Expat news in Spain
Accommodation
Published in the Official Gazette on June 2, Spain's new real estate law has been in force since June 30. The law was urgently introduced to regulate Spain's strained real estate market and facilitate access to housing, especially in "stressed areas". The new law tightly regulates rents and puts tenants and landlords on an equal footing. So what do you need to keep in mind when buying property in Spain?
Everyday life
Born in Argentina, Vanessa has always been passionate about her Italian roots. This led her to Rome in 2015, the same year when she met the love of her life. In 2021, she decided to follow him to Barcelona, where they now enjoy a fulfilling expat life. Being a freelance translator, Vanessa shares her story of why she chose to move to Europe and all that comes with it.
Visas
Are we witnessing the last days of the Spanish Golden Visa? While Portugal and Ireland have announced the end of their Golden Visa programs intended for wealthy foreign investors, Spain's political left wing is proposing a law to abolish access to citizenship through real estate investment. How is this going to affect immigration in Spain?
Expat news
Everyday life
As Spain prepares to launch its new Digital Nomad Visa, what should you know about moving there in 2023? The country also has a new Startup Act to encourage entrepreneurship, even from expats, and it boasts of the lowest inflation in the EU and multiple new social welfare policies at the moment. Retirees have historically been a big expat demographic in Spain, but there are now increasingly more young expats in their 20s and 30s.
Tax
The sunny autonomous community of southern Spain, Andalusia, has scrapped the wealth tax that used to be levied on assets. It wants to attract expats and boost the economy with its tax attractiveness. Other autonomous communities, Galicia and Murcia, are following suit, while the central government plans on adopting measures that will cancel out the advantages of Andalusia's fiscal reform.
Content from our partners
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Barcelona City Hall
We had the opportunity to speak with Xavier Mayo Torres, Head of Foreign Economic Promotion, who gives us the keys to understanding the success of a city whose appeal continues to grow.
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Barcelona City Council
Barcelona International Welcome Desk website has had almost 3,000 visits per month since it was launched in November 2021.
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Holborn Wealth Management
Does the UK leaving Europe mean you have to give up your plans to live, work, retire or invest in Spain? Absolutely not! But financial planning has become just as important as sun cream, after the UK left Europe. So, here is what you need to know about how to manage your finances in Spain right now.
Features
Children
Expat.com meets Stefano, an Italian expatriate who lives in Valencia with his family. Let's talk about his routine between remote work and managing children during the lockdown.
Almost half of Barcelona's residents are foreign-born and this is a record. This was revealed last week by the Municipal Register of Inhabitants of the city. Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, an autonomous region in Spain, seems to be a haven for expatriates. This is due to two reasons: firstly there is record growth of expats joining Barcelona's multicultural composition that is rapidly changing the face of the city and secondly there are the deliberate efforts by the City Administration to transform the existing multiculturalism into an interconnected, intercultural community for all its citizens.
Work
Spain's pleasant climate, relaxed lifestyle among friendly people, international community, and access to talent are some of the factors that have been attracting foreign entrepreneurs to the country. If you're looking for new business opportunities abroad, Expat.com gives you some good reasons to launch your start up in Spain.
Expat interviews
Everyday life
Madrid is known to be a land of opportunities, and Alice and Emilie cannot deny it. They both moved to Spain in 2018 as trailing spouses. Today, they are their own boss and are part of a network of women entrepreneurs. Alice and Emilie look back on their expat journey and tell us about their everyday life in the Spanish capital.
Everyday life
Alicia has lived in different countries on different continents and had a taste of different working cultures -- which made her realize that she needed to work towards something more meaningful. She has always had a passion for couture, so she decided to earn a living from it. Now an expat in Barcelona, she talks to Expat.com about her journey and the challenges of being an entrepreneur in a new country, especially when you don't speak the language perfectly.
Everyday life
Silvana left Sicily to travel the world. And after living in London and Barcelona, it is in Ayamonte that the young singer decided to try her luck at her craft. Navigating between jazz, swing, bossa nova, pop and rock, Silvana tells us about her expat life as a singer.
Insights from professionals
Everyday life
Alana Moceri is a university professor at Universidad Europea in Madrid. Being an American expat in Spain, her areas of expertise cover politics and communication in the US, the European Union, and Spain. Alana is also passionate about public diplomacy, public opinion, and activism. She shares with Expat.com her expat experience in Spain, and — no matter how hard we tried — we couldn't resist including some politics in our conversation.
Global edition articles
Health system
Adjusting to new food abroad involves more than just overcoming a psychological barrier or embracing an adventurous spirit. Your body may be sensitive and resistant to unfamiliar foods. How can you take care of your health while adjusting to a new culinary landscape? Here are some tips.
Transport
Moving abroad often serves as the perfect moment to change your habits: expanding your social circle, improving lifestyle choices, and altering your modes of consumption and transportation. Have you been primarily dependent on cars until now? Why not take the opportunity of moving to a new city to make a radical shift towards better health and the environment by adopting walking and biking? These modes of transportation are increasingly popular in large international cities and are indeed driving their development.
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Center for U.S. Voters Abroad
All U.S. citizens are eligible to vote absentee while living or traveling abroad and a new organization is making that process much better. Here's how.
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Articles to help you in your expat project in Spain
Working in Tenerife
Are you looking for a job in Tenerife? While there are certainly opportunities, especially for fluent Spanish ...
Internet in Spain
Whether for work or play or keeping in touch with friends and relatives abroad, getting online will most likely be ...
Working in the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands is Spain's southernmost autonomous community, an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, more ...
Working in Valencia
Valencia is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia, an attractive port city with beautiful beaches, a ...
Popular neighbourhoods in Seville
Once you have decided to make the beautiful city of Seville your home, the next order of business is finding a ...
Customs in Spain
Before traveling to Spain for your new life abroad, you will need to be aware of the country's ...
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Discover the best international banks to manage your money securely.
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