Relocating to Tenerife part 2

Relocation Guide part two

Dentists in Tenerife:

Dentists are many peoples nightmare! Unfortunately, we will at some point be in need of one...don’t leave it until it’s too late. It’s very easy to obtain a Dentist here in Tenerife. If you have Health cover in the UK or Private Health here you can register with a local Dentist of your choosing. (Quite a number of Dentists speak English too!)

If you don’t have any cover and require urgent treatment, it could be costly as you will be charged at full rates. Private Dental Insurance can be as little as €80 per year, ask around to get the best quotes and cover.

Sunway Tenerife has a free after sales service and are Agents for ‘Adeslas Health and Dental’ so contact us if you have any queries.

Pets, Passports & Vets:

No-one wants to leave their beloved pet behind when they move abroad. Speak to your local Veterinary Clinic in the UK to organise an EU Pet Passport.

Your pet must be accompanied by the bi-lingual certificate for Spain as prescribed by rule EU 998. This passport must show that the pet has been vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian at least 30 days prior to travel and, it has been given any other vaccinations or treatments that each individual country may require.

Unvaccinated pets (dogs and cats only) under 3 months old may enter the Canary Islands, but there are additional regulations that must be met. Certain aggressive breeds of dogs are prohibited from entry.

When you arrive in Tenerife, drop by a local Veterinary Clinic, register your dog and of course the micro-chip number just in case your pet is lost or stolen. You will need to take your Pet Passport with you each time you visit.

Working:

Everyone has a right to work in Tenerife. You should be a resident of Spain and be in possession of an NIE number. This allows the Employer to offer a contract of Employment, register you with the Tax Office ‘La Hacienda’ and to pay your Social Security contributions.

It is illegal to work for a Company in Tenerife without a working contract (albeit that this still exists)

Each year, you are required to make a ‘Declaration de la Renta’ by submitting all your salary slips ‘nominas’ to the tax office to ensure you have paid the correct amount of tax. Your Company should be able to help you with obtaining the correct forms.

Many people opt to employ a Consultant ‘Gestor’ who will complete the forms and submit these to the Hacienda on your behalf. Costs vary, so ensure you ask beforehand what the total fees will be.

Pensions Abroad

UK State Pensions, your British pension, as well as some other benefits are payable in Spain. For some benefits, you will have to have been in receipt of them before you left the UK for Spain.

If you are already receiving a Pension in the UK and have decided to move abroad permanently, you have the right to transfer your Pension payments to any overseas bank. You will need to open an overseas Bank Account local to you and inform the UK Tax Office.

Remember, your pension payments could fluctuate as each time your pension is transferred; it will be paid in Euros at the exchange rate according to that day.

The rule of thumb is, you should normally apply to the Institute Nacional de la Seguridad Social (INSS), but only if you have worked in Spain at some point. The INSS will then inform the UK that you have claimed and you will not have to make a second application to the UK.

If you missed the first part of our relocation guide, click here to read the article.