FAQ: Basics

Below are some of the things I’m most often asked. If anyone has a question, please do read through them to see if it has already been answered. If not, just post it in the comment box at the bottom of the page. Just click on any question to expand it to show the answer.

DOCUMENTATION

Is it true that we have to carry an original ID document – in our case a passport – with us at all times? What of those who don't want to have to carry their original passport?

Yes, carrying ID is a legal requirement, but the new Citizen Security law (aka the gag law) does not require this to be a passport: it allows for the ID to be an EU driver’s photo licence instead. Spanish police say, however, that although this is the case as far as they are concerned, private businesses or non-police legal entities, e.g. banks, may impose other requirements. Since this is the case, a passport is the safest thing for ID purposes, but obviously many people worry about it being lost or stolen. The easiest solution is for people to go to a notary and ask for a notarized copy, which is a photocopy made by the notary himself, on notarized paper, and with a notarial stamp and seal on it. It becomes an “original” passport as far as Spain is concerned … and so avoids the need to carry the booklet one issued in the UK. It costs just a few Euros. That will satisfy the police and anyone else.

Do I need a Spanish Will?

Technically no. The most important thing is to have a UK Will because without a valid Will of any sort in place, your assets could end up being disposed of according to Spanish Law which could even mean, in the worst case scenario, that a spouse could not inherit all the entire estate. Having said that, a Spanish Will will make the whole process more straightforward and less expensive. The procedures will also be able to be completed much more rapidly, and so ensure that no late submission or late payment problems arise with inheritance tax.

For foreigners fiscally resident in Spain, EU regulation 650/2012, in force from 17 August 2015, requires Wills to contain a specific clause of preference as to the national law applicable – most British people will want British law to apply, and this must be expressly stated for security and peace of mind. Anyone making a new Will will find that this clause is automatically inserted; anyone with an existing Will drawn up in the last year or so should check their Will to ensure that the clause was inserted; anyone with an older existing Will, or a recent one without the clause, should get a new Will drawn up if they wish to ensure that British law applies to their Will in the event of their death. Please note that this applies only to those who are resident for tax purposes in Spain. Non-residents do not need to be concerned about this because the law applicable to their Wills will be that of the country in which they are resident – i.e. the UK.

To draw up a will, just go to any notary. All notaries have staff dedicated to foreigners’ wills, and they all speak good English. Obviously if the provisions of a will are not basic or standard, then qualified legal help from a lawyer is preferable to draw up the will properly. For most basic cases, however, it is not necessary.

How do I get an electronic signature or digital certificate to book appointments online, request empadronamientos, and the like?

You need to request a digital certificate and then you’re given a code which you take to the town hall. There you’ll be put in the computer with the code and will be sent an email with a link to finalise the process. Once you click the link it downloads the digital cert onto your computer, and then any time you try to do anything online, it automatically recognizes you from your computer … which is why you should only do any of this from your own computer. THIS link has the full information of how to do it.

How do I get a fishing licence?

Licences are issued by the regional government in Santa Cruz. There are various categories and the normal is the third-class – angling and inshore fishing. (The first two categories are for fishing from recreational boats up to 3 nautical miles from the shore, or freedive spearfishing in certain areas). Of course, many anglers don’t actually bother, and the place to start is the local council which will be able to advise whether it actually polices fishing in the municipality, and if it does, whether there is any local business that processes applications to save people going to Santa Cruz to do it personally – I’ve known one ayuntamiento do this itself. If you do end up going to Santa Cruz, this is how someone has described it to me:

Just to let you know that I managed to get my fishing license without any fuss.and woul like to7 pass on how easy it was. To get the permit , go to Oficino Multiple Usos 2 in Santa Cruz. Cross the road from the bus station, go down right to the bottom and the office is on the corner . You get a ticket from the machine on the ground floor , button P for Pesca. Wait for number on screen. Take passport. (not copy as stated on application form),, You will be given an A4 document in tripulate to take to the Caja Canaria bank which is down the next street. Pay €15.18 , documents stamped & bank will retain one. Go back to the Oficino & get licence. I was given info from many different people not to go without interperator, but everyone i dealt with spoke very good English & were all extremely friendly, which make the whole thing very pleasant and pain free.

I have been looking in to getting a disabled badge for my car as my husband has difficulty walking. Some people say it takes a long time, but we need it NOW so can you help me with any info about how to go about it.

I’m afraid there’s no fast track for this. It’s a multi-stage, multi-location application, first to the town hall, who will ask for a medical report from the doctor: you can’t do this bit in advance because you need the town hall to specify what they need the report to say. Then you’ll be called for an assessment appointment with the Canarian Government in Santa Cruz, but there is a very long waiting list for this. After the assessment, you get a “level of disability” notice, and then you return to the town hall to apply for the badge, the type of which is given depending on the level of disability granted. In terms of length of process, I’m afraid that you are probably talking of a minimum of a year, perhaps nearer two.

Do I have to register my dog?

NIE & REGISTRO

Can we sort out our Registro ourselves?

Yes, you can do it yourself, of course! You just need an application form and modelo (a prepayment form), and a copy of your passport and the evidence required of work or money in the bank – all as detailed HERE. The police on the information desk have enough English to deal with this, and when you go back to make the actual application, no language is really needed at all, and it’s often done in silence.

Is there an expiry date for the green Certificado de Registro?

No. It is possible that a Registro is not permanent to begin with, they are normally for five years, but under EU law (Directive 2004/38), registrants cannot be made to register twice, and so they are permanent in effect. They can be renewed for ones that say “permanent” if preferred, but this is a matter of choice. The conditions applied to new resident registrants to prove income, work, or pension status, do not apply to renewals.

