Coming to Spain

A citizen of a member state of the European Union, or of another state included in the European economic zone agreement, or of Switzerland wanting to stay in Spanish territory for more than three months is required to apply to be included on the central registry of foreigners.

The husband or wife, partner, father, mother, son or daughter of a European citizen resident in Spain can also request to be registered as a relative of a European citizen. This grants you the same rights as if you were a European citizen or a Spanish national.

At Bennet and Rey, we can inform you about the process and the documents which need to be provided.  As we also speak English, we will keep you up to date in English about the requirements and how your application is going, so that you can be confident that your lawyer is looking after your interests from the beginning to the end of the process.

If you want to come to Spain as a student, you will have to apply for a student visa for the full length of your studies. For the time that you are studying, this visa will allow you to do courses, to do research work or training, to be in a pupil-exchange programme, to do unpaid work (e.g as a volunteer).

This is a visa which can be extended.

At Bennet and Rey, we can prepare your documents and accompany you to the end of the application. As lawyers who speak English, we will keep you informed and will translate whatever is necessary.

If you want to stay in Spain for more than 90 days you must apply for a temporary residence permit, which later can be extended.

There are different types of visas depending on your situation.

For example, a long-term residence permit is one which authorises you to live in Spain indefinitely.

At Bennet and Rey, we can prepare your documents and accompany you to the end of the application. As lawyers who speak English, we will keep you informed whatever is necessary. We accompany our clients whenever possible at all stages of the application

At Bennet&Rey we are experts in Spanish Citizenship.

You may be descended from Spaniards and wish to apply for nationality, or perhaps you lost your nationality and now want to reclaim it. Living in Spain as a foreigner for a certain length of time means that you can apply for Spanish nationality, as long as you fulfil the requirements laid down in the law.

To apply for Spanish nationality is a long process which requires patience. It can take from one to three years. At Bennet and Rey, we advise you on which is your best approach, we prepare the documents for you and we accompany you personally whenever that is possible at all stages of the process. As we speak English you will be kept fully aware in your language of the different steps being taken.

Bennet & Rey will be with you every step of the way. If you are buying a property, from the moment you have set eyes on your dream home, or even while you are still hunting for it, Bennet & Rey will accompany you – until you have the keys to your new home in your hands. If you are are selling we can advise you on the process and help you to deal with the bureaucracy.

Remember, we speak English and Spanish – and we work in all Spain.

Also, if you cannot come to Spain, you do not need to worry as WE CAN ACT IN YOUR NAME. With a power of attorney, we could buy or sell a house or flat in your name.

Whatever the situation, we will be there giving legal advice, will negotiate on your behalf with the sellers or purchasers, and will prepare pre-sales agreements and contracts of purchase. We can ensure that all certificates required for purchase or sale and the title deeds are in order.

We will help with notification of all taxes required. We can be your contact with the Public Notary, with the Land Registry (the “Registro de la Propiedad”), with banks and surveyors,  collating all the information necessary to ensure that any purchase is a sound investment and any sale is completed properly.

In short, we know the Spanish market, property law and the “system”, and we will defend your interests and your rights in any issue arising with estate agents or individuals who are buying or selling.

Sometimes problems arise at work and that is a time when appropriate legal advice is vital in order to defend your interests.

At Bennet and Rey, we can help solve labour problems which might arise such as dismissal and provide the solution which is most appropriate to your interests.

As lawyers who speak English, we listen to you and we keep you informed in English concerning the process, accompanying you right till the end.

Starting a business needs a large dose of effort and optimism. We hope that you can concentrate on what is really important and leave us to handle the official paperwork and deal with the Spanish authorities.

Our knowledge of Spanish legislation and our experience will allow us to deal successfully with the necessary paperwork, while our knowledge of English lets us keep you informed in your own language and to accompany you and to help you at all stages of the process. As a result you will feel understood, informed and protected at all stages.

If you stay in Spain for more than 90 days, you are required to register in the town where you are living. This could be very important to you at some time in the future

At Bennet and Rey, our English speaking lawyers, will help you with your registration.

Making sure that you have a driving licence which is valid in Spain is a very important step, which many people forget to take. Failure to do this can cause serious problems in the event of insurance claims or an accident.

At Bennet and Rey we make this process easier for you so that you can drive without worrying about this.

This is one of the most common formalities when someone comes to stay in Spain or to live here. Opening an account in a Spanish bank helps you with many aspects of your life, but sometimes there can be problems for example concerning the documents that the bank requests.

Bennet and Rey works with banks which are accustomed to handling accounts of foreign citizens.

At Bennet and Rey, our English-speaking lawyers, will help you. If you like you can allow us to represent you on your behalf.

When you arrive in a country you discover that signing an electricity contract, for example, or getting electricity or gas connected is not the same as in your own country. Very often what should be a simple process ends up becoming very complicated.

At Bennet and Rey, we simplify the process for you. As we have experience and live in Spain we are very familiar with how all this works. At the same time, being lawyers who speak English we can translate for you and accompany you at all stages of the process.