Hola all - a confused newbie.  We have moved to Spain from UK (Brit citizens), been here 2 months and now want to apply for our residencia.  Advice given is very confusing.  Do we have to apply for an non resident NIE first, then Padron and finally Residencia?  Or can we get the Padron and just go ahead with the application for residencia.  We are living in Cabo Roig and have a rental contract.  Any advice would be appreciated as to which to do first.  Understand being pensioners we will have to get the S1 form to submit with the application for residencia. On the brighter side we love it here and are sure we have made the right decision - Lovely Country, The sun shines, nice helpful people - what more could a pensioner want.  Thanks for reading this.

Hi;

OK…

Not necessarily in order but this is what you need to do;

Take passports and rental agreement to local town hall; this should be all you need to get on the padron. Some regions may ask for a copy of residencia documentation, but where we live it wasn’t necessary.

The S1 form has nothing whatsoever to do with Residencia applications; that form is to register with the Spanish Social Services so that you can register with the local doctors surgery. Take the form(s), passports, and a copy of your padron cert to the local Social services office. The Town hall will be able to tell you where your nearest office is located. You will be given a Social Services number; take this number to your local ‘centro de salud’ (Health Centre) and they will register you with a Doctor.

No such thing as a non resident NIE; Download Form EX18 four times… two for you two for O.H. Take the completed forms to your nearest ‘Officina de Extranjeros’ at the National Police Office (not Guardia Civil!), you will also need copies of your passports and maybe passport size / style photos. These days they use the same form for both NIE Applications and Residencia Applications so you can kill two birds with one stone.

Link to download form…

http://extranjeros.mtin.es/es/ModelosSolicitudes/Mod_solicitudes2/18-Certificado_Residencia_comunitaria.pdf

Link to some useful advice on what to do with the completed EX18 forms…

http://costaconsultingbureau.com/legal-documents/residencia-application-form-ex18-new-july-2011/

So suggestion would be

1) Obtain Residencia / NIE cert.
2) Register with Social services,
3) Padron.

If, heaven forbid you need medical attention before you have registered with a Doctor, use your EHIC Card (formerly E111). If you don’t have one I would suggest you contact the EHIC office of the NHS… link below… In theory, because you have moved away from your UK address for more than three months you are supposed to let the NHS know; your names will be removed from your your UK Health Centre records office and your records will be removed to safe storage. You will need an EHIC Card if you wish to use any UK medical services. EHIC Cards can only be sent to a UK address so if you have ‘burned your bridges’ you will need a UK contact address.

https://www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/home.do or telephone 0044 191 212 7500.

Hope this helps…

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You should also be able to get help in the Orihuela Costa town hall with all of this - but remember they will probably be closed this Thursday. The nearest national police station is in Orihuela city, but they may accept residencia applications in the town hall.

😊 Foxbat   Thank you so much.  You have explained this so well and we now understand the proceedure.  We were under the impression that the S1 had to accompany the residenca application.  We do have our EIHC cards.  So many different explanations out there and enough to put the fear of the devil in one if you listen to the wrong advice.  I will visit the links you have so kindly supplied.  Again our sincere thanks and enjoy the rest of your day. Will keep you posted on our progress although I suppose we will not do anything until the New Year.

No problema!

You need to be aware that Valencia province do tend to make up their own rules from time to time so whilst what I said above holds true for Granada / Andalucia things maybe a little different where you are. As Rob has suggested your first point of contact should be the Town Hall in Orihuela Costa. They should have all the answers you need!

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ROB1305 - 07 December 2011 07:28 PM

You should also be able to get help in the Orihuela Costa town hall with all of this - but remember they will probably be closed this Thursday. The nearest national police station is in Orihuela city, but they may accept residencia applications in the town hall.

Thank you Rob for your input too.  Before I could reply to you the laptop decided to go on strike so that is why it is so late.
Will probably go ask for the forms and the payment form on Friday - do you think we should take someone who speaks Spanish or just learn the phrase for asking for the forms?  Am told they will not speak English. Will however look for someone to go with when we take the completed forms back. Again many thanks your help is appreciated.  😊

Update
Hi there.  We went to Playa Flamenca Town Hall this morning and got the forms for NIE and Residencia, also an appointment for Monday to return with the docs needed.  While we there there we also got our padrons.  So thank you for the help and advice.  Now we need to make sure we fill in the forms correctly and I have been searching on the internet for a translation just to make sure we do not mess up the forms.
So far cannot find anything but will keep searching.  Will update you on the outcome of Monday’s appointment.  Fingers crossed we get the forms filled in properly. :roll:

Well done folks, just use this for translation, the online ones are never 100% but should give you the gist
http://translate.google.es/
or of course a good old dictionary.
This book
http://www.innoword.com/media/spain.html
has examples of how to fill in the forms

ps you can always download the forms from here if you need more
http://extranjeros.mtin.es/es/ModelosSolicitudes/Mod_solicitudes2/index.html
and you can fill them in online and print them, maybe better than hand writing

Gosh Rob you are a STAR that google Traductor is great.  It is only a few words we needed translating and it does the job.  Did find a translation of the forms so we are now “A for away”.  Also the stress is relieved re messing up the forms.  Very grateful to you and “A BIG THANK YOU”.  Will let you know how it goes on Monday.  Have a great weekend.
Edith 😊

Hey no problem, you are amongst friends on this forum. Keep us posted.

Hi Rob, Foxbat.  Forms stamped and accepted yesterday and told to return next week with passport to collect the document.  No particular day given so fingers crossed.  Will let you know.  😊 Thanks for the help.  Next step S1 form from Newcastle.

OK thanks for that update - if you didn’t know, many people use their Spanish Driving Licence for ‘everyday’ ID (using credit card etc) official stuff (notary etc) still requires passport.

Hi Rob Yes realised we would still have to produce passport or British Driving licence for identification.  Got our S1 forms this morning from Newcastle so that is the next hurdle. Understand we have to go to Orihuela so hope there is a bus to there. Still deciding whether to get a car or not as having driven for 40 odd years on the other side of the road it is quite a daunting prospect.  It has taken me 3 months to look the right way before crossing the road.  Glad I wasn’t the chicken!!!!! Have a great start to 2012 - hope it is a good one for you.  Am sure I will have other questions that I will need help with but appreciate the info I have received to date.

OK good - you might be able to process them in the new offices for Social Security in Torrevieja, might be worth a go before going to Orihuela. To be honest folks I think you will really miss out if you don’t have a car - remember there is no test to take (for EU persons) and you can use UK DL until it expires. Ask at town hall about buses to Orihuela.

Maybe an option for getting to Orihuela:

http://www.roundtownnews.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32341&Itemid=31