5 Things to Do Before You Move to Spain

Before you move to Spain, apply for your Spanish work/residence Visa. Unless you have a European Union Passport you will need your work/residence Visa for just about everything else on this list.

Note: Your Spanish Visa will generally take at least four months to clear.

Note: Call weekly to check on your Spanish Visa, or you may never receive it.

Before you move to Spain, fill out the paperwork and make an appointment to obtain a Spanish NIE (pronounced Knee-ay) at your local National Police Station, or Comisaria . A Spanish NIE is a tax identification number. Unless your employer bends the rule you cannot receive a paycheck without a Spanish NIE.

Note: Make your appointment for your Spanish NIE at least a month in advance.

Note: You need to make an appointment in the district you will be living in while in Spain.

Note You can show up at a Spanish Comisaria without an appointment; however, the que is 4 hours long by the time the doors open, and people have been known to camp out over night to get a good spot in line.

Note: Your Spanish NIE will take 2 to 4 weeks to process.

Before you move to Spain, hire a real estate agent / immobiliaria. No one wants to pay an extra months rent for what they could easily find themselves in a weekend newspaper; however, if you add up the cost of a hotel during your initial stay in Spain, eating out three meals a day, and travel two and from possible domiciles, you will easily spend more than the Spanish real estate agent's fee.

Note: Yes, you can find apartments online; however, the real bargains are only advertised locally. You can easily save 100 euro per month either searching in person or going through an agent. Again, the Spanish real estate agent's fee is recouped with in a year.

Note: Spanish real estate agents are still business people - They will be friendly, they will be helpful, but they will try to talk you into the most expensive apartment you can afford.

Note: Having an address in Spain before you move there will help with just about everything - setting up a bank account, getting your NIE, shipping your belongings, etc.

Before you move to Spain, open an international bank account with local bank branches in Spain. You will need a local bank statement for just about everything from applying for a cellular phone account, to receiving internet, cable, and land line services, and in some cases utilities. Things which are really hard to live without.

Before you move to Spain apply for a Spanish Cell Phone (calls to and from the US on a US cell phone are easily $1/minute plus roaming fees the entire time your cell phone is on.

Note: Having a local number will make it much likely for other services in Spain to call you back.

Note: Customer Service in Spain is sketchy at best. Most of the major company's have monopolies or near monopolies on their industry - they know you need them more than they need your business. You should account for everything taking at least five times as long as you would expect it to take in the United States. If things happen faster you will be pleasantly surprised, if not you will eventually adjust and start taking your times with things as well, which can also be very pleasant.