Immigration in Spain

Spain has long been a desired location for immigrants, especially Brits. Whether it’s the gorgeous weather, the rich history or the delicious food, around 300,000 British nationals have chosen Spain as their new home. Most of these people are over 65 and have decided to spend their retirement on the sunny coasts of Andalusia or Valencia. There are also those who work in Spain despite the economic situation, many of them taking up posts as English teachers. Moving to Spain comes with a lot of benefits, the sun, the lovely people, and of course the food, but you also have to face Spanish bureaucracy which can be a time consuming and stress inducing task.

There are various things you have to think about when moving to Spain. Are you going to work? Do you have children that need an education? How good is your Spanish? What about opening a Spanish bank account? How do you register for healthcare? These are all questions you are likely to ask yourself.

Unfortunately the Spanish bureaucracy system means that you will have to sort out a ton of paperwork and different documents to formalise your move. You have a few options surrounding this. You can either take on the battle of Spanish bureaucracy by yourself or, as many people do, contact a gestor who will manage everything for you. This means you can sit back sipping your sangria knowing that someone else is going through the stress for you!  Whichever path you choose, it is inevitable that you will need official translations of any documents that are not written in Spanish. This is a legal requirement in Spain and it is called Sworn Translation or Traducción Jurada.

This side of immigration procedures can often be forgotten by British people as, generally, we assume everyone speaks English and Sworn Translation doesn’t exist in the UK in the same way as it does in Spain. Although many Spanish people have a solid understanding of English, official procedures must be carried out in Spanish. Knowing that you have a trusted and professional Sworn Translation Agency, such as CBLingua, makes the whole process a lot less daunting. We can help you translate any type of document you need when coming to Spain, offering a service that guarantees quality and efficiency. We have many English speakers who can help you clarify any doubts you have surrounding your documentation.

Obviously the documentation you need will vary depending on your situation but for most procedures you will need a criminal record certificate and a form of photo ID. These have to be translated into Spanish by a Sworn Translator in order for them to have a legal effect. For more information about moving to Spain you can check out the UK government website that can be found here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-spain. By now it goes without saying, but make sure you keep up to date with any Brexit news as this will undoubtedly have an effect on your immigration plans.

We’ve helped a huge amount of Brits realise their dreams of living in Spain and we will continue doing so. To receive a quote for your translation please send us a scanned copy of your documents through email or the quote section on our website which can be found here quotes. Alternatively you can come and visit us in one of our offices over Spain (Cádiz, Málaga, Seville, Barcelona or Madrid). Do not hesitate to get in touch!