Moving to Sevilla-Muchas Preguntas re: Residency, Job Search

[SaritaSevilla]

Hola a Todos!



Tracy, you and I exchanged emails about 2 years ago when I (an American citizen) was struggling with my options to make a relationship with a Spaniard work. I doubt you remember me but hola de nuevo! Your site has come leaps and bounds and it looks great!



Here we are 2 years later and my Sevillano husband and I married last May in the US after he applied for a fiancee visa and made the move over here. He luckily found a job quickly at the Home Depot and is really starting to like it here.



Now we are exploring our options to return to Sevilla sometime in the next few years. I am beginning the job search process because I can only imagine how difficult it is going to be. At least I don\'t have to worry about immigration issues since I am married to a Spaniard. I assume we just register our US marriage here with the Spanish consulate and hop on a plane, and once we arrive, begin the process of applying for my residency? Any idea how long that will take? And how do I go about applying for jobs from the US without having the right papers yet? Can I tell prospective employers that I am married to a Spanish national? I assume most of my job search will be done over the web and I\'m not sure how to broach the residency subject as I apply for jobs.



My background is in HR but I have only been out of college since May 2000 so the idea is to stick around here until I have some more work experience under my belt and then hopefully find me an HR job in Sevilla. I\'m also open to other job opportunities--maybe in turismo or study abroad programs with Americans or I guess even teaching English since that is probably the skill I have that would be most in demand.



Anyone out there have any advice for me as I begin this long search process? I can search websites for job postings all day long......but would much rather have some practical advice from those who have done this to see what has worked best for you.



Muchas gracias a todos!



Saludos desde Boston, USA,



Sarita



P.S. I can be contacted via this forum or my email: [!-- BBcode auto-mailto start --][a href=\"mailto:Pepesarah17@cs.com\"]Pepesarah17@cs.com[/a][!-- BBCode auto-mailto end --][addsig]

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[Tracy]

WOW!!! I DO remember you, Sarah...and CONGRATULATIONS on your marriage! Thanks for the compliment too. We\'ve worked hard at putting this site together [IMG SRC=\"modules/phpBB_14/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif\"]



Let\'s see, where to begin: First things first. Your hubby should be registered at the Spanish Consulate (in NYC, unless there\'s another one closer to Boston-- you\'ll have to check the link in Embassies) and if he isn\'t make sure he does so. You MAY be able to apply for your Spanish residency visa/family visa from the consulate. See this [!-- BBCode Start --][A HREF=\"http://www.expatriatecafe.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=phpBB_14&file=index&action=viewtopic&topic=56&10\" TARGET=\"_blank\"]POST[/A][!-- BBCode End --] on our message board and specifically pay attention to the post of "RMES." YOu\'ll have to scroll down.



By all means, tell your prospective employers that you are married to a Spaniard. It\'s an understanding that once married to a national, you become a legal resident.



In 1998, in my case, you didn\'t even need ANY paper work or visa card. I was told through the labor party in Spain that the law stated anyone married to a Spaniard needed no documentation other than his/her Libro de Familia...But they have since changed the immigration laws in Spain. To play it safe, CONTACT the Spanish Consulate for advice [IMG SRC=\"modules/phpBB_14/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif\"]



Lastly, I assume you speak Spanish? Fluently? If not you\'ll have a tough time getting a job outside the English language teaching sector. If your Spanish is strong, but not fluent, you shouldn\'t have any problems.



And as for beginning your job search from here... try to remember that you probably won\'t get hired from abroad (would YOU hire someone you never met??) But that you SHOULD, at least try to make contacts and work on your CV/resume. This way, when you arrive in Sevilla, you may have interviews lined up. But if I were you, and could afford the luxury of not working right away, I\'d research now, collect a HUGE list of contacts and then take my time in visiting each and every employer (so to speak).



We have collected a pretty big database of links for job searching. Start [!-- BBCode Start --][A HREF=\"http://www.expatriatecafe.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Web_Links&file=index\" TARGET=\"_blank\"]HERE[/A][!-- BBCode End --] !



tracy



PS...My GOSH! I can only imagine the DISCOUNTS you guys get from Home Depot (I\'m seething with jealousy!! haha)[addsig]

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[SaritaSevilla]

Hi Tracy!