When applying for my green Registro certificate, do I need to have a spanish bank account or is this optional?

It is not a legal requirement as such, but the other requirements make it very difficult to imagine a situation where you wouldn’t have one. Whether your’e working or self employed, or retired and bringing pension funds over, a bank account would be essential. And if you’re paying rent, or setting up direct debits for utilities on an owned property, again a bank account would be essential.

Do I need to change address on my Certificado de Registro (green certificate) when I move?

Yes. Although foreigners can never be required to renew their Registro certificates because they cannot be required to register more than once as a foreigner living in Spain (see HERE), article 14.2 of the law HERE says that any changes to nationality, marital status or address, or any other factor that might affect their right to reside in Spain, must be notified to the Extranjeria – the Comisaría (police station) in Playa de las Américas or, for those in the north, in Puerto de la Cruz – for “modification” of the certificate.

Why are NIEs only valid for 3 months?

RESIDENTS & NON-RESIDENTS

Please can you explain the difference between 'resident', 'non-resident', and 'tax resident' status?

When someone comes to live in Spain, they have to register with the police. When they do so, they’re given a registration certificate which is called various names – residencia, green card, green NIE – but it’s proper name is Certificado de Registro. As far as banks are concerned, the Registro is the document they require for someone to open or maintain a “resident” account. A non-resident is someone who has interests here but who doesn’t live here: if they have a bank account it will be a non-resident account, and for this they require a Certificado No Residente (non-resident certificate). See THIS page for a more detailed explanation. Tax residence is a different issue, and neither the Certificado de Registro nor the Certificado No Residente, not even the NIE, have anything to do with it. Simply put, tax residency is automatically deemed to take place wherever you’re living after you’ve been out of the UK for around six months: see THIS page for a definition from a tax expert.

How do we get the resident discount on Spanish flights?

The resident travel discount is available for anyone living in the Canaries, Balearics, or the two Spanish cities in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla. It is for any type of travel within Spain. You need your passport and a Certificado de Registro to prove you’re resident in Spain legally, and you also need to be registered on the padron of your local Ayuntamiento to prove that you’re resident in an area which is entitled to the discount. Under the SARA system, this registration on the council padron should be checked automatically, but there are sometimes failures, and sometimes details don’t match precisely, so it is advisable to carry a paper Empadronamiento as well … specifically an Empadronamiento “para viajar” (for travel).

The discount is 50% on travel within Spain and, from the second half of 2017, 75% on travel between the Canary Islands. There is often confusion about entry discounts to events and venues, and indeed so-called “resident discounts” on goods and services, but these are privately or at least separately organized and have nothing to do with this scheme.

I understand that foreign residents have to declare property and bank accounts in the held UK before 31.03.13. Is this correct and how does one do this?

I've been told by someone that non-residents need a 'financial adviser' as a foreigner in Spain, and I don't know whether I need an accountant or lawyer. I've also heard of a gestor. What do I need?

First of all, you don’t need a “financial adviser”. This used to be a legal requirement for foreigners in Spain but it is no longer so. There is, though, a range of professionals and the names can be confusing. In order, these are:

gestor – a general purpose administrator who deals with bureaucratic procedures (Tráfico, licences, etc) and who should have basic qualifications since the profession is regulated;
asesor – an adviser as well as an administrator, what we might easily call an “expert”, and will normally specialise in a particular area – e.g. an asesor fiscal, an asesor laboral, etc. Foreigners normally come across them in their asesor fiscal guise, where they might be most easily compared with a certified as opposed to a chartered accountant. An asesor has a higher level qualification than a gestor, and will also be registered since the profession is regulated. It is actually an offence for someone to call themselves an asesor if they are not, which puts them on a level with accountants and lawyers;
contador – a fully qualified accountant who is normally only needed if tax affairs are complex or international in nature;
abogado – a lawyer, who has all the legal and professional status and qualifications that one would expect a lawyer to have.

Can I vote in Tenerife if I live there?

Anyone who lives in Tenerife can register with their local council. When they do so they are added to the list of local residents – the “padron”. To register, you need to show that you’re resident in the council area, and so will need to provide ID plus proof of where you’re living, either a rental contract or escritura if an owner. Once on the padron, residents can also request to be added to the census, which is the equivalent of the electoral list, and it is this that entitles them to vote. Municipalities welcome people registering because their regional funding depends on numbers: the more people registered, the more funds a municipality receives, and so it is in everyone’s interest that local residents register on the padron.

I'm returning to live in the UK. Do I have to do anything here before I go?

There are certain requirements for anyone leaving Spain to go back to the UK. Apart from anything else, a registered certified proof of this from the authorities here will help to show “intent to remain in the UK” should you need to pass an habitual residency claim for any benefits. The first thing is to deregister with the police and revoking your Certificado de Registro. Then you should inform your local town hall so that they can remove your details from the padron. You should also tell your surgery that you’re de-registering with the doctor. Bear in mind, too, that you might be asked for a criminal record certificate when applying for work in the UK, so it might be worth sorting that out in advance because it’s easier to do here than after you’re back in the UK. Details in English on how to do this are HERE.

It is important to be aware that if you are registered for social security contributions here, you must deregister otherwise your obligations and debts will continue to mount up in Spain – and could be recoverable through the UK Inland Revenue. On a positive note, however, any contributions made here can contribute to your future pension in the UK so if you’ve worked at all in Spain you should apply for a Vida Laboral. As far as I’m aware you can ask for this at any social security office, but there’s more information HERE.

