Hello,  I have a unique situation and was hoping I could get some feedback from the experts on this forum:).  I currently live in Peru and I’m considering moving to UK sometime next year.  As I have two dogs, I cannot move to UK directly without putting my dogs in quarantine for 6 months (which is completely out of the question).  The only solution is to move to a country which will issue EU/UK Pet passports for 6 months plus (the time needed to vaccinate in new country plus 6 month wait time).  My question is… How difficult would it be to obtain some sort of long-stay visa for Spain or will they just find my situation absurd?  I work from home as a telephonic interpreter (for a company in US) and can pretty much do this job from anywhere in the world so I won’t be working in Spain, per se, nor will I be searching for work.  I just need a place to live in mainland Europe for a little over 6 months, until my dogs can enter UK free and clear.  My only other options would be France and US.  US is last on the list because I really don’t want to put my dogs through flying twice.  France is my other option, but as my housekeeper will be moving with me (she’s already studying English), she will feel lost due to the language barrier and I won’t feel 100% comfortable leaving her there for a few days while I travel to UK to look at houses with my future husband.  Now, this brings me to another question.  I have researched visa information for domestic workers travelling with employer to UK, US and France.  I can’t find any information at all on Spain.  Any insight into what that involves would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post.

Cheers,

Claudia

Hi; this is just a general response and to say welcome to the forum.

As you suggest yours is somewhat of a unique situation and a lot could depend on your nationality by birth.

The entry controls for humans into the UK are almost as complex as those for animals.

I have sorted some links that may go some way towards answering your questions.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/factsheet/factsheet4-100915.pdf

http://www.spainexpat.com/spain/information/visas_in_spain_for_work_or_holiday/

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

I don’t know what the veterinary situation is in Peru, but it might be advisable to talk to someone over there with a view to complying with the requirements for Microchipping and Rabies shots and blood tests and obtaining a veterinary certificate of animal health. Basically under EU regulations, all EU countries have the same entry requirements as far as I can tell, so you need to establish what the entry requirements are for Spain (or France); this information may be available from your nearest Spanish Embassy.

\hope some of this helps a little…

Good Luck

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Hi Foxbat,
Thank you for your reply.  I have already done my homework on the requirements for my dogs for both EU and UK (blood tests have to be sent to Chile as there aren’t any recognised laboratories in Peru 😉.  I hold two passports, US and Peru (by birth).  By the time I move to Europe I will already be married to an Englishman, so I would be going to UK on spouse visa.  My issue is if Spain would consider my reasons for moving there temporarily as valid reasons and then there is the issue of my visa for my housekeeper.  Believe me, if I had the money I would charter a jet to NY, stay there until my dogs could enter UK and then charter another to fly to UK 😊 .  I guess I’ll just visit the consulates and see what they tell me.

Cheers,

C.

Not sure how the chartering would help. Does that mean you’d avoid customs?

I’ve not heard of any visas for domestic workers - in fact this is a problem in Spain as there’s a huge surplus of this type of labour. Good luck with that. 😉

Since you have two passports, I’d enter Spain on one passport, leave after 90 days, then re-enter on your other.

This is all assuming you’re not in a position to take the risk of avoiding visas altogether.

Hello and thank you for your reply. 
Chartering a jet means my doggies get to fly in the cabin with me, so I could just fly to NY, rent a flat for the necessary time (would only need a visa for my HK) and then fly to UK.  When I moved back to Peru, from the US, with one of my dogs I was very stressed out about putting her in cargo and that was a 5 hour flight.  I don’t even want to imagine what she went through.  I couldn’t bear to put them on two 8 hour flights in less than one year. 
Well, you’ve answered my question about the DW visa.  Too bad:(.  Flying in and out on two passports…not my style.  I like to do things by the book.  Times have changed.  When I went to university in Madrid, the consulate couldn’t be bothered with giving me a student visa.  They just said to make sure I never exceeded my 6 month stay, so I would go to France a lot.  That was in the late 80’s.  I will be flying out a lot (to UK) and that is one of the main reasons I need my HK:)  I won’t leave my dogs with just anyone.  The other big reason is that in order to get a visa for her for UK, she has to have been with me for the year prior to the visa application (I can’t afford any lapses in time).  I guess I will have to go to France then…if they’ll have me.
Thanks again!

Cheers,
C.