Expat Community > Spain

WT
Joined 2006
Posts: 3

Help! American needs visa & tax info for early retiree

18 years ago

Hi
I am in San Francisco area,planning on moving/traveling to Spain in Sept.06 and not clear yet on which visa to get and the advantages and disadvantages of each.What I would like to do is spend about 6m a year in Spain and travel the rest of the year.I want to spend time in long term rentals until I am ready to buy and we are not in a hurry as we want to explore Spain and Europe deeply.My husband and 5 yo child are bilingual so we prefer to probably stay in a castilian speaking rural area for the schools and life( tho my dh loves Barcelona so have not totally given up that area yet).

We would prefer to stay several years in Europe based in Spain and hopefully by then decide to buy ( probably finca) and use it as our second home for half of the year.So the retirement visa seems good for us,but I am wondering how that will affect our taxes (as we are living on a modest income from interest) and travel within the EU/schengen areas?

If I live there less than half a year( 183 days),do I still need to pay Spain's taxes on top of my US taxes?

If I travel in EU/schengen countries will that still count as days in Spain?

Can I use the retirement visa if I only live there less than half a year?

The other option is the student visa ( which friends of ours from here used last year while the dad took classes in Spanish and kids went to school there,mom worked online),but we really would prefer not to come back to the US for years ( tho might be interested in a trip to Argentina or Thailand during this time).

I feel like I can not really plan the trip til I fully understand the advantages adn disadvantages of the visas and have been having trouble finding this info.Does anyone know any sources to answer these kinds of quesitons from an American expat viewpoint ?

Thanks so much in advance!

Cigna Global Health

Get a quote in 2 minutes from our partner, Cigna Global Health.
Get Quote

Cigna Global Health

Get a quote in 2 minutes from our partner, Cigna Global Health.
Get Quote

Living in Spain Guide

Expats Living in Spain offer their advice for others making the move to the nation on the Iberian peninsula. From what to bring, to learning Spanish, culture shock and more, read on to learn how to settle into your new life as an expat in Spain.

Spain Forum
Join our Spain forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Spain.

Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Spain.

Best Places to Live in Spain

If you're thinking about living in Spain, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Spain in 2023.

Healthcare in Spain

Expats in Spain share their experiences with healthcare and overseas medical insurance in Spain.

Cost of Living in Spain

Expats offer insight into the cost of living in Spain.

Moving to Spain Guide

Expats move to Spain from all over the world. People of all ages move there to work, retire, or just enjoy the culture and Spain's natural beauty. With so many places to choose from, our tips for moving to Spain will get you started on picking the perfect place for you.