Britannia Turnbull’s International Guide: Spain

Living in Spain

British expats in Spain have been frantic since the turn of the century. In 2005, research by the BBC suggested that British residents in Spain had gone above 750,000. The official figures in 2001 had the British population in Spain at 107,326 which had increased above 300,000 in 2014’s official figures. These were mainly distributed across Valencia, Andalusia, and the Canary & Balearic Islands. So if you are planning a move to Spain, then you are unlikely to be alone as many seek the hot weather and a better cost of living for the way of life.

Facts about Spain

• At around 300 BC, the land of Spain was labelled as Ispania – meaning the “land of the rabbits”. This developed over time into Hispania and eventually España. So Spain is essentially the “land of rabbits”!
• Like the UK, Spain is a constitutional monarchy with a prime minister (currently Mariano Rajoy) and a head of state, currently King Felipe VI of Spain.
• Spanish is the second most popular language in the world with over 400 million native speakers in countries including Argentina, Mexico, Cuba and Panama.
• Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are amongst the most valuable sports club in the world due to their worldwide brand value.
• According to a 2013 report, Spaniards devote 16 out of every 24 hours to leisure, eating, drinking and sleeping.
• Only Italy and China have more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than Spain. It also boasts some of the world’s greatest artists in Goya, Picasso and Dali.

Largest Cities in Spain (2012 Estimates)

Madrid, Madrid – 3,165,235

Barcelona, Catalonia – 1,602,386

Valencia, Valencia – 786,424

Seville, Andalusia – 696,676

Zaragoza, Aragon – 566,913

Murcia, Murcia – 439,712

Palma, Balearic Islands – 399,093

Las Palmas, Canary Islands – 382,283

Bilbao, Basque Country – 347,574

Spain Immigration Information

Currently, Brexit hasn’t changed much in terms of British immigration rules for Spanish residency – although this could change. British citizens do not need a visa to enter Spain but to reside on the country for more than three months requires registration. After five years of residence registration, it is possible to apply for a certificate of permanent residency in Spain.

Preparing for Spain

One of the main issues surrounding British immigration to Spain has been around language. Given the majority of the British expats tend to congregate in specific areas, a survey in 2005 found that a third of expats living in the Province of Malaga never met Spanish people and that 60% didn’t speak Spanish that well. This has been improved by a number of initiatives to improve British integration.

Moving to Spain

Britannia Turnbull’s Removals can call upon its Britannia Movers links in Spain to provide an efficient and smooth removal overseas to Spain and Europe. Britannia Turnbull’s local knowledge means that your international removal from or to Leeds and Yorkshire shouldn’t go with anyone else.

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