You Or The Gestor?
Spain has a reputation for red tape and bureaucracy which has its origins in duplicated decentralised government. At local level, small ‘stand alone’ administrative offices deal with the every day aspects of Spanish life. Little co-ordination takes place.
During your first year of life in Spain you need to undertake a number of administrative tasks. The best way to approach these tasks is to understand the principles and linkage between each government department. Then assemble all the pieces of paper and decide who is going to do it. The tasks will fall to you or the gestor.
During The Property Purchase
Property administration tasks have been covered elsewhere in this book. Here is a reminder (and see Figures 14 and 15):
Fig. 14. Red tape decision tree – non residents – holiday home.
Fig. 15. Red tape decision tree – new residents.
- Financial controls and the non-resident’s certificate – see Chapter 5.
- Fiscal identification number – see Chapter 9.
- All utilities, facilities and community bills transferred into the new owner’s name.
- After about six months ensure the property is registered and the escritura is picked up at the notary’s office.
Visiting The Town Hall
Signing On The padron
- Visit the town hall with your passport and the copia simple for the property.
- Complete some details. You are now on the census of inhabitants residing in the area administered by that particular Ayuntamiento (town hall).
- Persons registered will be allowed to stand and vote at elections.
- The certificado de empadronamiento (census registration certificate) is issued.
Impuesto De Bienes Inmuebles (Ibi)
Popularly known as IBI this is a local tax levied on the property. It is effectively a local tax or rates payment. A receipt for the IBI payment will show the property’s
catastral reference number and the
valor catastral, the assessed value of the property. It is necessary to visit the town hall to register the new ownership of a property and to pay the IBI, for failure to do so results in a hefty surcharge.
- Remember to look at the IBI receipts for the few years prior to purchasing a property to find out details of the charges and whether bad debts exist.
- The latest IBI receipt is given to the notary by the seller as it contains the catastral reference number and every sale must have it noted.
- The actual catastral certificate may be available from the agent or the seller.
- In addition to the property register, the valor catastral valuation system is effectively another system of property registration.
Applying For Residencia
If you intend to live permanently or to spend more than six months each year in Spain, then you are expected, the day after arriving, to begin the process of applying for residencia. To do this visit the Foreigners Department at the National Police Office with the following documents:
- Copy of valid passport and NIE number.
- Four passport size colour photographs.
The procedures for obtaining a Residencia have been simplified since 2003. It is no longer necessary to provide evidence of belonging to a health scheme or provide information about income. Those who work and pay into the Spanish Social Security system and students are now exempt from application.
At the police station finger prints are taken. In about six months the new residencia card is issued. It is your new identity in Spain. It is renewable every five years. The passport goes into the file only to be used for international travelling. Obtaining residencia
also necessitates a visit to the bank to change your personal details and account numbers. It means paying income tax to Spain rather than from your home country (see Chapter 13).