A Certificate of Residence for Foreigners is compulsory if you are any of the following:

- A pensioner retiring to Spain (who has never worked there)
- A person of independent means (i.e. not employed or self-employed)

You need it also to apply for electricity supply and other everyday services.

https://www.gov.uk/residency-requirements-in-spain

You live here 6 months of the year and are therefore a tax resident. If you are retired and have a Government pension which you can not move abroad and have no income in Spain you still have to complete your Spanish tax return...Which in law you are required to do. This comes under your Worldwide assets. You therefore would be making a nil return against the tax paid in the UK. If you are a normal pensioner with old aged and or company pension. In both cases I would seek the advice of a tax accountant and they will complete the forms for you the cost is about 50-60 euro.

Those who apply for the residence permit should be aware that this is considered to be evidence of intent to remain and will count against the individual if they try to claim that they are not liable for taxes.

Registering on the padrón.

Registering on the padrón is not only an official requirement, it also brings a number of benefits such as access to some aspects of social care (after a certain period of time), potential reductions in a number of charges and taxes, discounts on courses/activities organised by the Town Hall and also voting rights in local and European elections. The padrón certificate is also required for other things such as healthcare, education and obtaining Spanish number plates for your car.

Registering on the Padron at your Town Hall

The padrón is a list of people who live in a town. All residents in Spain are - officially - required to add themselves to the padrón (a process called ""empadronarse"" in Spanish) and this can be done by filling in a form at the padrón office of your local town hall.This allows your local town hall to collect the number of residents in the town and can then claim moneys from central government to help pay for the running of the town. To complete the process you will need to take the following with you:

- Official ID (e.g. passport)
- NIE certificate
- a recent utility bill in your name
- house deeds or copy of rental contract



You can only fly under the radar for so long  8-)