I wonder if large corporations that have international offices might have some information... For example when I was looking for a job in Kansas City, I noticed that Sprint had a relocation department - people there would have to have knowledge of tax laws and such. I would imagine they would have contacts or suggestions. Also talk to the consulate.

[This message has been edited by Nicole (edited 12-21-2000).]

RogerM - you might also see if there are any attorneys that specialize in somethnig like this - they would know all the steps, procedures - and, hopefully, how to prevent some of the frustration.

Excellent idea. The Ministerio de economia sent me a 6-page list. I have no way to evaluate them except my CPA son told me I cannot afford the big 5 or 6 like KPMG, Deloitte, etc.
I am having difficulty finding telephone and
fax numbers. So if someone local in Madrid could send me the telephone (or even better the fax) number for:
D. Miguel de Castro, Presidente, INTERNATIONAL FULL SERVICES, C/ jose Lazaro Galdiano, 4 - 2, 28036 MADRID

(chosen at random from the list), I would appreciate it very much.

I don't know if the following website will have the information you are after - but from what I have seen of it - there are a fair number of people involved that do live in Spain -
http://www.egroups.com/group/spain-english/info.html

You might also want to do a search on the web for expatriate and Spain ...

Good luck! And let us know what seems to produce some answers ...

RogerM - a thought - ask that CPA son of yours if there is an international organization of CPAs that he could cull for an attorney referral for you - do know that very often lawyers and CPAs share clients!

Already asked my CPA son. He said he's too busy with end of year, preparation of reports, taxes etc. for the multinational corporation he works for. I won't get any help from him now until March.

There seems to be some confusion here about visas. Essentially here is what you do if you would like to work in Spain and are a US citizen. This is accurate as I have been through this process. Of course, exceptions will apply.

1) You need an official 'Oferta de trabajo.' This is drawn up by your potential employer in Spain and is certified by the Ministry of Labor in Madrid. Take this and the following to a Spanish consulate and arrive early:

1) Passport with 3 photocopies and 4 photos
2) The application form from the consulate.
3) Letter of good conduct from your city's police (in NYC this is downtown at police HQ).
4) The oferta and a copy
5) A medical certificate which is clear that you are not ill physically or mentally, not a drug user, do not have the plague, yellow fever, or cholera. Be very thorough with this.

After this expect to wait for 3 or 4 months. Then you have your visa and can go to Spain (if you are not there already, in which case you must return to the consulate).

Once you have the visa, when you arrive in Spain you must apply for a residency permit. This is done at the police and will take a long time as well - I am waiting for this at present.

Questions and answers:

1) You cannot do this from Spain nor can you have the consulate mail you things. Do it before you go, or expect to fly back and forth a lot.

2) Get a gestor, which is a lawyer type to help you with the paperwork. All in all, Spain is no worse or better bureaucracy-wise than any other country, however you will save time with a gestor.

3) If you want to look for jobs: www.infojobs.es. A big employer with a good legal department will help immensely as they will have dealt with this before.

4) Other questions feel free to email me.

Everything you posted agrees with what I read on the Spanish consulates sites here in U.S. But in my case, I am "self-employed" by my own U.S. corporation and therefore need a different document from Ministry of Labor. I know I need a lawyer or agent, but I need a recommendation. I also need someone to set up our corporation in Spain.

Give these people a call:
http://www.fvilluendas.com/

[Originally posted by kerry on 03-21-2001 04:30 PM]

Well, for those of you who have stayed tuned in to my visa experience, here is the final installment in my 10-month "Trials and tribulations of trying to be legal in Spain". When I last left you, I had been told by the Consulate in New York (aka complete f$%%ing morons) that I had been approved my visa, only to go to New York in person and find out that they had made an error and sent me the wrong letter. So, I went to Spain without the visa and figured I'd just continue working as before. Well, lo and behold, 10 days after I went to the Consulate an inspector came to the academy inquiring about my whereabouts (I was in the USA for the holidays and the academy was closed). So, I went back to Spain, worked for three weeks, quit my job and am now back in the States looking for work. I found out that the penalty if you're caught is a half-million peseta fine and deportation from the E.U. for 5 years. So, I figured quitting would be the best option. The academy did not attempt to protect me in any way, they only cared about the classes being taught. So, that's the end of my story.