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 When it comes to buying a property in Spain, there are more purchase options available than doing it through a real estate agency or a private seller. Here we take look a the advantages and disadvantages of each way of buying a home in Spain, covering everything from costs to risks. https://www.thelocal.es/20201103/property-in-spain-the-different-ways-to-buy-a-home-and-their-pros-and-cons Tue, 03 Nov 2020 14:46:48 +0100 property-in-spain-the-different-ways-to-buy-a-home-and-their-pros-and-cons Some UK nationals applying for residency in Spain for the first time are having their applications rejected. We spoke to some of the groups helping Britons register to find out where the main problems are and how the appeal process works.  https://www.thelocal.es/20210408/why-some-residency-applications-by-britons-in-spain-are-rejected-and-how-to-appeal Thu, 08 Apr 2021 12:33:45 +0200 why-some-residency-applications-by-britons-in-spain-are-rejected-and-how-to-appeal Spain is generally a safe country but there are still tens of thousands of burglaries happening every year. Here are the best ways to prevent someone from breaking into your property in Spain. https://www.thelocal.es/20200909/how-to-avoid-a-burglary-at-your-home-in-spain Wed, 09 Sep 2020 18:08:57 +0200 how-to-avoid-a-burglary-at-your-home-in-spain Many of our readers in Spain want to know when they’ll be called up to get their Covid-19 vaccine. This is what Spain’s Health Ministry has announced as of mid-June 2021. https://www.thelocal.es/20210303/spains-covid-19-vaccine-calendar-when-will-i-get-it Wed, 03 Mar 2021 19:07:32 +0100 spains-covid-19-vaccine-calendar-when-will-i-get-it More than one million Europeans have obtained the new EU Covid health certificate being rolled out in each country to unlock travel within the bloc, the European Commission said on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.es/20210608/a-million-europeans-obtain-eu-covid-health-pass-ahead-of-vote Tue, 08 Jun 2021 15:47:46 +0200 a-million-europeans-obtain-eu-covid-health-pass-ahead-of-vote The Spanish government on Saturday June 5th published a state bulletin confirming that it will modify the entry rules for vaccinated non-EU/Schengen citizens from June 7th.  https://www.thelocal.es/20210605/official-vaccinated-global-travellers-will-finally-be-able-to-come-to-spain-from-june-7th Sat, 05 Jun 2021 16:00:28 +0200 official-vaccinated-global-travellers-will-finally-be-able-to-come-to-spain-from-june-7th Despite ongoing travel restrictions, extra costs and uncertainty over new Covid variants, international residents living across Europe vow to travel abroad this summer. For most it is the need to see family that motivates them. https://www.thelocal.es/20210603/im-going-crazy-why-international-residents-in-europe-will-travel-this-summer-despite-covid Thu, 03 Jun 2021 15:50:07 +0200 im-going-crazy-why-international-residents-in-europe-will-travel-this-summer-despite-covid It remains optional for Brits in Spain to exchange their green residency certificates for TIE cards, but now both UK and Spanish authorities are urging that UK nationals do so anyway. Here's why. https://www.thelocal.es/20210527/brexit-why-uk-and-spanish-authorities-now-strongly-recommend-exchanging-green-residency-documents-for-tie Thu, 27 May 2021 14:40:32 +0200 brexit-why-uk-and-spanish-authorities-now-strongly-recommend-exchanging-green-residency-documents-for-tie As Spain reopens its borders to all UK nationals on May 24th, reports and rumours about the need for an invitation letter for those visiting friends and relatives have been awash in both the press and forums. Here’s what Britons need to know about the carta de invitación and how to get it. https://www.thelocal.es/20210524/carta-de-invitacion-why-you-may-need-to-pay-to-have-british-friends-and-family-stay-with-you Mon, 24 May 2021 14:14:33 +0200 carta-de-invitacion-why-you-may-need-to-pay-to-have-british-friends-and-family-stay-with-you Spain and the EU's Covid digital certificate for travel is set to be launched this summer. Here are the requirements to obtain it, how it will work and the benefits it could bring. https://www.thelocal.es/20210419/explained-what-we-know-so-far-about-spains-vaccine-passports Mon, 19 Apr 2021 12:32:39 +0200 explained-what-we-know-so-far-about-spains-vaccine-passports