Why are so many expats leaving

Hi, we are in the process of buying in playa blanca. My bro is as well and another guy we have been chatting with has just bought so there are at least a few of us who are planning on retiring there still 👍🏻😁 Alan

Depends on whether you will be retiring full or part time here. If you only plan to spend 90 out of 180 days a year here that’s fine. If you want to spend more than that you would need to apply for a visa/residency. 

Hi, Thank you for your responses. We are considering retiring full time to Playa Blanca. I understand that there are still people moving to the island, but the issue is the number of people who have been there for sometime that are now packing up and returning to a country that is basically in total chaos, cold and unfriendly. 

Hmm, that’s a good point, does anyone have an answer and are there a lot leaving ?

Maybe they aren't residents and therefore can't stay on the island full time. I know a lot of people who thought it wouldn't apply to them and have been caught out and now have to return to the UK or only stay 90 out of 180 days.

Hi. Previous responses are absolutely correct in that if they were not of full resident status after Brexit the law which was always there restricting you to 6 months stay is now being fully implemented instead of turning a blind eye. The 90/180 Schengen  rule is more restrictive if you wanted to stay over the winter leaving you little or no allowance to visit in the summer or even to other eu countries governed by the Schengen visa waiver 

If however you are going for residency either full or non lucrative that will not be a concern and cost wise it will be around £800 each for non lucrative- favoured by retirees.

 However I think most retirees when they get older and health problems start to increase there is always a comfort in having a Uk base to return home to for  free hospital visits in a system that they feel happier with and no language barrier. If you can retain a flat in the Uk you may feel more at ease   Best of luck on your move it is a wonderful island to spend your earned time off in 

Hi, thank you for your help, can you explain the difference between lucrative and non-lucrative. The intention is to keep an address in the UK, a park home, as a backup for that reason. 

For retirees the non-lucrative visa is best as you aren't planning to work (being retired).

The requirements are: A secure annual income of €25,816 per person, or €32,270 for a couple. 

You have to apply for the visa in the UK at the Spanish consulate.

Hi - I’ll try my best as I did look at this for my wife and I but we decided 6 months here and 6 months in the canaries suited our needs better. 

The non lucrative visa is for people who wish to live full time in Spain but not become a full tax resident. It means you cannot work over there or receive  any income from Spanish sources As such it suits retirees who can continue to receive their pensions and pay the relevant taxes in the uk and not have to declare income from Uk sources to the Spanish government. If you became a full tax resident all Uk income and I believe assets are taken into account for your annual tax return although you won’t be taxed twice on your pension 

There are some requirements however   You have to be able to prove that you can support yourselves financially and that is either savings in the bank of about €27k as far as I can remember or proof of income ( pension) of approx €2600 per month, check these figures out on line   You also have to get medical insurance (not holiday/ travel insurance) that could be €600 per annum each but I have a feeling that may get better after retrial age as you could be covered by a reciprocal bi lateral agreement between the uk and Spain even after Brexit and finally a police report to identify any serious criminal record  I believe the NLV is valid for 2 years then it is renewed for a further 3years and then you are granted full residency   Also you should check all these trigger periods on line 

Like every owner, part time or on a lucrative visa resident status you will still have to complete an annual tax return based on your property and also council tax at the local town hall for mainly rubbish and recycling but you won’t have income tax unless you rent out your property or take on paid employment 

Having a Uk home  will give you assurances in your older age and also a place to get back to some decent rain! 

You can apply for the non lucrative visa before you arrive in the canaries but get your NIE first from your closest Spanish Embassy and make sure your passport has a few years validity   Bureaucracy is tight in Spain especially with Covid still a concern, but if you follow the guidelines you should be fine, there are no real shortcuts.  It’s always advisable to try the first year or two without committing to residency as you may find the practicality outweighs the enjoyment but that usually subsides after a few visits   The downside of that however is that you are restricted to the 90/180 days Schengen visa waiver   

Finally get a good recommended English / Spanish lawyer who will keep you right not only with conveyancing but all the other requirements you will need to organise your visa and your utilities. You will always meet a crowd of ex pats who have gone through this preferably post Brexit that will always help you and point you to the right places for registering anything that crops up. Try as best you can to get some Spanish language. It does help if you are not in the main tourist resorts. Again best of luck for your future.