I live in Tenerife - can I be married here?

Residents can marry legally in Tenerife, and if Catholics, can marry in a church as the registering body. For non-Catholic residents, the normal route is a register office, and for this, full ID is needed, including proof of legal residence (i.e. Certificado de Registro), and birth certificates. There will also need to be a “certificate of no-impediment to marriage” which is obtained from the consulate who can also validate the birth certificates. It is also possible that certified proof of marital status will be required in addition to the “no impediment”. In all this, the consulate will be your starting point. The last time I looked into it for someone a few years ago the starting cost was around €600 for the full documentation.

Many people choose to go to Gibraltar for the legal marriage ceremony – far less onerous in terms of paperwork because it’s British – and then have a wedding celebrant here do the “wedding”. Do note that wedding celebrants do not actually “marry” people because they are not legally empowered to perform the ceremony, and so what the celebrant is equivalent to a blessing rather than an official wedding ceremony as such, but for those who have a legal civil ceremony in a Spanish register office or go to Gibraltar for a British ceremony, wedding celebrants can offer a tailored wedding blessing in a dream environment.

Do British pensioners living in Tenerife still get the heating allowance?

The Winter Fuel Payment was made until 2014 after which it was abolished for some pensioners living abroad as part of the Conservative Government cuts. Now those who live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain are no longer entitled to it.

Just to clarify, because I’ve been asked more than once, someone living here permanently but using a UK address is not entitled to the payment … because anyone claiming benefits to which they are not properly entitled is committing benefits fraud.

DRIVING

Do I need to exchange my British driving licence for a Spanish one once I'm living in Tenerife?

Not necessarily.

Drivers living in Spain who already have the usual photocard licences with clear ten year expiry dates do not have to do anything about them until the licence expires, and when it does, they will be required to renew here, as their country of residence. This means that they will need to exchange for a Spanish licence at that point.

But, from January 2016 UK drivers who are resident in Spain and who have a licence with an expiry date of more than 15 years (or is indefinitely valid) must exchange their British licence for a Spanish one before its expiry date. Such drivers have up to two years from the date at which they registered as resident in Spain to do so.

It’s all part of an attempt to harmonize licensing legislation across the EU, and the reason for the 15-year- or indefinite validity limit is that such British licences are specifically British and not EU compatible, whereas the 10-year photocard ones are already EU compliant. Following Brexit, all this might therefore change in the future for British drivers within the EU, but nothing will become clear in this respect until the negotiations are finished.

Having said all of that, there are nothing but advantages for anyone living here to exchanging a UK licence for a Spanish one, e.g. its effective use as an ID card, and you don’t have to pay fines on the spot if you have one.

I've heard that I need to change my uk licence for a spanish one even though I'm not living there if I stay for longer than 90 days. Is this correct?

This is possibly a confusion with the requirement to register with the police once living here for three months. The key words are “living here”, so if you’re here more than 90 days but not actually “living here”, e.g. on a long holiday, then no, you are non-resident and do not have to register with the police – or change your licence. The best thing will be to have a Certificado No-Residente – if you have any dealings here, like a bank account, then you will need one anyway – which will be accepted by the traffic police as proof that you’re not resident should you find yourself in a situation where they’re considering fining you as a resident who hasn’t changed their driving licence. See THIS page too.

Do I need a medical to change my driving licence?

There are two procedures you go through with a driving licence: a canje, and a renovación. The first is an “exchange”, which you do when changing a UK driving licence for a Spanish one. The second is a renovación, which you do when your old licence expires.

You do NOT need a medical for a canje because it is already valid in Spain. Your English licence is replaced by a Spanish one BUT the Spanish replacement is only valid for the period of the original English one. (This is technically so, but in reality ten year can be given out even though they’re not supposed to be).

With a renovación, it’s a full “renewal” of a licence which is about to expire. As such, it is unsurprising that they require a medical because all new licences need a medical – and a renewal gives a new period of validity of ten years.

If people go for a canje and find they are being told they need a medical they are being misinformed – and so one of two things is going on. EITHER they are actually getting a renovación and not realizing it, OR they are using a medical centre to do their paperwork … and it is logical that a medical centre is going to want them to pay for a medical examination for Tráfico even though Tráfico themselves do not require it.

Can I drive in Spain on a UK provisional licence?

No. Anyone who drives in Spain must have a valid licence. A provisional licence is for learner drivers only, and not valid for qualified drivers in the UK, let alone elsewhere; indeed, learners cannot drive in Spain even if accompanied by a qualified driver, but must be accompanied by a qualified registered driving instructor. Needless to say, apart from any fine incurred, anyone driving without the correct licence for Spain will not be covered by insurance even if they think they are.

To be clear, because I am astonished at how often I am asked this, under Spanish and EU law, drivers are only allowed to drive outside their home country if they have a valid licence. A UK provisional licence is a learner’s licence, issued by the UK and used by British drivers in the UK only while they are learning to drive before they take their test. It is therefore not a full licence, and therefore not valid. There is no exception to this rule.

We are selling our car privately. What are the correct procedures to follow and documents to present to Trafico?

