General Information about Spain

Travel & Driving

Traffic Regulations in Spain

RIGHT OF WAY – All traffic coming from the right (including slow traffic) has right of way, except when you are on a right of way road. Public transport to the right always has right of way unless otherwise indicated. There are no set rules in the mountains.

NOISE – It is against the law to use the horn between 23:00 and 6:00 o’clock. Use of lights is recommended. In the mountains you must use a horn on turns at all times.

PARKING – No parking is allowed within 7 meters of a bus or tram stop. On a one way road you are allowed to park on the side with even house numbers on an even number on the month and vice versa, e.g. in March you must park on the side of the road with odd numbered houses. When there are parking meters check the times that you have to pay as it is often only needed between 9:30 to 14:00 and 16:30 to 20:00 o’clock.

DISABLED PARKING – British disabled parking badges are accepted in Spain. You may park in designated disabled spots without a problem.

TRIANGLE – It is obligatory to have two reflective triangles in your car, to put in front of and behind your car if you break down.

REFLECTIVE VESTS – It is obligatory to wear one once you step out of your car on a main road (for emergencies and car problems).

GLASSES – If you wear glasses whilst driving it is obligatory to have a second set with you at all times when driving.

ALCOHOL – The maximum alcohol percentage in blood is 0.5%. This is around two 33cl cans of beer for an average sized adult.

SPEED - Cars and bikes have to stick to the indicated maximums. In the villages 50 km/h. Highways 120 km/h. Roads with 2 lanes or more 100km/h. All other roads 90 km/h.

Rail Travel

You can get to almost anywhere in Spain by taking a Rail Europe train.

If your trip consists of train travel in Spain, Portugal or both, Rail Europe has a pass to suit your travel needs.

If you would like to travel to Spain and 2 to 4 other countries, be sure to check out their Eurail Selectpass.

If you would like the flexibility to see up to 16 other countries then the Eurailpass is for you.

Education & Childcare

Childcare

Pre-school education in Spain is not obigatory and not all children can gain a place due to the high demand. English speaking guarderias are more common in the major cities and on the Spanish Costas and Islands. Below is a list of creches in Almeria.

Schooling & College

Education is obligatory for all children aged 6-16 if the parents are legally resident in Spain, and is free from pre-school to 18 years. However as pre-school is not obligatory, not all children can gain a place.

State School Education

State education is free, but parents must usually pay for school books (which are expensive, although they are provided free in certain cases), school supplies and extra curricular activities. For most Spanish children, school starts with nursery or pre-school at the age of 4 or 5.

Compulsory education begins at six years of age in a primary school and lasts for ten years. At the age of 16, students receive a school-leaving certificate, which determines the course of their future education.

Attending at a local state school helps children integrate into the local community and learn the language and is highly recommended if you plan to stay in Spain indefinitely. Although it may not appeal to them initially, if given the choice later, many foreign children prefer to attend Spanish school and become part of the local community. Changing from a private school to a state school can cause problems at a later date as a teenager could find it hard to adjust.

Spanish Law

Importing Posessions

When you come to Spain with the intention of becoming a resident, you must pay customs duty on posessions imported if you are from the EU. People from outside of the EU do not need to pay customs duty on their posessions.

Importing Your Pet

To import your pet you need to get a health certificate issued by a vet. This certificate must be issued no more then 15 days before you enter Spain. You will also need a certificate of vaccination against rabies, which should have been given between one to twelve months before entering Spain. Lastly you need a certificate stating that the area where the animal is normally kept is free of animal diseases. These certificates should be authorized and stamped by the Spanish authorities in the UK, for which they will charge a small fee.

Cars

When you are from the EU you can drive in Spain on your foreign driving license without an international driving license. Europeans can avoid paying the 12% special vehicle registration tax as Spain is the only country in Europe that has this tax. When buying your car all you have to do is request this and the car will be fitted with a tourist plate, rather then a full Spanish plate. You will have to renew this plate every year, which will cost you approximately €150. You can repeat this as many years as you want. Although buying a car on Spanish plates can save a lot of complications and has certain advantages, such as it is a lot easier to resell. The rules are that you have to have a residency or own a property or be able to present a certificado de empadronamiento (certificate to show that you are a registered inhabitant of the community).

Money

You can take out all the money you have brought into Spain and more, if you have made money by selling a property or by investing. There are forms to fill out, taxes to pay and delays, but you can do it.

If you invest in the Spanish stock-market as a non-resident, you will not even be taxed on your profits in Spain. When you sell your property you can change the Euros to the currency you want and sent it to your home account without any restrictions.

Tax Implications

If you reside in Spain for more than 183 days per calendar year, you become legally liable for Spanish income tax, it does not matter if you are a resident or not in this case. When you become a resident, you become liable on your total earnings (even if they are not in Spain), although regulations provide relief on double taxations. (Pensioners who have paid tax on their income in their home country do not have to pay again in Spain). Even if you are not a resident of Spain and spend less than 183 days in the country, you are still liable for income tax on any Spanish income you might have, such as letting out your flat.

If you are a resident and you have two homes in Spain you will have to pay the property owners imputed income tax, which is 2% of the value of your 2nd home, this is then added to your income. You will then have to pay income tax on the total. If you are not a resident you will have to pay this tax on your 1st home.

Use Expert advice at all times, as to avoid disapointment and possible fines from the government.

Working & Starting a Business

EU citizens can work and start their own businesses under the same conditions as the Spaniards, although you will still need to get the 'tarjeta comunitaria' (community card), which is a work and residence document.

When you are an EU worker, Spain cannot refuse a residence or work permit to any of your family members, even if they are non-EU members. Employees require a work permit called 'cuenta ajena', which means "on another person's account". Those starting on a self-employed basis need another sort of permit, called 'autonomo', or 'cuenta propia', "on your own account".

If you are starting your own business in Spain, it is wise to always remember that the employee is very well protected in Spain. This means that there are a lot of rules regarding contracts, time off, exta payments e.t.c. It would be a good idea to have your accountant look into this ruling before employing anyone.

Births

A baby born in Spain will need a Spanish birth certificate (regardless of it’s parents nationalities). The birth must be registered at the ‘Registro Civil’ of the town where the baby was born. With this certificate you can then go to the British consulate and in Spain and report the birth.

Deaths

The doctor at the hospital, or the physician in your home will prepare the death certificate, which must be officialy issued by a Spanish judge. The funeral director will in most cases take care of anything else.

Getting Married

To marry in Spain some evidence must be provided for each party to prove that they are single, and birth certificates are also required. A divorced person must provide a 'Certificado de Ley' prepared by a lawyer and legalised by a Spanish consul in the country of origin to prove that there was a valid divorce.