What does the future hold for ex-pats living in Spain?

The Brexit vote result in the UK came as a shock to many, but what does this mean for ex-pats from the UK who has chosen to make Spain their official residence, and also the Spanish nationals who live and work in the UK? Well, rest assured it’s highly unlikely that anything will be affected in the short term, as Article 50 has yet to be triggered and the official negotiations can take two years following this event for the UK to officially leave the European Union.

Ex-pats lived in Spain way before the EU came into full effect, if you can remember when there was border and passport patrols at La Jonquera on the French/Spanish border you will know that foreign nationals were still allowed in and out of Spain with little to no hassle – you just had to show your passport. There is speculation that ex-pats may lose some of their free healthcare benefits in Spain or their pensions have to be drawn differently, but nobody actually knows until the negotiations are finalised. It is however, highly likely that some deal will be struck to protect the rights of homeowners and people who wish to buy a house in Spain and continue to reside there.

One way to ensure that you can continue your life in Spain as usual, is if you are eligible is to apply for Spanish citizenship. This shouldn’t be something which is taken lightly, but you should know all of your options, especially if you have children in school in Spain or you work locally. To become a Spanish citizen requires you to relinquish your British nationality and passport and you should have been a resident of Spain legally for 10 consecutive years prior to your application being submitted.

If you consider this, you will also be required to speak a reasonable amount of the Spanish language and have integrated yourselves into Spanish communities and local activities. If you are approved, you will be required to swear allegiance to obey Spanish law and pledge loyalty to the King.

If your partner is Spanish and you are married, you don’t need to worry. As long as you have been married for a year or longer you can apply for Spanish citizenship. In addition to this if a member of your family, i.e. parents or grandparents are Spanish you can also apply.

In short, there’s no reason to vacate your villa in Barcelona anytime soon, it will take many years and several difficult conversations to sort the Brexit situation out, it’s best just to explore all of your options, keep an open mind and see what transpires.