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U.S. to Spain

6K views 25 replies 8 participants last post by  Monkey Hangers 
#1 ·
Moving from u.s. to maliga in 2 years,,, what is my first step..
 
#2 ·
What brings you to Malaga? I am not sure if San Francisco is your nearest consulate or not, but you need to see if it is even possible for you to get a visa...

Consulado de España en SanFrancisco

Non-EU people have a harder time of getting a visa than EU people.
And if you have any luck getting a visa, please come back and tell others about your experience. Many Americans ask about visas here, but few come back to say anything about their experiences later.
 
#3 ·
We got a visa, but we are retired people. It took more than half-a year to get all the necessary papers for the Spanish Consulate in Chicago, but we made it! Have been in Spain for more than half-a year and do not have any plans to go back to the US any time soon. Love it here. There were some inconveniences during the first few weeks, but we got over them and accepted many things with humor. Thanks goodness we don't have to work as there are no jobs! But everything else is almost just as good as we expected to be except that it is even better! And by this I mean great English speaking people who are all around us, and all the activities that we got involved into! We are having great time here.
 
#4 ·
:welcome:

well done for getting that visa :clap2:


if you are willing - would you let us know the hurdles you had to jump - & specifically if there is a minimum income which they stated to you - different consulates seem to give different figures - if indeed they give a figure at all

sorry if you think I'm being nosey - but it would help future posters & that is the question which seems to be asked the most often :)
 
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#7 ·
Well, I don't remember the exact numbers of the required income. But our pensions seem to be enough. I thought that if we only received social security pension it would still be enough to qualify for a retirement visa as life is cheaper in Spain.
 
#8 ·
xabiachica, here is what I found, it answers your question about the required income too:

Residency visa to retire in Spain

This visa allows you to reside in Spain without working or doing any lucrative activities.

Documents to apply:

2 Application forms dully filled out and signed.
2 photos passport size with a white background. (staple one to each form)
Passport valid for a minimum of one year.
Alien Residence Card (Green-Card) or residence visa valid in USA (except B-1,B-2).
Documents that prove family ties (person/persons who accompany the applicant).
Police Records Certificate from the country (FBI) of origin or place of you residence for the last five years bearing the "Apostille of the Hague Convention" or if the country issuing such document is not part of the "Hague Convention" such documents must be dully legalized.
Original medical certificate typed on doctor´s stationary verifying that the applicant is free from any contagious diseases, this certificate must also certify that the applicant is free of drug addictions and mental illness.
Proof/s that you have sufficient financial means for you (and your accompanying family) during the stay in Spain without the need to work. Pension, retirement income or other income for life, at a minimum rate of $10.000 per year (plus $1.700 per additional person in the family).
Proof of own housing
Valid health/accidental insurance with full international coverage with a minimum coverage of 30,000 €.
A non-refundable visa fee payable to the Spanish Consulate (cash or money order).
 
#17 ·
That was another hard part. I was lucky to find an agent who was a British living in Spain, who talked to a land lord who agreed to start the rent in 4 or 5 months since the first contact was made. We started the correspondence some time in June-July, paid a two-month deposit directly to their Spanish bank account, and the rental agreement started in November. We were able to come to Spain only in mid-December after receiving the visa. Anyway, it was so complicated that I would not want to go through all this again. We were lucky to meet very friendly British people here. It would be very hard to be among the Spaniards as we don't speak Spanish and they generally don't speak any English here.
 
G
#13 ·
If you don't already know Spanish, then learn as much as you can before coming.

Check south america, the weather is better. :)

Figure out what you want to bring with you on the airplane. Shipping your goods if that is your plan should be considered carefully as it can be rather expensive and your electrical goods won't work without adapters.
 
#24 ·
How about you just swap identity with myself and my husband. We lived in Florida for 6 years and loved it. Health and visa problems bought that to a close, but, hey, I'd go back tomorrow.
We are in Murcia, like it.....but.......it's not the same. I like big houses, cars, roads, fridges, washers, dryers, shops, Publix, Kohls, J C Penney, Outback Steakhouse oh I could go on but it's getting boring for people now. ;)
 
#26 · (Edited)
That a deal, if we could make it happen. We have a plan to travel in late August for about 10 days. Should we attain a travel agent or just go, we want to look at your area and the Mijas area for retirement in a year and a half.
As far as I'm aware, internal flights in Spain are quite pricey.
The drive down from here to Mijas will be around 4.5 hours so I'd look consider a flight into one area and out of another with a one way car rental. Hmmmm, but, as I'm typing this, I seem to think most US flights centre around Madrid airport, so maybe you might need travel agent advice?
 
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