Thanks so much for your response-I am honored that you remembered me!



Yes, my Spanish is "frighteningly"  fluent (the joke in my family is--"we don\'t know where she came from") so thank you for easing my mind that my job search will not be tough. I think you are right about making connections here but actually LANDING a job once I am there. Another option might be to line up some interviews for a week once we are truly & positively set on a moving date and then make the "BIG MOVE" once I land a job. Thank you for directing me to your job search links......very helpful as always! Do you know of any good sites that help prepare one for the Spanish job interview process? I can imagine that the system is a little different than here in the US. Luckily my background is in HR/labor relations so I do know a bit about the practices in general. Just a little nervous about the idiosyncracies that may exist in Spain. I should also tap my brother-in-law for some information--he is a recent Universidad grad who is also on the jobhunt in Sevilla.



RMES\' post about marrying in the US and moving to Spain was also VERY comforting. It sounds so easy! We have not made it to the Spain consulate yet (there\'s one in downtown Boston) to register our marriage but we will definitely get around to it soon. It would be great if I could apply for my Spain residency while still living here.......I will ask them when we go pay them a visit.



Lastly, unfortunately the Home Depot does not give "employee discounts"; instead they pay a higher wage. We do get the insider track on when big sales & specials will be taking place so it\'s good enough! My husband is hoping to get a management job with Leroy Merlin (Europe\'s answer to the Home Depot) when we move back to Spain. Do you have any information on them? (I can\'t find ANY info online that isn\'t in French.......)



Saludos & thanks again for your wealth of information!



Sarah  [IMG SRC=\"modules/phpBB_14/images/smiles/icon_love.gif\"] [addsig]

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[Tracy]

Hey Sarah, Just a quickie;; YOu said:



It would be great if I could apply for my Spain residency while still living here.......I will ask them when we go pay them a visit.



You CAN do this, but you have to already have your airline ticket. Actually, you\'re really applying for your resident visa to be able to apply for residency once there.



My hubby tried to renew his DNI  here in the US, but he wasn\'t able to becasue we didn\'t LIVE in Spain.





A list of Leroy Merlin stores in Spain at this



[!-- BBCode Start --][A HREF=\"http://www.casadiez.vizzavi.es/cdiezweb/marca.htm?MARCA=LEROYMERLIN&vent=1\" TARGET=\"_blank\"]LINK[/A][!-- BBCode End --]



and here is the [!-- BBCode Start --][A HREF=\"http://www.leroymerlin-group.com/html/es/home.htm\" TARGET=\"_blank\"]Leroy Merlin[/A][!-- BBCode End --] web address, in Spanish. You can also access a link to their Spain stores [!-- BBCode Start --][A HREF=\"http://www.leroymerlin-group.com/frontoffice/home?country=SPAIN&reload=ok\" TARGET=\"_blank\"]HERE[/A][!-- BBCode End --] .



[addsig]

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[Tracy]

One more thing... their corporate office address in Madrid is:



Contacta con nosotros

Leroy Merlin SA

 

 

257 Paseo de la Castellana



28046 Madrid  

 

España

 

Tél : (34) 91 749 60 00

Fax : (34) 91 749 60 99

 

and their e-mail address is [!-- BBcode auto-mailto start --][a href=\"mailto:leroymerlin@tpi.infomail.es\"]leroymerlin@tpi.infomail.es[/a][!-- BBCode auto-mailto end --]  (but I\'m not sure if this is the corp. office).[addsig]

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[SaritaSevilla]

Tracy-



Eres la mejor!!



This is the first I am seeing of the Leroy Merlin Espana website and it looks great! I think it is brand new. I can\'t wait to show my husband when he gets home from the Depot!



Take care and thanks AGAIN!!



Sarah   [IMG SRC=\"modules/phpBB_14/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif\"] [addsig]

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[Tracy]

no problem!



[IMG SRC=\"modules/phpBB_14/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif\"]

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