My husband and I are interested in moving to Spain in about ten years. We are currently 33 and 30 and have two children who will both be 18 in ten years. We can’t move now or anytime sooner as we each have another coparent.
We live in the US, in one of the higher COL cities in the nation.
It’s little more than a dream at the moment, but we have been discussing it more and more and both want to move to Europe. Hopefully at that time, our sons would be interested in moving as well and possibly studying in Spain, but obviously that would have to be seen in time.
Our main question is, what should we do now to begin our long journey to moving? We are about to start learning Spanish (I have some basic Spanish but definitely want to become more fluent.)
We are planning on an extended visit in the next two to three years to explore, and hopefully more to come in the next ten years.
We have been looking specifically at Seville, but are open to other areas of Spain as well. We are mainly looking for near the ocean, decent weather (more interested in warm weather than cold) a low to average COL, and somewhere we can find other ex pats as well as immersion in local culture. We also would like somewhere walkable and to not have to own a car.
We are starting our own business next year, which would take place primarily online. If this is successful, is that something we would be able to continue to use as income on a visa if the business is based in the US?
I find the whole thing complicated and just am curious what the options for visas really are. We aren’t highly sought after for tech skills and such, so unless something drastic changes in the next 5 or so years, we wouldn’t be with a company that allows us to work in Spain. We are more interested in working for ourselves, and are wondering if and how that would work.
These could be kind of dumb questions, so I’m not offended by a reality check. I’m just wondering if moving to Spain is something doable for the average American who struggles with HCOL where we are currently. We are not very interested in lower COL states here in the US and US politics is one of the stronger reasons we would like to leave anyway.
Feel free to hit me with the real life parts of this!
Seville is nice to visit, but one wouldn’t want to live there.
Costa del sol is like europes florida.
lots of Americans in sotogrande because the whole area was settled be a American.
the coast of marbella has a microclimate so its nice year round and has a nice coastline.
best bit. most people speak English so you can get what you need
Do your research on the Spanish tax laws for expats!
First congrats on the dream of moving abroad.
I’ve done several international moves, but all that were paid for by an employer – IMHO the only way to go. But to do so will require lots of career planning (about the only thing worth starting now).
10 years is a long time from now so other than language learning and estate planning, there isn’t much prep for several years.
A LOT will change – US/Spanish politics, your children, your career, etc. So I wouldn’t get too caught up in the details. You still have a lot of life to live before 10 years comes around. Focus on your career and use that career as a springboard to move abroad (hopefully on the company’s dime).
I also would not poo-poo the idea of a lower COL state. While I’m abroad again currently, I bought a place in a lower COL area in the US (but with very high salaries) and couldn’t be happier. Yeah, not as sexy as Spain, but I’m not trying to impress anyone. Hard to beat living in the US and all it offers (I don’t watch mass media so politics is of little concern to me).
As another poster mentioned, a 10-year plan would require giving up the idea of pet ownership now. Unless you go the Great Dane/Irish Wolfhound route. Moving pets abroad sucks (I’ve done it twice) and it can be very difficult finding pet friendly places to live.
I’ve done several international moves, but all that were paid for by an employer – IMHO the only way to go
Meh, after six of them (three after grad school) I don’t think it’s that important to have the actual move paid.
I get an extra $30K per move. I wouldn’t pay to move otherwise.
Why pay when you can get paid?
Because there are non-financial considerations? I mean, obviously it’s best to have someone else pay. In my last case, I requested an internal transfer to another country country. I wasn’t really in the position to demand relocation expenses.
We take so much for granted in America. Big eye opener when we move to other countries. It’s not perfect but no place is
Visas situations will change almost certainly in 10 years. Spain has some digital nomad visa but you never know how long will they last given a lot of countries are now voting in politicians actively challenging immigration. If you move because of politics, do something to change politics home, situation is not much better in Europe (and Spain and their mess is a special case of fun as well). Europe is not some kind of wonderland where you’ll be able to live cheaply, cost of living is pretty crippling for many individuals here as well. Highly recommend checking what happens in economical powerhouses of Europe like Germany, Nerherlands and France, their political situation projects to poorer EU countries.
Typically you need a business in EU and pay taxes in EU to be able to live there.
Btw worth checking the map, Seville is not on the coast (and this is EU vs Us perception of distance, 100km from the coast is not at the coast here). It’s by now a semi-desert location with crippling heat waves in summer.
Travel in summer when is super hot, to check if you’re able to sustain high temperatures (40c plus). But I think in then years the south will be a desert.
Besides learning the language, I would add - be flexible. Ten years is a long time in the future and no one knows how immigration laws will change.