Ok, Lets see if I can write this in a short version. Forgive me if spaces don't show up in my typing, my space bar is on strike.
I just got married in November. We got married in Florida. In Spain you have to post your announcement for 21 days before you get married and there is a LONG wait to have a civil Marriage performed....even in cities of only 300,000 (min 3months). I am not sure where you have to post your intentions (I think the church or town center). We did not want to wait, so we choose the U.S.
Religious weddings are much more time consuming because you have to get letters from your churches and stuff.
YOU DO NOT NEED A VISA!!!!! In May of last year the law was changed!
YOU CAN NOT GET A VISA FOR IT! The Spanish Consulate WILL NOT ISSUE THAT TYPE OF VISA FOR THAT PURPOSE! So, if someone in an office in Spain says that you do.... they did not get the memo. DON\"T FLY BACK TO THE STATES TO ASK FOR IT THEY WILL NOT ISSUE IT!!!
That being said it is really easy now:
-Get married in US, Get original (2nd copy of marriage cert from county clerk)
-Have it translated (the translator will stamp the translation). In fact, just have anything that is in English translated (except passport) and make 5 copies; Birth Cert and marriage cert.
You will need:
• 6 passport sized Fotos (The Spanish national does not need them)
• Three copies of passport (in full) (both of you)
• 2nd copy of marriage certificate from county clerk in the states (translated)
• 3 copies of birth cert (both of you) (3 copies of English one and translated)
• 2 copies of the form that shows that you have an address in Span. It was a form that my wife’s parents filed out stating that we lived there (not true, but a formality). I think if you have a house or apartment you may need a copy of rental agreement.
Really, just make 5 to 6 copies of everything.
You will first go to the office that gives you the form to prove you both live in Spain. (I believe this is the same office you would go to too have a civil marriage performed).
You will need it when you then go the office to register you marriage in Spain
You will need it when you then go the office to register you marriage in Spain. You will then take everything to the office where all foreigners apply for their NIE (take your partner otherwise you will have to wait in the line that never moves…with a Spanish national you can walk right in). They will need three months to make the card … MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A STAMPED COPY OF THE FORM THAT HAS YOUR N.I.E NUMBER AT THE TOP WHEN YOU LEAVE!!!!!!! It will look like this X-1234567-X.
You will need a copy of it as well as a copy of your passport and a copy of the form that says you registered your marriage.
If you don’t make copies of everything… you WILL have to wait 3 to six month for your Libro De Familla and N.I.E card to show up… DO NOT WALK OUT OF THE OFFICE UNTILL YOU HAVE THE STAMPED FORM WITH THE NUMBER ON IT!!!!!
BECAUSE…
Unfortunately, I did run into passive Prejudice, people in the office purposefully tried to prevent me from getting what I needed or to make us wait longer. The most blatant was stamping the form without putting the number at the top. There was no attempt to hide the purposefulness, and she expressed clear unhappiness that we noticed. Basically expressing in Spanish that she did not want me to notice… So, it is about the number, with out it you can’t work and they know it (not typical of Spanish people, but understandable considering the political climate of the world). Most people are extremely helpful! Just be careful because it is very important.
You need those forms to prove your libro is being made (that your are marriage is registered) and that you have a N.I.E to register as a N.I.F at the Hacienda (which is the same as your N.I.E just registered in the oficinas de la Seguridad Social) to get all the paper work for employers to use to give you a Jobby Jobor, to register as Autonomo and use on your invoices, or start a company!!!
MAKE COYPIES OF EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!! KEEP THE ORIGINALS IF POSSIBLE!!!!!
We did all this in a week and 2 days. And, that is with going to some of the offices 4 times; some we did not need to go to! Even they aren’t sure what other offices are involved or need. So, they will tell you that all you need is one copy of something, but not know the other offices want a copies too… We ended up going to make copies 4 times which caused us to do the process 4 times!!
You literally could do it in 2 or 3 days if you have all the right copies and know where to go.
If anybody knows the Spanish names for all the offices I will rewrite this with them included. My wife is in Berlin right now and I don’t remember all the names.
If you have any Questions, please, just email. I would love to help make the process easier for ya!
Does anyone have a picture of how to write an Autonomo invoice?
-Thanks, Killmon
