Dual citizen lady from Ireland & Australia can I retire in Spain ?

Born in the island of Ireland,  means you automatically have Irish nationality.

As such, and as at present having British nationality,  you have the right to live in Spain, but you will need to have full medical cover and sufficient income to be allowed to do so

PS "....never been reliant on any man   

Having been, or not having been, reliant on any one has any relevance to this question..

Hi Johcar,

Thank you so kindly for your reply, I was advised something like that a couple of years ago.

I do however worry that all I have from Northern Ireland is a copy of my birth certificate.
I note my birth certificate has the whole family specified on it

I never had a passport as way back then in the 70's I was added to my fathers passport when the whole family immigrated to Australia.

I have terrible memories as a child in a war zone back in Belfast.

I prefer to avoid going back to Ireland & even worse living there until the prolonged process of getting a passport is over with.


Considering Spain's reputation for documentation & the fact that my income security & healthcare is via Australia.

I am very uncertain if my Northern Ireland birth certificate alone will suffice ??

Again Kind thanks

I said "Born in the island of Ireland,  means you automatically have Irish nationality. "

Just make the application for your passport at the Irish consulate in your part of Australia,. You are Irish now, 

My mother was born in Belfast, I was born in London. I just applied for my Irish passport.  I had been Irish all my life, albeit that I had not known !

Providing you have enough income and can prove that, and you have medical cover from Australia which you can prove gives you 100% cover in Spain,  then no problem.  In my case my cover is from UK so a form S1 proved that.

(Spain's regulations are pretty straightforward.   It is only when people choose to want to do it their way,  rather than the correct way that problems can arise ).

As John says Spain's regulations are straightforward, it is only when people get stroppy and say "why should I do this or that" that things get complicated.     My wife and I got Residency here a year ago, could not have been easier.    We applied for our NIE, got on the Padron then got our Residency.    We are both from NI, I am from Antrim, my wife is from Tyrone.    I applied for and got an Irish passport within 6 weeks, my wife was born on Scotland but her father was from NI so she just needed his passport even though he has been deceased 20 years.    In fact we have British and Irish passports.     Don't worry too much about what income you have, the cost of living here is much cheaper than UK.    For instance we have a lovely 2 bed apartment for 350 euros a month.    My advice is go for it, if you don't you will regret it.      And the Spanish people are really lovely and helpful.      Belfast is now a lovely City, our son lives there and works for the Salvation Army.     And of course the people are the best in the world.    I have first cousins in Queensland but never met them.  All the best.    Patrick and Sheilah O'Neill

Hi John,

Thank you again kindly, I am starting to feel a lot more at ease about the move now.
Indeed it has helped so much your personal experience.

Now I can get on with the process of selling my home here in Au's & liquidating my modest small buis stock.

Looking forward to never slaving 60 hr weeks for the bank again.

There's no doubt about integrity & kindness of the people from back home, salt of the earth.

From what I here there is plenty of folks from back home in Spain

No matter what Ni looks like now though there's no way I'll be freezin my a**e off to see for myself,

Thanks again, regards Angela

A passport  application is now taking longer than 6 weeks because so many from NI and UK are applying. I understand Ireland have taken on 250 more staff to help reduce the back log

Johncar wrote:

A passport  application is now taking longer than 6 weeks because so many from NI and UK are applying. I understand Ireland have taken on 250 more staff to help reduce the back log

All because of Brexit

Hello Patrick and Sheilah,

Thanks ever so much for sharing your experience & insight.

I am so much happier now & feel very re-assured that getting residency in Spain will now be the least significant issue on my plate.

I am still not quite clear on what Nie stands for or relates to ? I recall Ni as meaning Northern Ireland.

That matters not I suppose at this early stage

Nice & comforting to know that there are so many decent people from back home over in Spain.

I have been to Queensland Au's you could poach an egg out in the open in the blistering heat & extreme humidity of summer, (no thanks )

I have a small freshwater riverfront acreage home in Tasmania but have never been able to afford to live in it.

Hence I have been working like a slave & renting in Sydney to pay for it for 14 yrs now.

Sad as it will be to part with my back then dream home it beats having an NBD or a stroke.

Indeed I am looking forward to the simple & relaxed life in Spain.

Still not 100% certain which city I'll settle in , I'll be sure & see most of then 1st.

Thanks again

Kind regards Angela.

Thanks so much for pointing that out John.

I knew they where overwhelmed with applicants.

Even here in Au's it 's all over the news.

I didn't know they had put on the extra processing staff though

cheers Angela