the links Hepa - your Island is part of the Canaries we've never visited but it looks fantastic. Do you have to go to one of the bigger Islands to get all of your 'foreigner' stuff sorted out?

I take your point about the S1 Xabiachica - I suppose if it all goes horrendously wrong & we have to come back to live in the UK for some reason, once we'd established UK residency again (via tax, pensions, having somewhere to live etc.) we would be entitled to NHS care if needed.

[Hepa]

Originally Posted by callie

Thanks for the links Hepa - your Island is part of the Canaries we've never visited but it looks fantastic. Do you have to go to one of the bigger Islands to get all of your 'foreigner' stuff sorted out?

The only time we have to fly to Tenerife is for highly specialised health treatment, but the air fare is paid by the state.

Otherwise we are self contained. We do however make trips to Gran Canaria to re-furbish on socks, shirts and tea bags etc., the flight is 45 minutes and we usually stay for a week.

[Alcalaina]

Originally Posted by Solwriter

But only if it is claimed initially from a UK address I believe.

So if someone takes up residence in Spain before they reach state pension age...
(My OH missed out this way).
The WFA isn't much, but it's something to factor into timing calculations.

I think it's age 60 at the moment, rather than retirement age? You don't have to be a pensioner to claim it.