Spain For More Than 183 Days In A Caravan

[Guest]

Hi,

As I understand it, you become a resident of Spain for tax purposes, if you spend more than 183 days there in a calendar year. It does not matter if those days a non-consecutive. You also don't need to own a property in Spain.

 

As a resident you then have fill in a form to declare all assets overseas worth more than 50,000.

If you don't fill in this form fully, they can fine you so heavily that you lose your overseas assets and then some!

What they do with this info has not been said, but it's clearly to tax you.

 

We're planning to stay for over the 183 days on a caravan site in Spain, so this worries me, as we have a house in the UK.

Has anyone else got any advice. My wife just says ignore it, how could they trace us.

 

Any thought?

 

Thanks

Steve

[WispMan]

News to me; my daughter and family reside there and never heard of this.

[shipbroker]

Have asked my mate who has a legal background and is resident there for his opinion. ...will revert

 

geoff

[Malc Edge]

How will they know you are there ? No need to show passport. .darn sure a Spaniard would not bother. ...it's just the Brits that play by the rules imo

[henrypartridge]

I thought you had to own a property or rent one and be resident for this to apply. Can't see it applying to caravanners and, as your wife says, ho would they know?

[Jaydug]

Similar rules apply to UK registered vehicles that stay in Spain for more than six months ie: they need Spanish registration plates and become liable for ITV (Spanish MOT). On this camping site where I've spent numerous winters there are Brits who live semi-permanently in wood cabins. Some of them have had their vehicles reregistered with Spanish plates, but there are others here who have apparently been driving their cars illegally for years. The authorities just don't seem to mind.

[Caravanmedicswindon]

Maybe just stay for 182 days then you won't need to worry?

[CommanderDave]

Its a new tax law introduced a couple of months ago but will not effect most people who holiday there .

 

I read it a couple of months ago and thought of a Greece type tax in the pipeline including all assets and illegal not to declare them

 

 

Dave

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies so far.

 

For more info on this new law follow this link:

 

http://www. telegraph. co. uk/finance/personalfinance/expat-money/9907124/Spain-tells-British-expats-to-declare-overseas-assets. html

 

Maybe I worry too much.

Cheers

Steve

[shipbroker]

Right my amigo has replied as follows he is a long term Spanish resident :-

 

As I understand it, you become a resident of Spain for tax purposes,
if you spend more than 183 days there in a calendar year. It does not
matter if those days a non-consecutive. You also don't need to own a
property in Spain.

If you spend 6 months and 1 day in any EU country you are deemed to be resident in that country.

To get around this folk who want to stay over six months will disappear into France or Portugal or back to the UK long enough to evade the problem. You do not need to own your own property.

You will require a NIE/NIF No if you want to purchase say a car or anything of value. No big thing to get.

As a resident you then have fill in a form to declare all assets
overseas worth more than 50,000.
If you don't fill in this form fully, they can fine you so heavily
that you lose your overseas assets and then some!
What they do with this info has not been said, but it's clearly to tax you.

YES all assets over 50,000€ have to be declared in ANY EU country. At the moment it is unclear what is to happen with these declarations, but they are being checked by computer in all the EU and WORLDWIDE. . Those who think they can get away with it beware. To many people have bought big villa`s in Spain which on paper they cannot afford

.

We're planning to stay for over the 183 days on a caravan site in
Spain, so this worries me, as we have a house in the UK.
Has anyone else got any advice. My wife just says ignore it, how could
they trace us.

If it is your own caravan stick with the rules and leave your caravan in storage for the six months you are not here. One assumes you will be driving a UK registered car, this will be noticed by local police and WILL be questioned. The police are getting a lot keener with UK / German / Dutch vehicles. They will ask for proof of movement so keep your ferry tickets and do not try and change the dates on them, it all on computer and the plod have access. The also check with sites who is on and for how long.

You can become a resident in Spain or any other EU country and still pay your taxes in the UK.(Dual Taxation Agreement) have a word with your tax people. You will have to register as a resident non tax payer and they will take some tax. I have my own place here in Spain and as a resident paying tax in the UK my tax bill in Spain for 2012 was 50c ( fifty cents) plus the Asesoria Fiscal (tax adviser) fee of 50€. This puts you on to the tax register and keeps you legal for as long as you want to stay, your UK reg car can only stay six months and must be taxed insured and MOT

Second hand Spanish cars are more expensive than UK ones BUT you can live here for six months and a day and spend the rest in the UK with it no problems.

Hope this helps?

geoff

[shipbroker]

My mate has sent me this, not really relevant to the OP but could be of interest to anyone contemplating residence. ..

 

" as an after thought if your friend does go residential and gets a Spanish car (as I have) he will not be allowed to tow his caravan with it unless he gets the caravan imported and onto spanish plates. YES all braked trailers have to have their very own reg and ITV (MOT) the good news if he imports it as soon as he gets his residencia he will pay very little import duty.

If he looks up www. costablancanews. es he will find items concerning all I have mentioned."

geoff

[Guest]

Many Thanks for the replies, especially all the detailed info from Geoff.

Steve

[shipbroker]

My pleasure. ......

 

geoff