Spain will allow all vaccinated travellers - regardless of their country of origin - to visit the country from June 7th, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Friday, as the tourism hotspot aims to revive its virus-battered travel industry. https://www.thelocal.es/20210521/breaking-spain-to-allow-all-vaccinated-travellers-from-around-the-world-to-visit-from-june-7th Fri, 21 May 2021 14:51:18 +0200 breaking-spain-to-allow-all-vaccinated-travellers-from-around-the-world-to-visit-from-june-7th Spain’s government has proposed a controversial change to the "autónomo" system which would see self-employed workers in Spain pay between €90 and €1,220 per month in social security contributions, apart from paying income tax as well. Here’s what you need to know. https://www.thelocal.es/20210513/explained-why-spains-self-employed-may-soon-pay-a-lot-more-in-monthly-fees Thu, 13 May 2021 16:52:58 +0200 explained-why-spains-self-employed-may-soon-pay-a-lot-more-in-monthly-fees Even though the end of Spain’s state of alarm on May 9th theoretically meant many restrictions ceased to exist, governments and courts - both national and regional - are not seeing eye to eye over how to proceed with Covid measures. Here’s what you need to know. https://www.thelocal.es/20210511/confusion-reigns-in-spain-after-state-of-alarm-5-facts-to-understand-whats-happening-with-restrictions Tue, 11 May 2021 13:26:48 +0200 confusion-reigns-in-spain-after-state-of-alarm-5-facts-to-understand-whats-happening-with-restrictions The Spanish government is planning a fiscal reform which will increase personal income tax, wealth tax, inheritances, the price of diesel and more. Here’s the breakdown of a tax reform which affects all taxpayers in Spain to a greater or lesser extent. https://www.thelocal.es/20210507/new-taxes-six-key-changes-spain-is-planning Fri, 07 May 2021 12:41:43 +0200 new-taxes-six-key-changes-spain-is-planning As some countries' vaccination campaigns are going much faster than Spain's, can foreign residents fly back to their home countries to get the Covid-19 vaccine sooner? Some US nationals are doing exactly that, The Local finds out. https://www.thelocal.es/20210503/how-some-foreigners-in-spain-are-flying-back-to-their-home-countries-to-get-covid-vaccine Mon, 03 May 2021 22:28:10 +0200 how-some-foreigners-in-spain-are-flying-back-to-their-home-countries-to-get-covid-vaccine A new month often brings with it changes to daily living in Spain, but this May will see developments that affect the life of most of the country’s 47 million inhabitants.  https://www.thelocal.es/20210427/what-changes-about-life-in-spain-in-may-2021 Tue, 27 Apr 2021 16:39:29 +0200 what-changes-about-life-in-spain-in-may-2021 A new study has revealed the Spanish city with the best quality of life according to its inhabitants. With its well-preserved old town and spectacular wild coastline, we can certainly understand why.   https://www.thelocal.es/20210430/this-spanish-city-has-been-voted-the-best-place-to-live-by-its-inhabitants Fri, 30 Apr 2021 13:08:21 +0200 this-spanish-city-has-been-voted-the-best-place-to-live-by-its-inhabitants With UK nationals expected to be allowed to holiday abroad from May 17th, will they be able to come to Spain without having to quarantine on their return to the United Kingdom? https://www.thelocal.es/20210412/when-will-britons-be-able-to-travel-to-spain-without-having-to-quarantine-on-return Mon, 12 Apr 2021 15:57:43 +0200 when-will-britons-be-able-to-travel-to-spain-without-having-to-quarantine-on-return Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told journalists on Tuesday he trusted that the country’s state of alarm will end in just over a month. What would this mean for people living in Spain in terms of rules and restrictions from then on? https://www.thelocal.es/20210406/explained-how-the-end-of-spains-state-of-alarm-in-may-could-affect-you Tue, 06 Apr 2021 19:04:55 +0200 explained-how-the-end-of-spains-state-of-alarm-in-may-could-affect-you Spain has extended its restrictions on non-essential journeys from countries outside the EU and Schengen Area to April 30th. https://www.thelocal.es/20210329/spain-extends-restrictions-on-travel-from-outside-the-eu-until-end-of-april Mon, 29 Mar 2021 12:07:19 +0200 spain-extends-restrictions-on-travel-from-outside-the-eu-until-end-of-april