https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Got your NIEs and TIEs all in a muddle? Not sure if you are paying IVA or IRPF? In this handy guide, The Local spells out some of the key terms you'll need while living in Spain. https://www.thelocal.es/20190507/a-to-z-of-spanish-red-tape Tue, 07 May 2019 09:00:00 +0200 a-to-z-of-spanish-red-tape The Local has spoken to two lawyers to find out if the new decree promising to give the legal right to work and reside in Spain to 500,000 undocumented migrants could apply to 'under-the-radar' Brits in Spain who never registered as residents. https://www.thelocal.es/20260203/can-undocumented-brits-in-spain-get-residency-under-new-regularisation Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:11:27 +0100 can-undocumented-brits-in-spain-get-residency-under-new-regularisation The latest data shows a record number of claims by self-employed workers in Spain who deemed they'd been taxed too much or unfairly fined. A surprisingly high amount of appeals are now being won by 'autónomos'. https://www.thelocal.es/20260130/why-spains-self-employed-should-appeal-unfair-charges-by-the-taxman Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:32:47 +0100 why-spains-self-employed-should-appeal-unfair-charges-by-the-taxman Many Brits are currently struggling to get a 'cita previa' or appointment to renew their Spanish TIE residency cards, but can they book at a police station or immigration office in another municipality or area if they find an appointment available? https://www.thelocal.es/20250819/can-brits-in-spain-renew-their-ties-in-another-town-or-immigration-office Tue, 19 Aug 2025 16:04:47 +0200 can-brits-in-spain-renew-their-ties-in-another-town-or-immigration-office Good news for foreign residents in Catalonia, as the regional government seeks to put a stop to the mandatory online appointment system for administrative processes. https://www.thelocal.es/20251110/catalonia-bans-compulsory-cita-previa-appointment-for-official-matters Mon, 10 Nov 2025 11:46:22 +0100 catalonia-bans-compulsory-cita-previa-appointment-for-official-matters Who can grant a power of attorney in Spain? What are the types of power of attorney? And how much does a power of attorney cost in here? This is what you need to know if you need to get 'poder notarial' in Spain. https://www.thelocal.es/20251015/how-does-power-of-attorney-work-in-spain Wed, 15 Oct 2025 17:59:42 +0200 how-does-power-of-attorney-work-in-spain It’s impossible to live in Spain and not have to deal with its often frustrating bureaucracy, and for that you’ll usually need professional help. So for which official matters should you hire a gestor, a lawyer or a notary? What can they do and not do? https://www.thelocal.es/20230726/whats-the-difference-between-a-gestor-a-lawyer-and-a-notary-in-spain Wed, 26 Jul 2023 13:13:23 +0200 whats-the-difference-between-a-gestor-a-lawyer-and-a-notary-in-spain Pretty much all in-person official processes in Spain require an appointment to be seen by a civil servant, but it's often impossible to get a ‘cita previa’ on the phone or online. Here are some potential solutions to this kafkaesque situation. https://www.thelocal.es/20230424/how-to-get-a-cita-previa-appointment-in-spain-when-it-seems-impossible Mon, 24 Apr 2023 12:30:31 +0200 how-to-get-a-cita-previa-appointment-in-spain-when-it-seems-impossible Could the problem of having to always book an online appointment to be seen at government offices finally be solved by artificial intelligence? This is what Spain's government says after failing to cancel the 'cita previa' system in 2024 as promised. https://www.thelocal.es/20250724/cita-previa-spain-to-use-ai-to-scrap-dreaded-appointment-system Thu, 24 Jul 2025 13:22:33 +0200 cita-previa-spain-to-use-ai-to-scrap-dreaded-appointment-system Tax, like most bureaucracy in Spain, is notoriously difficult to get your head around and even more tricky to submit yourself. Therefore, you'll likely need to hire a gestor, but how much should you be paying for their services? https://www.thelocal.es/20230928/how-much-should-you-pay-someone-to-do-your-taxes-in-spain