You’ll need to provide the permiso, registration document, ITV, road tax and your own ID. There’ll also need to be a sale contract – leaving the sale price blank (this is put in by Tráfico themselves according to their official valuation and the tax for the transfer is based on that). There’ll also be a form to fill in with Tráfico itself. Almost more importantly than all this, though, is to retain control of the process: obviously the buyer will want to have control as well, and in fact the transfer is the buyer’s legal responsibility, but there are far too many stories of vehicle owners “selling” their car and then finding that the paperwork was never processed. This means that any fines or charges levied against the vehicle will come straight to the old owner’s door, and involve them in having to make official declarations, etc. My recommendation would be that both seller and buyer agree an independent gestor to take care of the process, then both sides can be reassured that it is done properly, and that it is actually done at all!

What are the rules about disability scooters?

The police say that the following rules govern mobility vehicles, invalid carriages and electric wheelchairs:

You don’t need a licence to drive a mobility scooter or powered wheelchair.
All vehicles can be used on footpaths, pavements, bridleways, and in pedestrian areas. Indeed they must be used on pedestrian areas and can only be used on the road if a pavement is not available, but never in bus lanes, ‘cycle only’ lanes or on the motorway.
All normal parking restrictions apply.
They do not have to be registered.
Insurance is not a legal requirement, though police strongly advise a policy to cover personal safety, other people’s safety and the value of the vehicle.
There is no vehicle tax.
Drivers will be required by law to pay compensation if they have an accident which was their fault.
Vehicles designed to carry two people are not defined as an “invalid carriage” and so cannot be used on public pavements or roads. With regard to children, the law does not explicitly ban an adult carrying an infant in a sling but it is not permitted to carry anyone else on a mobility vehicle e.g. children standing on the vehicle, or another adult sitting on the drivers lap, etc

Can we bring our British car to Tenerife and drive it legally?

You can bring you car here and drive it perfectly legally provided it’s legally on the road in the UK, but after six months it will need matriculating, i.e. to be put on Spanish registration plates. This can be tricky and/or expensive, so it’s best to check whether it’s possible before you start. Ask mechanics as well as paperwork people because there will be mechanical work involved in adapting the vehicle to Spanish specifications in order to matriculate, and a garage which would do this would almost certainly also take care of the paperwork for you.

Am I entitled to a guarantee if I buy a second-hand car in Tenerife?

What are the drink driving limits?

The legal limits are strict: 0.50 mg alcohol per litre of blood/0.25 mg per litre of exhaled air (for professional drivers and those within the first two years of their licences, those limits are reduced further to 0.30 and 0.15). In August 2013 fines were increased from €500 to €1,000. As a general guide, two small glasses of wine or one small can of beer reaches the limit for a man of average build and weighing around 12 stone. When it comes to drugs, the limit is zero, and police say that detectable traces can remain even six hours after taking drugs. For more information see HERE and HERE.

What are the rules for child seats?

Can you drive in flipflops?

It’s not illegal to drive in flipflops BUT, the law requires footwear to be comfortable and, above all, safe, and Tráfico says that it does not consider flipflops to be safe. So, although technically not against the law, a fine for driving unsafely is always a possibility if wearing flipflops, and if involved in an accident whilst wearing them, a charge of dangerous driving is an actual likelihood.

Why don't the Spanish know how to use roundabouts?

Despite popular mythology, there are clear rules for use of roundabouts in Spain. HERE is a Guardia Civil Tráfico page with links to explanations, including an infographic HERE. In a nutshell, the rules work exactly as in the UK except in the case of going straight on at a roundabout. In the UK, one can use either lane of a two-lane roundabout. In Spain, one must use the right hand (outside) lane, leaving the left hand (inside) lane for cars taking an exit more than halfway round the roundabout. All cars must exit the roundabout from the outside lane, so even if using the inside lane to go more than halfway round a roundabout, drivers must move into the outside lane before exiting. HERE is a Policía Local animation video of the correct way to use roundabouts. The speed limit on roundabouts, regardless of all other factors and unless explicitly stated otherwise, is 40 km/h.

What are the rules about cyclists?

Despite widespread belief to the contrary, cyclists can ride two abreast in Spain, but only if there is enough visibility for oncoming traffic … and providing there are not vehicles waiting to overtake. So, to be clear, if cyclists are two abreast and there are vehicles behind them, they must ride in single file. An important related rule is that cars overtaking cyclists must leave a minimum of 1.5m leeway on all roads and in all circumstances, and if a car is coming from the opposite direction, a cyclist may not be overtaken even if a 1.5m leeway exists. Tráfico confirms (link) that drivers can even cross a central white line where safe to do so in order to leave this required overtaking margin. All cyclists under 18 must now wear a safety helmet on all roads, regardless of where they’re cycling (previously youngsters were only required to wear a helmet on urban roads). Despite pressure groups requesting for legislation requiring adults to wear safety helmets, this has not been included in the latest law (see HERE). I’m not aware that cyclists are required to have insurance. Finally, drink driving rules and penalties apply equally to cyclists as to drivers and riders of motorized vehicles.

What do I have to carry in the car?

It is compulsory for drivers to carry the following in a car: two warning triangles, one reflective vest, spare wheel plus tools to change it. As of 2015, it is no longer mandatory to carry spare light bulbs or a spare pair of glasses. In addition, drivers must have the following documentation with them (or compulsados – officially stamped or notarized copies): driving licence; ITV sticker and report; permiso de circulación (equivalent to the log book). It is not obligatory to carry the following documentation in the car, but it is advisable: impuesto de circulación (road tax paid to the ayuntamiento); insurance certificate and proof of payment; European Accident Form.

What are the rules for taking dogs in a car?

Driving and road safety legislation focuses on drivers having good vision and safety, eg footwear must be “safe” rather than specifying any type that’s banned, and in respect of animals, this legislation requires packages and animals inside a vehicle to be appropriately secured.

