Residencia - The Residence Card: when and how?
If you live in Spain for more than 3 months, you should apply for the residence card "Residencia". As long as you live in Spain for less than 6 months, this has no tax implications.
However, if you live in Spain for more than 6 months, you will need to register as a tax resident with the tax office ("Hacienda"), as your principal place of residence will then be in Spain for more than 180 days a year. This also means that you have to declare here in Spain your annual income tax compensation (Declaración de la Renta), which is always carried out in June of the current year for the previous year. Depending on the tax rate in your previous tax residence, this can also bring financial benefits if taxes are lower here.
For Europeans, the Residencia card for first residence / tax residence here in Spain is initially issued for one year, then it can be extended to 5 years, and later it will become permanently valid. You only have to renew them in case of a change of address. All these rules also apply to people who do not own property but rent.
Basically, to apply for the residence cards, the National Police will need documents about yourself and the way you earn your money to ensure that you can finance your life in Spain. If you are in an employment relationship, they want to see the employment contract. Are they self-contained, e.g. the deed of incorporation of your company (Escritura de Constitución) or registration as “autónomo”. Our legal department will be glad to help you with your application and questions about the residence card.
