May relocate to Cadiz info...PLEASE

Jesuslivz · #1 (**permalink**) 26th March 2008, 11:44 PM

Hi...My husbands company maybe moving us to Cadiz, Spain for 2 1/2 years.
We have 3 boys...16, 14 and 11

. I need to hear good, bad and ugly. We do not speak Spanish yet. We need school info, cost of living, residency, visa, shopping, etc.

Thanks sooo much in advance!

Bevdeforges · #2 (**permalink**) 27th March 2008, 07:49 AM

Hi and welcome to the forum.

If your husband's employer is initiating this move, you can expect considerable help from them - especially when it comes to visas and schools. It is normal practice for the employer initiating a transfer or exchange like this to handle all the visa requirements, and to put together an "expat package" that should include things like a car, an accomodation allowance and school for your children (usually an international school to keep them current with their US grade level).

An expat package should also include "tax equalization" and tax preparation services and some sort of policy on home leave (usually once a year during the school holidays). They will sometimes even include language lessons, but you may want to start that yourself, as it will make the settling in process much easier if you can at least read Spanish a bit on arrival.

It sounds like an exciting adventure ahead. You and your family will learn loads and return to the US completely transformed. Not that there won't be some tough days to get through - but it's only 2 1/2 years. It will go by remarkably quickly.
Cheers,
Bev

Stravinsky · #3 (**permalink**) 27th March 2008, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jesuslivz

Hi...My husbands company maybe moving us to Cadiz, Spain for 2 1/2 years.
We have 3 boys...16, 14 and 11

. I need to hear good, bad and ugly. We do not speak Spanish yet. We need school info, cost of living, residency, visa, shopping, etc.

Thanks sooo much in advance!

You will need an NIE tax identifier number for you each and also a residency certificate. When you have a property you will need to sign on with the town hall (empadriomento)
There is a cost of living sticky above which I try to keep up to date
In general schools have to be registered at by May for the following school year but it differs from area to area
You covered for health I guess?

Jesuslivz · #4 (**permalink**) 27th March 2008, 08:47 PM

Hi,

Thank you so much for the information. It is all good. We have never done this before. I will start making a list of all of your suggestions for our expat package.

We will not have healthcare or may not. I assume that what we have won't work over there anyway.

Can you tell me where you live in Spain? Do you have to register in all schools (even the International schools) by May? What if we do not have our plans by then?

Thanks so much!

Sandy

Stravinsky · #5 (**permalink**) 27th March 2008, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jesuslivz

Hi,

Thank you so much for the information. It is all good. We have never done this before. I will start making a list of all of your suggestions for our expat package.

We will not have healthcare or may not. I assume that what we have won't work over there anyway.

Can you tell me where you live in Spain? Do you have to register in all schools (even the International schools) by May? What if we do not have our plans by then?

Thanks so much!

Sandy

Private health care is relatively cheap here, or at least compared to the UK. We are in mid fifties and get full health cover for €110 a month. Shouldn't you negotiate that as part of the relocation package?

We live in Oliva, Northern Costa Blanca, quite a distance from where you are going. Most posts I have seen from different people tend to say that registration is May but you really need to contact the local authority close to you. I would guess that the private schools are a little less strict on registration times. Kids of that age may have a bit of a struggle with the language in state schools, ideal age seems to be at primary (1st grade??) level, 5 or 6, and they become bilingual very quickly.

This may help
National Association of British Schools in Spain - Nabss

Jesuslivz · #6 (**permalink**) 28th March 2008, 01:29 AM

Hi,

I really don't know what to expect from the employer...we are new at this. My husband is a contractor w/ the company though, so that will make it a little different. They are saying they will give us living allowance. The rest will be up to us. That is why I am trying to learn as much as I can up front.

Are you there on business? How long have you been there? Do you speak the language? What country are you from?

I appreciate your time and info!

Sandy

Stravinsky · #7 (**permalink**) 28th March 2008, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jesuslivz

Hi,

I really don't know what to expect from the employer...we are new at this. My husband is a contractor w/ the company though, so that will make it a little different. They are saying they will give us living allowance. The rest will be up to us. That is why I am trying to learn as much as I can up front.

Are you there on business? How long have you been there? Do you speak the language? What country are you from?

I appreciate your time and info!

Sandy

No not on business, although I have started a few things to keep me busy, I am an early retiree from the UK. I speak a little Spanish, enough to generally get me by when I'm out but by no means fluent. My neighbours are French/Spanish but they speak French to each other so I've learned more French than Spanish since I've been here!

The cost of living in Spain in rural areas is roughly 30% less than the UK, although thats been effected by the Euro/£ r/ex more recently. I only know Florida & the LA area in the US .... not quite sure how the cost of living factor will work because the US is a cheaper cost of living than the UK in my experience. But then you have the r/ex problem as well.

I would have thought help with health cover would be a major thing though as you wont have cover here when you arrive

Oh, and I thought of something else I'm afraid. You need to contact the Spanish Embassy about this. Your US driving licences won't be valid in this country as a resident, and normally you would have to take a Spanish test to get a Spanish licence. Check with them to see if there is a way around this for you as a "temporary" resident. Us EU citizens can just exchange them.

Have you researched the tax angles? Normally if you are here for more than 180 days you are deemed a tax resident in Spain and have to pay taxes here but I don't know this will effect you

Jesuslivz · #8 (**permalink**) 29th March 2008, 03:59 PM

Hi,

There is so much to think about. I had not thought about the driving yet, except that it is on the other side of the road.

What is r/ex?

We will continue to research the costs. I am going to contact a relocator and see if they can help us. I know it is much cheaper in the US and then even cheaper here in Houston!

Thank you for all of your information!

Sandy

Bevdeforges · #9 (**permalink**) 29th March 2008, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jesuslivz

Hi,
There is so much to think about. I had not thought about the driving yet, except that it is on the other side of the road.

Not if you're coming from the US. It's only the Brits that drive on the "other" side of the road these days.

But the driver's license thing is significant. According to the US consulate in Spain, there is no reciprocity at all on US driver's licenses. You may want to take a good look at the "Citizens' Services" section of their website: American Citizen Services - Introduction

They have information about a variety of things you may want to read up on. For areas not covered by the Spanish embassy site, try the US Embassy in Paris (Embassy of the United States, Paris, France) - the IRS office there covers most of Europe and the folks staffing the Paris office are generally very helpful.
Cheers,
Bev

jakaka · #10 (**permalink**) 29th March 2008, 04:46 PM

Hi

I live in Chiclana de la Frontera which is about a 20 min drive into Cadiz City, will your OH be working in Cadiz itself or will he be based in the provience of Cadiz. Cadiz city is a lovely place to visit and maybe work but personally I would not like to live there, if you are used to open space then Cadiz alas is not the place, although it has the most fantastic beaches, just to die for.

Near to Cadiz are many beautiful places' you could settle in, and of course there is a large American navel base in El Puerto de Santa Maria which is just a car ride over the bridge that connects the two towns, so there will be some friendly voices there as well. Local to where I live is a bar owned by an American and his Spanish wife they get quite a few yanks there after they have played golf, another place to find like minded friends maybe.

There is a magazine called La Luz that covers the area and makes for a really good read, you can find it on line www.laluzmag.com also there are a couple of local forums that deal with just the immediate area, if you want I can send the website to you via a PM.

At the private clinic I use in Chiclana there is an American chappy who works there who also helps many of the Brits with there health and car insurance so he may be a good contact, I have his phone number some where I will have to have a good search for it.

Well that's enough for now, if you want me to PM you with some of the other info just let me know.
XX