Tráfico says that “appropriately secured” for animals is that which prevents movement which could interfere with the driver’s vision and command of the vehicle. The three approved methods are anchored harnesses, separation grilles (behind which the animal doesn’t need to be tied), or closed carrying transporters – bags, boxes, cages, crates etc.

So, dogs must be secured, and there are various “advised methods”, but nothing is prohibited. Leads, which police say don’t contain animals properly and can risk strangling, are specifically named, in the same way as flipflops, as “not recommended”, but they are not banned. And so, just as with drivers wearing flipflops, if there were an accident and the police felt that something was inappropriate, they could and probably would issue a fine on that basis.

HEALTHCARE

Who is entitled to free healthcare in Tenerife?

Anyone who is making social security contributions – either employed or self-employed – or who is a state pensioner who has registered their S1 with the social security. Apart from that, there are a few cases where seconded workers or students may be entitled, but as with pensioners, this healthcare is actually covered by the UK and should be confirmed and put into motion before arrival in Tenerife. Anyone else who registered as a resident in Spain after September 2012 will almost certainly need private medical insurance. Those who registered before that date, and who has remained legally resident throughout, and who has an annual income of under €100,000, and who has no other healthcare cover, can apply to be registered for free healthcare in Spain as a resident (see HERE and HERE).

How do I get to see a doctor in Tenerife?

The British Government’s Healthcare in Spain team have produced THIS guide on seeing a doctor. It covers tourists and temporary visitors, permanent residents who are registered with a doctor, and permanent residents who are not.

In an emergency, patients can go straight to a hospital. In the north there are several hospitals, primarily Candelaria and HUC: both are on the TF5 between Santa Cruz and La Laguna. The south is not so well served, but there is a state system Accident and Emergency Unit in the new El Mojón Hospital in the Chayofa area five minutes drive up from Los Cristianos. There is also an A&E Unit in Hospitén Sur (usually called the Green Hospital) in Playa de las Américas: this is a mixed state-private hospital, however, and they will always try to treat with insurance. Until further notice, anyone who needs to be admitted after being seen as an emergency under the state system will be sent to one of the hospitals in the north.

It is vital that you read the page on Using your EHIC in Spain (and the links within the article itself) to understand how the system works for everyone – visitor, resident registered with a doctor, resident not registered with a doctor – before presenting for emergency treatment.

Does my EHIC give me healthcare cover?

As a patient, do I have the right to change my doctor?

We are not of retirement age but are hoping to move out to Tenerife. My husband gets free prescription for everything here in the UK. What will the position be for us there?

Until you are in receipt of UK state pension there’s no reciprocal assistance, so until the older one reaches retirement age, you would need private cover. Once one of you is of retirement age, the other will be registered as a dependant. Have a look HERE for UK regs, but also bear in mind that anyone coming to live in Spain has to register with the police, and one of the conditions is healthcare cover, either private insurance or an S1 giving UK-funded health cover.

Once you have the S1 cover with healthcare provided by Spain but paid for by the UK, you will also need a UK-issued EHIC for healthcare back in the UK if you return for a visit. Most residents in Spain need a Spanish European health card because their cover is by Spain, but pensioners are different. European traveller health cards must be issued by the country which provides the cover for healthcare, which is sometimes different from the country which provides the actual care.

The relevant people to speak to are the Overseas Healthcare Team at the Department for Work and Pensions:
Overseas Healthcare Team
Room MO401
Durham House
Washington
Tyne & Wear
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE38 7SF
Tel: 0191 218 1999 from the UK or +44 (0)191 218 1999 from abroad, Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm

More info HERE

What private health insurance is available in Tenerife for people who can't get state cover?

How long am I covered with the spanish health system from leaving one job to finding another contracted employment?

Generally, cover continues for three months after you stop working, unless there is an existing condition for which you are receiving treatment, in which case cover increases to a year. Once cover has finished, you can still apply to be in the system as a person “sin recursos”, which would involve proving lack of resources to pay for private healthcare. You would also need to prove legal residence in Spain, and get a document from your home country confirming lack of entitlement to cover from that country in Spain. For absolute certainty with regard to your own particular circumstances, check either with your gestor, or local social security office.

Can I receive medication through the post and could I send things such as a pouch of tobacco / cigarettes back to the UK ?

WORKING

I'm going to be working self-employed (autonomo), and I've heard that I'd be expected to pay a minimum of €200 per month in social security payments. Are there any other options like using a EHIC?

What do I need to get a social security number so I can apply for work ?

I work for a restaurant without a contract as yet,can you tell me if the inspectors decide to check this place out, would I, as well as the owner, be liable for a fine ?

What restrictions apply to someone wanting to work in Tenerife?

BANKS

I am moving to Tenerife in a few weeks and would like to open a bank account before I arrive, is this possible?

Do you need need more than one non-resident certificate if you have more than one bank account. As far as I can see we are being charged €30 each by Bankinter and €29.50 each by lacaixa for the same thing.

How much can I pay into the bank before they report me to the Hacienda? Is it still €3,000

Everything can be reported to Hacienda now, but more importantly, Hacienda can request full details of anybody’s bank account at any time. The limit you’re thinking of is the amount that can be paid in in cash without identifying the person making the transaction, and two years ago that was reduced to €1,000 … or rather, €999.99. Banks are required to identify the customer making any cash operations of €1,000 or over and to store a digitised copy of their ID. Of course, if the person making the transaction is the same as the account holder, the bank is already obliged to have their ID digitised anyway.