Thu, 28 Sep 2023 11:50:44 +0200 how-much-should-you-pay-someone-to-do-your-taxes-in-spain What happens if you've misplaced your residency or NIE document and you don't know your foreigner identity number off by heart? Here are all the places you can find this number if you need to use it for any given reason. https://www.thelocal.es/20250410/where-to-find-your-nie-number-if-you-dont-know-it Thu, 10 Apr 2025 12:38:12 +0200 where-to-find-your-nie-number-if-you-dont-know-it If you're moving to Spain or buying a property here, you'll need an NIE or Foreigner Identification Number. Here's our step by step guide on how to apply for one. https://www.thelocal.es/20250331/guide-how-to-get-a-nie-in-spain Mon, 31 Mar 2025 17:39:46 +0200 guide-how-to-get-a-nie-in-spain If you plan on working for yourself or setting up a small business in Spain, you'll need to register in the 'autónomo' system. Here's our step-by-step guide on how to do this, from the forms to fill in to the government bodies you must contact. https://www.thelocal.es/20250327/guide-how-to-register-as-self-employed-in-spain Thu, 27 Mar 2025 10:26:23 +0100 guide-how-to-register-as-self-employed-in-spain Is it possible to officially change your names in Spain for personal preferences or other reasons if you're not Spanish? Read on to find out and how you might be able to go about it. https://www.thelocal.es/20250228/can-a-foreigner-change-their-name-and-surname-in-spain Fri, 28 Feb 2025 12:57:39 +0100 can-a-foreigner-change-their-name-and-surname-in-spain The digital certificate allows you to save time by carrying out official processes online, but applying for it involves booking an appointment, waiting days or weeks and then going in person to have it approved. Luckily, there's now a faster way to do this. https://www.thelocal.es/20250224/how-to-get-spains-digital-certificate-without-an-in-person-appointment Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:33:39 +0100 how-to-get-spains-digital-certificate-without-an-in-person-appointment Almost all in-person official processes in Spain require foreigners to book an appointment online first (cita previa), from getting a NIE to a TIE. Here are some possible solutions when the website link doesn't work. https://www.thelocal.es/20250212/what-to-do-when-spains-cita-previa-website-doesnt-work Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:17:43 +0100 what-to-do-when-spains-cita-previa-website-doesnt-work If you have overstayed your visa and have actually been living in an irregular situation in Spain for some time, you can still gain residency legally through a process called 'arraigo social'. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to apply. https://www.thelocal.es/20250214/arraigo-how-foreigners-can-get-residency-in-spain-after-overstaying Fri, 14 Feb 2025 10:54:34 +0100 arraigo-how-foreigners-can-get-residency-in-spain-after-overstaying Renters legislation means that some tenants in Spain can, under certain conditions, stay in their properties even when the landlord doesn't want to renew the contract. https://www.thelocal.es/20241122/what-happens-when-my-rental-contract-in-spain-ends Fri, 22 Nov 2024 17:04:49 +0100 what-happens-when-my-rental-contract-in-spain-ends Spain's Prime Minister has committed to speeding up convoluted bureaucratic processes such as the recognition of foreign qualifications and residency papers which can currently take years, keeping hundreds of thousands of migrants in limbo. https://www.thelocal.es/20241010/spains-pm-promises-to-scrap-unnecessary-bureaucracy-for-foreigners Thu, 10 Oct 2024 11:32:39 +0200 spains-pm-promises-to-scrap-unnecessary-bureaucracy-for-foreigners The Spanish tax system can seem a little daunting, but one way to simplify things and keep your mind at ease is to stay on top of your online notifications from the tax office. Here's how to do it online. https://www.thelocal.es/20241002/how-to-check-if-you-have-any-messages-from-the-spanish-tax-office Wed, 02 Oct 2024 18:10:46 +0200 how-to-check-if-you-have-any-messages-from-the-spanish-tax-office