Although you may be moving to Spain for views of ancient monuments or vibrant cities steeped in culture,international moving is a complicated business. As if making the choice to move thousands of miles away from your current home wasn't daunting enough, you still have to take care of logistics. While relocating overseas to Spain may be life changing and exciting, it will also require a lot of meticulous planning and proper documentation to ensure a stress-free experience.
Read on for more information on what to expect when clearing customs and moving to Spain.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY
No foreign country will allow you to visit, much less live there without the proper documentation - so you'll want to make sure everything is in order ahead of time. These
important documents should be received a minimum of 20 to 30 days in advance of the arrival of your shipment to avoid any additional charges of demurrage. It is best to hire a customs brokering service for assistance in preparing these documents by their particular deadline.
When moving to Spain, you will need:
- Passport (original with photo - must show last entry stamp and biographic pages, or notarized copy by the Spanish Embassy at origin)
-
Residence visa/work visa
- Residence/work permit and NIE number (bank guaranty required if permit is not obtained)
- Certificate of Residence Change Asunto Cambio Residencia (obtained at local or city hall - must state customer has lived abroad for a minimum of 12 consecutive months)
- Comprehensive valued inventory of shipment in Spanish (two copies signed and dated by customer, notarized by Spanish Consulate)
- International Air Waybill/ Bill of Lading
- Rental agreement/purchase title (must state a minimum two years stay in Spain; notarized)
- Customs application (for duty free import of personal effects and household goods)
- Power of Attorney (allowing destination agent to arrange customs clearance)
- Declaration of Customer (stating length of stay in Spain)
SHIPPING REGULATIONS
When you move to Spain, you will be faced with various regulations you must abide by in order to successfully clear customs with your shipment.
Things to keep in mind:
- New items that require special permits must be loaded near container doors
- All shipments are subject to possible inspection
- Purchase invoices for appliances may be necessary
PROHIBITED ITEMS
Most countries have a list of items that are not allowed in the country whatsoever. In Spain, you cannot import the following items under any circumstance:
- Firearms, explosives and ammunition of any kind
- Drugs or illegal narcotics of any kind
- Pornography, subversive material/literature
- Cleaning fluids
- Paint
- Toxic materials or chemicals
RESTRICTED ITEMS
When shipping your household goods and personal effects to Spain, you should also be aware of the numerous items that are subject to duty fees, need special permission, or have limits on quantity. Some of these items include, but may not be limited to:
- Tobacco products (no more than 200 cigarettes, 100 small cigars, or 50 large cigars)
- Alcohol products (must be 18 years old to import; no more than 2 liters)
- Works of art and antiques (duty free if shipped with household goods and require special permit)
- New furniture (requires import license if worth over 3,000 EUR - invoices must be stamped by Spanish Consulate)
- Sport guns (require permit from Spanish Police, approved by the Direccion General de la Guardia Civil, and valid Spanish hunting license)
- Inheritance (documents translated to Spanish and authenticated by Spanish Consulate)
- Death certificate
- Testament confirming right to inheritance
- Certificate from origin country and Spanish Ministry of Finance confirming payment or exemption from tax
- Wedding Trousseaux (must have Change of Residence issued at origin, marriage license or Spanish family book authenticated by Spanish Consulate)
- New items (less then six months old, subject to taxes and duties)
- Plants (require Phytosanitary Certificate)
MOTOR VEHICLE REGULATIONS
If you are considering taking your vehicle with you to Spain, you must be in possession of that vehicle for at least six months prior to importation. All vehicles imported to Spain are granted a permit (good for six months), upon the expiration of this permit, vehicles must be imported or exported permanently, where payment of taxes will be due based on CIF value.
If you plan on shipping your vehicle,you will need:
- Certificate of Title
- Passport (copy)
- Residence permit (for permanent import)
- Identification card Documento Nacional de Identidad
- Purchase invoice
- Vehicle registration
- Driver's license
- International Insurance Policy
- Valid license plates
- Certificate of CIF value of vehicle in Spain
PETS AND ANIMAL REGULATIONS
If you own a pet, you'll most likely want to bring him or her along with you to Spain. Most animals are eligible for import to Spain, excluding any endangered species. To be sure your animal companion makes it through customs without any trouble, you will need:
- Certificate of vaccination (must include rabies, dated between 30 days and 11 months prior to arrival)
- Health certificate (must be dated no more than five days prior to arrival)
All documents should be notarized by the Spanish Consulate at origin.
INTERNATIONAL MOVES
International moves are much more complex than a local or long distance move, as they come with numerous expenses and plenty of paperwork. The most important part of your move will be finding full-service international movers and freight forwarders that have proper licensure and insurance.
Need help finding international moving companies in your area for your Move to Spain? You can get started here at Movers.com by submitting our free quote form,which will connect you with up to seven qualified movers in your area.
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