To prevent customers avoiding this limit by splitting large transactions into smaller ones, banks are also instructed that if the sum of smaller transactions exceeds €1,000, the customer must be identified just the same. It’s perhaps also worth noting that banks are now also required to report to Hacienda all other countries in which a customer may have tax obligations so that tax authorities can share information internationally, and also to report to Hacienda any change in a customer’s personal details or circumstances right down to modifications of their contact details.

Can you advise us on the best Bank to open an account with?

Apart from the fact that “best” is a subjective term – what is best for one person may not be best for another – the key is to recognize that banks here are very branch-focused. This means that once you’re with a particular branch, it is very difficult sometimes to do anything in any other branch – even of the same bank. And this can even extend down to a simple withdrawal of cash, let alone more complicated transactions. And so my advice is always to choose the branch that is most convenient, regardless (pretty much) of which bank it is. The charges will be much of a muchness – and appalling – regardless of which actual bank you choose, and will only vary really according to the “products” they are able to sell you as part of a new account.

A FINAL WORD

I’m often asked for “general” and/or “positive” advice, nothing specific, just things to bear in mind. I know full well that people want me to tell them that it’s a brilliant idea to move here, that the sun shines all the time, that the people are friendly, that the cost of living is cheap, and that it will be wonderful … just a few minor bureacratic hoops to jump through first.

The reality is different, and I have now had to say the following so many times that I decided to put it here as a postscript to all the individual answers above.

The best advice is to learn Spanish before you come because work is very difficult to find unless you’re prepared to work for low wages in a bar or in commission-only sales, or similar, and any good jobs will require very good Spanish. Be prepared, too, to do something other than what you’re familiar with. Flexibility will open your mind to employment possibilities you might not have considered – and most working people here are employed in fields other than those they were in before they arrived.

Come with enough money to last for at least six months because it can take longer to set oneself up here than you’d imagine. The average wage is around €12,000 to give you an idea, and although the cost of living is lower here, it has risen over recent years. And while talking about money, be under no illusions whatsoever – in Tenerife there will be any number of people who will be your BFF within five minutes with the sole purpose of taking it all off you.

Above all, trust no-one. Everyone has a story, and out of our own environment, without familiar social and cultural clues by which we judge everything without realising it, we cannot tell when we’re being lied to or conned. Sometimes it’s obvious – the former chief executive of a multi-national corporation is hardly likely to be the bottle washer in a bar with dirty tables and plastic seats, though one never knows, I suppose! – but most of the time it is utterly impossible to judge people’s own versions of their former lives.

This is the best advice I can give.

53 Comments

Hi Janet
I am resident in Tenerife and have the green paper dated 19/10/2011 do I need to renew it. I would prefer to have the small card rather than the green paper.

Anne

27 January 2017

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You have the option to renew it, and they cannot refuse you, but you are under no obligation to renew it.

Janet

27 January 2017

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Anne, bear in mind that the card-sized registro is very flimsy and the print rubs off in no time if you aren’t extremely careful with it. I personally would recommend that if you have the A4 certificate, you keep it and cherish it. In my experience, for all non-official purposes a colour photocopy of the green certificate works very well. My green certificate is still in pristine condition in its folder, from which I have removed it less than half a dozen times since 2007. The photocopy I carry with me is falling apart but nobody cares, when it’s had its day I’ll just make another one.

Nova

27 January 2017

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Thank you Janet and thank you Nova that does make sense and I will colour photocopy the original.

Anne

28 January 2017

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Hi Janet. We will be moving to Tenerife in a few months but feeling concerned. My husband is a type 1 diabetic and would need insulin. However he is taking early retirement so not planning to work. How would be the best or recommended way to get the insulin. As he wouldn’t be paying into social security to get Heath care. Thanks.

Clare

28 January 2017

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Insulin will be readily available here, but without state healthcare, you will need private medical insurance. Indeed, to register with the police as you will have to do to be legal, you will need either social security contributions, or to be pensioners, or -as will be applicable for you – private medical insurance, as I describe HERE.

Janet

28 January 2017

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Thanks Janet. I’ll be working and paying into the system so will my husband be classed as a dependent?

Clare

29 January 2017

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Author

yes, he will have to be registered as such, at Granadilla, but as long as you are paying social security contributions, he will then be your dependant.

Janet

29 January 2017

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Hi.
My parents live out in Puerto having retired there 20 years ago and are in their 80’s. I am mindful of the fact that they may need more help as they get older so I was wondering if there is the Canarian equivalent of visiting carers either private or through the healthcare system?
Thanks.

Julian Stuart

9 February 2017

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I would think that the system would be run at municipal level, rather than the healthcare system as such. The best place to enquire is the Social Services department of their local Ayuntamiento.

Janet

9 February 2017

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Thanks, I’ll try there.

Julian Stuart

10 February 2017

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We are moving to Tenerife at the beginning of April. I will be coming over on the 28/3/17 to apply for an nie. We have a property already up and running in adeje. I know I have to go to the police station in Las Americas to apply for the nie. I am told it can take 15 days. I was hoping to get the children signed up for school in this visit, but is this not possible without the nie ??

Thankyou

Sandra

15 February 2017

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The NIE is issued immediately.

Janet

15 February 2017

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Hi Janet,
Wonder if you have any knowledge about bringing leased car to Tenerife? Car owner is leasing company in Lithuania (guess no difference from UK) and I am driving this car here for more than six months. Do I have any tax risk? Not sure how I cam change the car plates to Spanish as I doubt leasing company wouldnt agree…. Thank you in advance!

