I find this thread very interesting and I have a similar question that I'm hoping some of you could help me answer. I am a United Statesen myself, but I am also married to a Spaniard. We have been married in both countries and have the libro de familia from Spain. My husband wants to move to Spain and I am worried about being to legally work in Spain since I am not a EU citizen nor do I plan to become one. My husband thinks that I just need to apply for residency and then I'll be able to work. Someone else told me that although I'm married to a Spaniard and even if I get residency, I'll still have to apply for a work permit. Is this true? And if it is true how long is a work permit valid?
I'd greatly appreciate any information that you guys can give me to point me in the right direction. Gracias

.... http://www.jobsabroad.com/Spain.cfm ...i have just done a google search...working in spain...and this is one of many links that came up. Maybe worth a try.

As far the sign go for waiters, they already want the applicants to have their working papers in order. Even restaurants are refusing to put in working papers for people.

I've been here for 3 years and I have never had my status as an American seen as negative. Can you explain more, MM, about this. I read your post again and I don't see how being an AMerican can be seen as negative.

Thanks,

Shawn

Profa.. you should be perfectly able to work in Spain - I believe it may take some months to do the PPW and you would need to get a work permit but unlike most Americans you WILL get one... MM can answer this better as I believe this is his situation ... I think you are in a good position to work - just dont get out a caluculator and convert salary to dollars - you will be very sad :-(

SRedw wrote: Sure. Being a United Statesen in and of itself is not a negative but being from anywhere outside of the European Union - as the United States is - is a negative. That's what I mean. Plus, United Statesens aren't Europeans either and so, depending on the position to be hired, the proprietors may be looking for someone from Europe with European attitudes and standards - unless it's to work the counter at The American Store. (the one I visited there was an Asian woman working there and I don't know if she spoke English or not because I spoke to her only in Spanish) Also, few(er) United Statesens speak Spanish (or any foreign language) so it's more difficult to be hired. And finally, there's the whole "Supremist, Spoiled American" mystique that many people in our world (and, in part, correctly so) have about United Statesens. Again, of course it would depend on the job and how/if they'd deal with the public or not. I hope I've explained myself better than in my previous posting.

La Profa, since you've married a Spaniard and you already have your Libro de Familia in Spain, all you SHOULD have to do is then apply for residency in order to be legally able to work IN Spain. It could take up to 7 months (but should only take 3 or 4) or so but not sure you can apply for residency IF you're not living in Spain. I'm really not sure on this point. I think you should be able to find information about this through the Spanish Consulate websites in the United States. For example, you should find information about this (as I did) at http://www.consulate-spain-chicago.com/ - the one serving this region - which would probably also apply to your home state in Minnesota.

Saludos, MadridMan

LaProfa,

There is a board member in a similar situation to you - her husband is Spanish/she's from US - married in both countries - now living in Madrid.

She has her own business but has shared her insights and knowledge into the many aspects of this situation - Try doing a search for posting by Chica - then look at the theme of the thread and go from there

Thanks MadridMan and Puna for the advice. I did check out the Spanish Consulate website for Chicago since they have jurisdiction over my home state of Wisconsin. But I only found information about Residence Visas to be able to legally go to Spain, do more paperwork and then wait. Nothing about being able to work if you're a Non-EU citizen. Then the Consulate says that
"Reunited family members will have to request –within a month upon arrival in Spain–the pertinent residency ID card from the Spanish Police."
No mention of working or a work permit, so either A) the individual is not expected/allowed to work OR B) the individual can work with just the Residency Card.

Puna, I read a ton of postings by Chica. This was no small task…she’s got a lot of postings!!! And just when I thought that my eyeballs were going to fall out, I found my answer…
“I am nearing the end of a 3 month wait for my residency card and official work permit (they told me it would take three months...), I have been visited by the Guardia Civil…” 2-23-02 quote from Chica
So I suppose then that the answer is yes, even if you are married to a Spaniard you need a work permit. Which brings me to my next question (still related to Non-EU citizens working…notice how I’m trying to stay with the thread?) : How long are these residency and work permits good for? And how much does it cost to apply and then renew them???

Thanks in advance to everyone who can lend their expertise!!!!

PS—While reading previous posts I came across one (Should MadridMan go to Spain?) that weighed the pros and cons of living/working in Spain. It was so interesting it kept me reading until 2 am! The post by LostInMadrid was eye-opening. I think that I (like many others) see Spain through rose-colored glasses, and this post reminded me of some of the things in Spain that I tend not to see as they really are.

Thanks MadridMan for the explanation. It still doesn't make sense to me, but it may to others. I read it three times.

After your explanation, I still don't see how it is a negative being from outside of the EU.

Please clarify more. Do you mean for finding jobs? Finding an apartment? What exactly is negative about being non-EU?

Shawn

SRedw, being non-EU in Spain without residency or a work visa is difficult NO MATTER what you're trying to do. If you don't have Spanish (or European) residency you can't (easily/cheaply) open a bank account, you can't get a drivers license, you can't buy a car/moto, you can't get a monthly BUS/METRO BONO pass, you can't legally work without a work visa (which are nearly impossible to get), you can't sign contracts (rental leases, buy cars, get a cellphone). There are TOO MANY negatives to count.

Your questions, SRedw, make me wonder how you haven't encountered friends with the same concerns. I know you work legally with a work visa but if you'd lost your job (and hence your work visa) and had to find work somewhere else I'm sure you'd find this all to be true. What kinds of things CAN you do being non-EU (and without residency, that is). If one has a work-visa that's a whole different thing.

La Profa (and thanks for trying to stay on-topic ), you can be married to a Spaniard and still require a work permit IF you don't have residency. If you have residency then you can legally work WITHOUT a work permit. I do believe residency has to be renewed but the term is long, years. Work permits can be nearly any term usually depending on the term of the contract with the company with which you have the work permit.

Saludos, MadridMan

Thanks for clarifying. The post seemed too general, at first, and now it clarifies it for people who are seriously thinking about just making the jump without thinking about all of the factors that you have mentioned.

Have a great day and next time you have a lunch, let me know. I will try and sneak away to make it.

Shawn