Country Article / Postcards
Without this number you can't
Date: 06/11/2007by Silvia Keller
If Spain is your choice of paradise in Europe, you'll need more than just a Visado de residencia (Residence Visa) in your U.S. passport. While the Spanish consulate will issue this visa for you to enter the country, you are allowed just 30 days to go through the process of becoming a resident, for this "open sesame" to your new life.
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Useful contacts in Barcelona:
A realtor
An attorney:
A bed:
A rental company: |
Before you can start any administrative paperwork, you'll need an address, and chances are you'll be renting for at least the first few months. In the larger cities such as Barcelona or Madrid, there is high demand for rentals, and finding an apartment is a competitive sport. On the day I was set to sign my first lease in Barcelona, the owner cancelled the agreement, as someone else was willing to pay the higher price originally advertised. You should budget to stay for at least two to three weeks in a B&B or holiday apartment while you look for a rental.
Budget carefully
To sign for any apartment, you'll need a deposit of several months' rent as well as an aval or bank guarantee of a deposit, usually the equivalent of several months' rent (which you cannot withdraw until your lease is over). In some cases you can negotiate the amount of the aval; i.e. two months deposit and one month aval. As a rough guide for your budget, be sure you have enough for the first month's rent, two months' security deposit, the realtor's commission (roughly 10% of the total yearly rent), and two to three months aval.
Next, you need an Empadronamiento, an official statement of local residence obtained by taking a copy of your rental agreement to the city hall to register your address. For the final step, go to a local bank, show the Empadronamiento, pay a stamp tax of about 6 euro per person, and get fingerprinted. You should receive the key to starting afresh in your adopted country one month later: a card bearing the all-important N.I.E, or número de identidad para extranjeros (identity number for foreigners). This is your new ID, very much like a social security number in the U.S. Without this magic number, you won't be able to join so much as a video store.
P.S. Don't move during a holiday. Although we spent two years diligently planning our move, we forgot to factor in how seriously the Spanish take their holidays: All major businesses close, including banks and real estate offices, and accommodation is hard to come by. IL
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