Best of ExpatWires in July 2025: Madrid Community Launch, Residency Solutions, and Real Expat Wins
This month’s highlights: New Madrid group for Americans, step-by-step visa advice, and the latest on rentals, healthcare, and staying connected abroad
Hola, expats and Spain dreamers! 👋
Welcome to this month’s edition of our newsletter, where we curate the most valuable insights, community highlights, and essential updates to enhance your Spanish journey, whether you’re planning your move or already soaking up the vibrant culture.
🌟 New Group Alert: By Popular Demand!
Are you an American already living in Madrid?
Looking for a space with real talk, practical tips, and a tight-knit expat community?
Join the American Expats in Madrid group!
Why join?
Exclusive to Americans currently residing in Madrid (qualification required)
Honest discussions on housing, taxes, driving, and daily life in Madrid
Expert insights, including our popular expat tax masterclass
A supportive, high-quality group with what matters to Madrid expats
To keep our group relevant and valuable, all members must answer a few quick questions confirming Madrid residency.
✨ ExpatWires premium members get instant access to the group without application!
👉 Apply now to join “American Expats in Madrid: Real Talk and Tips”—and unlock instant access as a premium member!
For the rest of our newsletter, let’s dive in! ⬇️
🌟 Inside Our Community
Below are some highlights from our community in the past month.
This on the right track with the “modificación de estancia por movilidad a residencia y trabajo por cuenta ajena” process. It’s possible to switch from your Youth Mobility visa to a regular work permit without leaving Spain, but it can be a bit tricky. The company needs to submit your application at the local immigration office (Extranjería), and you’ll need to provide proof of your job offer, your current visa, and some other docs. Sometimes Extranjería can be slow, so it helps if the company is persistent and you keep copies of everything. If you’re in Valencia, the Extranjería office on Calle Motilla del Palancar is where most people go. Try to get an appointment ASAP, as slots fill up fast.
When bringing your car from Germany to Spain, you don’t always need every single document translated, but the main ones, like the registration certificate and the COC (Certificate of Conformity), usually need to be in Spanish or sometimes English. If they’re in German, the DGT or ITV station might ask for an official translation, especially for the registration. The purchase agreement and invoice aren’t always needed unless you’re proving ownership or value for taxes. It’s best to check with your local ITV station first, since some are stricter than others.
Lewis shared that for the Costa del Sol area, you can get two cellular lines with unlimited calls within Europe, 1,000 minutes per month to the U.S., and 60 GB of data (with rollover for up to two months) for about 6€ per line each month. For home internet, a 300 Mb fiber connection with a wireless router costs about 20.66€ per month. The total for both cell lines and fiber internet is 37€ per month. Lewis points out that most people don’t need super high-speed internet. 100 Mb is enough for most couples unless you have a lot of streaming or kids online all the time. This gives you a good idea of reasonable rates and what to expect for solid service in Andalucia.
As the non-EU partner of an EU citizen, you should be able to stay in Spain (and other Schengen countries) longer than 90 days when traveling together, and the 90/180 rule doesn’t apply to you as long as you’re with your partner. But in practice, border guards almost always stamp your UK passport anyway, even if you’re with your EU partner, there’s no special stamp for spouses.
To avoid problems and questions about overstaying, always travel together and carry your marriage certificate (plus a copy), both passports, and proof of travel together. If you’re ever asked, explain you are exercising your EU family rights. If you plan to stay more than 90 days in one country, you’ll need to apply for a residence card there. Calais border can be strict, so being prepared is key.
Zakk’s friend’s spouse (a non-EU citizen) can apply for a residency card while in Spain as a tourist, thanks to your friend’s special TIE card under Artículo 50 TUE (the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement). The process is very similar to the EU family member residency route. She’ll need to apply for the “residence card of a family member of a UK national beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement” at the local immigration office (Oficina de Extranjería), ideally within three months of arriving in Spain. She’ll need to show proof of the family relationship (like a marriage certificate), your friend’s TIE, her passport, and fill out the EX21 form. Once the application is in, she’ll get a certificate that lets her stay legally until the card is issued.
The easiest way is to port your US number to Google Voice before you leave. That lets you keep using your US number for texts and calls (great for banks and 2FA), but you’ll need WiFi or data for it to work. Once in Spain, get a local SIM or eSIM (Movistar, Orange, etc.) for daily use. Most modern phones can handle two SIMs (physical or eSIM), so you can have both numbers on one device. Tello is fine if you want a cheap US plan for a backup, but Google Voice usually covers what you need. VPN is a good idea for extra security, but not a must for everyone.
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