Tom

24 February 2017

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I don’t know, I’m sorry Tom, this isn’t an area I have any knowledge of.

Janet

24 February 2017

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Hi Janet,
Do you know what the regulations for driving a moped/ scooter are if you haven’t a license? ie can you drive on a provisional license and how/where would you apply for such? Thanks

Viv

24 February 2017

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Author

If you mean a British provisional licence, the answer is no, never. Please see HERE, Driving section, third question. If you mean how one starts from scratch here, then you register with a driving school which takes care of all the paperwork.

Janet

24 February 2017

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Thanks Janet, Yes I meant starting from scratch here.

Viv

25 February 2017

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Hi im self employed and own my own business out hers but im 5months pregnant amd very ill and the doctor may have to sign me off work do i get any help from the goverment seeing as i cant work but still have a business and house to pay for?

Daisy

26 February 2017

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The self-employed can be entitled to some government help but it depends on the level of the contributions they made as autonomo. I’m afraid that that’s as far as I can advise because you need to ask an asesor who deals with work and accountancy issues. Try Diana McGowan HERE.

Janet

26 February 2017

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I need to register my daughter for school, just at this minute I cannot find her birth certificate, will her uk passport do ??
Thankyou in advance

Sandra

28 February 2017

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I’m afraid you’ll need to ask the school what they require. I’m sorry but I don’t know whether her passport alone will be sufficient.

Janet

28 February 2017

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Hi Janet ,my question concerns CCTV and personal videoing of people .
We have an ongoing “debate” over the legality of installing CCTV on our complex and what the law allows- can you expand please ?
Another issue is ,some unsocial people on our complex are causing problems by videoing individuals and posting on social media as a means of harassment – is this legal and what steps can the President/ Adminstrator take to prevent this ?

John1

28 February 2017

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I’m sorry John but I can’t. The law on CCTV is complex and frequently updated, so it needs a qualified lawyer to clarify. As to posting images on social media, that is clearcut – it is illegal without the permission of the person whose image is being used. Usually this is done unthinkingly, but where it is being done as a form of harrassment, that is something that should be denounced to the police.

I posted a comment in reply to Stephanie on THIS post only the other day. As I said there:

I quite agree, Stephanie. In particular I dislike the posting of photos, without the consent of the subject, of those who have not yet been guilty of any crime. It doesn’t matter how appalling the alleged crime is, if someone’s photo is published and they are subsequently found not guilty of any offence, they could well prosecute for defamation. At the moment, on Facebook, there is a photo going round with a request to share it widely. In my opinion it is at least libellous, and at worst, an incitement to violence (a serious offence in its own right).

It is worth stressing that anyone who publishes a photo without the subject’s consent, and where that publication could have a negative effect (on reputation, or financially, or in terms of work, etc), is committing an offence which carries a prison sentence of up to four years. It has been my view for a long time that naming and shaming is senseless in a range of ways, but now, with the “gag law“, I think that “idiotic” is a more appropriate word.

Janet

28 February 2017

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Hi Janet loveTenerife go often i know Tenerife is not in the EU although Spain is, My husband and my self are looking to move permantely to Tenerife when i retire in 2 years ( Hubby retires 2 years later) we have funds to retire there. As UK where we have worked and lived all our lives are now coming out of EU ,do you think the free health care in Tenerife for pensioners UK could change

Ann

2 March 2017

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Tenerife is in the EU because it’s part of Spain. There are separate customs rules that apply to us because we are an “ultraperipheral region” (as defined by the EU) but we are an autonomous region of Spain, and Spain is in the EU. As to what might happen in the Brexit negotiations, please see HERE.

Janet

2 March 2017

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Hi Janet thankyou so much for your reply much appreciated

Ann

3 March 2017

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Banca March refuse to renew my wife´s debit card until she produces evidence of where our money comes from – but a letter given to us by the bank in Las Galletas says they require, basically, a statement that our income (in our case UK State pension) is paid automatically into the bank. I think it assumes it to be a Spanish bank, but we simply transfer money from our UK bank account, and I cannot see the Dept of Works and Pensions giving us a special letter explaining what we get. The girl in the bank was otherwise unhelpful.

My card expires in a year and they will require the same from me. Our pension is paid directly into our bank, but the girl said a bank statement is no good. We´ve had the account in Tenerife since 2004, mainly to pay the direct debits on our Tenerife property. We offered our passport and NIEs as confirmation of identity but they didn´t want them.

Have you come across this before?

Allan

23 March 2017

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Hi Allan, this sounds like the Know Your Customer / Anti-Money Laundering stuff that banks are under increasing scrutiny to carry out thoroughly now, though I can only guess at why it’s being requested now or why your wife’s debit card is being held to ransom over it. Nevertheless, banks are required to know where their customers’ income comes from. I used to work for Santander and to my knowledge, customers in receipt of a UK pension usually receive a pension statement from the DWP at least annually and that is usually perfectly sufficient. If you don’t have one for any reason, I don’t see that there’s anything wrong with asking DWP to send you one. They will be familiar with KYC/AML too.

Nova

23 March 2017

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Thank you, Janet. The annual statement from the DWP was all we could think of, and we have them back in the UK. Now we need to find out whether they have to be presented personally or whether they can be sent. We were just surprised that the girl in the bank hadn´t apparently come across this before – but there must be hundreds of retired UK citizens who deal with that bank who are all in the same position. Thank you again.

