Residents rules changed in Spain Article Published: 18:11 02/05/2007 Article Classification: Spain
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The rules on residencia cards in Spain have been changed recently; if you are an EU citizen and you have a job in Spain - either as an employee or as a self employed person - you do not have to apply for a residencia card.

If however you are from outside the EU or if you are retired/unemployed, then you should apply if you stay in Spain for more than 6 months.

Whether you need a residency card or not, the British consulate advise you to get one anyway because, among other things, it saves you from carrying your passport around as ID and makes many bureaucratic processes much easier If you don't get a residency card, you will need a NIE (numero de identificacion de extranjeros, or foreigner's ID number) before you can open a bank account or get a job, and you will need a NIE before you can apply for residency. Forms for both are available from the extranjeros department at the local Comisaria, or police station (for the national police force that is, not the local police), but you can get a gestor to apply for you.

For residency you will need:

• Proof of income (a job, pension etc. a healthy savings account will probably also work, but the actual amount you need is likely to vary from place to place.)
• Proof of social security registration or private medical insurance
• Your passport
• Finally if you are married and one of you will be dependent on the other, you will need your marriage certificate.

If you are not moving to one of the coastal areas you may need official translations of your documents. It's a good idea to check.