Allan

24 March 2017

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Author

Thank you Nova … Allan it was Nova who answered you, and in this respect, her expertise is far greater than mine! I would have thought that you could send any required documentation by email … indeed I would have thought that that would be preferable for the bank because they would then have it electronically from the off.

Janet

24 March 2017

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I’m happy to help when I can. 🙂 Ideally you would give the bank the original document for them to take a photocopy but usually they will be more interested in meeting their obligation as easily as possible. In which case I see no reason why they wouldn’t accept an emailed scan.

Nova

24 March 2017

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OK. Thanks, Nova. We have a meeting with our solicitor next week who thinks he can get a definitive answer. I´ll post on here, in case others are interested.

Allan

25 March 2017

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I am a US resident and been living in Madrid for 2.5 years illegally and I want to make it legal … what is the fastest way to do so … any helpis appreciative … Brian

Brian

27 March 2017

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Author

The best thing you can do is speak to the US Embassy. I can’t advise on non-EU nationals’ rights or the legal prerequisites, I’m sorry.

Janet

27 March 2017

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Regarding the bank´s requirements for carrying on with our account, our solicitor has been told by the bank that indeed the UK´s DWP pension statement should be sufficient. But they still require us to contact them while they have my new debit card in order that they do not send it back. Once that is done I doubt whether I will be able to get another!

I assume this is EU money-laundering rules…though how they can insist that a Spanish bank be given details of money paid into my UK bank is beyond me.

Allan

28 March 2017

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Hi Janet,
Should I have received the pink Información Fiscal from Santander 2016? It is usually dated 31st March.

David

David Cullen

14 April 2017

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I understand they only started sending them out a couple of weeks ago, so it’s possibly still in the pipeline.

Janet

14 April 2017

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From what has been said I am probably talking about something completely different but if its of any use I received my annual Santander letter detailing interest, commission and expenses on 28 January. Mine was electronic via online account access and my wife’s copy through the post.

sniff

15 April 2017

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Having looked again at the document I have it is not pink just a bit red, brown, black and white so it is not the document David was asking about.

sniff

15 April 2017

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Hi Ive lived here for 3 years and been a resident for this time, I have a UK driving license photo card with less than 10 years expiration. Am I right in thinking I only have to change it to Spanish when it expires???

Anthony

9 May 2017

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Yes, as it says in the answer to the first question in the Driving section above, “Drivers living in Spain who already have the usual photocard licences with clear ten year expiry dates do not have to do anything about them until the licence expires, and when it does, they will be required to renew here, as their country of residence. This meas that they will need to exchange for a Spanish licence at that point.”

Janet

9 May 2017

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Hi Janet, we have been renting an apartment since 1/10/16 and was given a 6 month contract. The contract ended on 31/3/17 but we were never given another. We have found another apartment that suits us better, how much notice by law do I have to give the owner as the old contract says 2 months.
In his original advert he said the rent would be 850€ for 6 months and 650€ for 12 months, although the old contract says 650€, but he has never got back to us, just emails us the bills which we pay at the bank.
Where exactly do we stand with this
Thankyou

Keith

10 July 2017

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You are out of your contract period so you are accepted as tenants without a contract. Your contract was not a normal short-term one anyway because they don’t have periods of notice (see HERE). Rather, tenants have to vacate on the date of termination of the contract, and are responsible for rent to that date even if you leave early. But even though your contract was not a normal legal one, once any contract has expired, there can be no notice terms because there is no contract in law.

Janet

10 July 2017

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Thankyou for that Janet. So we are paid up in rent and utilities until the 31/7, so would we be able to move on the 25/7 and not have to pay anymore rent ?

Keith

10 July 2017

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I’ve given a general opinion, and you are clearly out of your contract, so under the terms of which contract could you be paying rent? If you want legal guarantees, however, then you need to consult a qualified lawyer.

Janet

10 July 2017

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Hi Janet
I have recently moved, can I change the address for my spanish driving licence at the ayuntamiento in Adeje/ do it online or will I have to go to Trafico in Santa Cruz?

Bev

26 July 2017

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I believe you can do it at the ayuntamiento.

Janet

26 July 2017

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Hi Janet
My Daughter is working in Majorca as a singer and opened a spanish bank account. She has found 2 amounts of 7 euros 5 cents and 15 euros deducted from her account that she was unaware of. The bank told her that the Police take it from non residents.Can you shed any light on this please

david margery

2 August 2017

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I imagine it’s for the non-resident certificate as I describe HERE, but really this sort of explanation from the bank is sheer laziness on their part. Advise your daughter to demand that they explain what the police have taken it for! No-one can just take money from someone else’s bank account for no reason, even the police! And they could not do so, anyway, simply and purely because someone was a non-resident! But residence or non-residence confirmation certificates are acquired from the police, so it’s probably what the bank means.

Janet

2 August 2017

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Hi David, that sounds right. The €15 is what the non-resident certificate costs and the €7 will be the bank’s administration charge for their role in obtaining the certificate. Your daughter could complain that the bank didn’t advise her of this when she opened the account but since the certificate is mandatory for non-resident bank accounts, I think the chance of a refund is zero. As a heads up, these charges repeat approximately every two years for as long as the account-holder is non-resident. (Disclosure: I used to work for Santander)

Nova

2 August 2017

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Are living wills legal in Tenerife and what is the correct name for them here please?

Gillian Leach

6 August 2017

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They are known as a “Declaración de Voluntad Vital Anticipada”, and I believe they are recognized the Canaries as part of the Dignified Death legislation we have in this region. A qualified lawyer or notary will be able to confirm the exact procedures.

Janet

6 August 2017

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