Don't Just Visit—Live! Americans Moving To Spain

Описание: **Americans Moving to Spain: Visas, Healthcare, Housing, Taxes

Thinking about trading I-95 for Iberia? In this special episode, host *Mark Goldstein* sits down with *Christopher Hughey* (founder of Americans Moving to Spain*, based in **Sevilla**) to walk through what it *really takes to relocate from the U.S. to Spain—minus the sugar-coating.

*What you’ll learn*

*Who succeeds (and who doesn’t):* Define your why*—don’t just run from the U.S.; run *toward a life that fits.
*Scouting trips ≠ vacations:* Skip the castles for a week and live in a real neighborhood. Hit the pharmacy, market, and bus stop.
*Visas explained plainly:*

*Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV):* income thresholds, clean FBI check, private health insurance, what “no work” actually means.
*Digital Nomad:* foreign-source income rules, spouse work rights, where it helps and where it doesn’t.
*Healthcare, realistically:* Private policies, pre-existing conditions, Spain’s costs vs. the U.S., and when/where you can buy into the public system (*convenio especial*).
*Paper trail without the migraine:* FBI background + *apostille* (Hague 1961), marriage/birth certs, sworn translations, and consulate quirks.
*After you land:* *Empadronamiento* (town registration), fingerprints at National Police, and your *TIE* card timeline.
*Renewals & the long game:* 1+2+2 to reach **5-year permanent residency**, then the path toward **citizenship**.
*Housing without getting burned:* Why to be picky with agents, spotting fake listings on big portals, when you’ll need an **NIE**, and how to lease before you have one.
*Cost of living (real talk):* Spain is often cheaper than the U.S.—it’s not “cheap-cheap.”
*Taxes for U.S. citizens in Spain:* 183-day rule, Spain files first, U.S. extension strategy, foreign tax credits, *Modelo 720* assets report.

*Cities & lifestyle*
Walkability, transit, and car-optional living in Spanish cities like **Valencia, Alicante, Málaga, and Sevilla**—why “options are dignity” as we age.

*Guest*
*Christopher Hughey**, founder of *Americans Moving to Spain (and admin of the Americans Moving to Spain Facebook community).

*Chapters (topics)*

Who actually qualifies & thrives
NLV vs Digital Nomad (pros/cons)
Healthcare & insurance realities
Apostilles, translations, and consulate expectations
Housing: fraud warnings, leases, NIE
After-arrival steps (padron, TIE)
Renewals, PR, and citizenship overview
Taxes, deadlines, and coordination with U.S. filings

*Links & community*

Website: *WhereDoGaysRetire.com*
Free community: *LGBTQSeniors.com*
Share your questions or experience moving to Spain in the comments—what helped, what hurt, and what you wish you knew sooner.

*Disclaimer*
This episode is for general information only—**not** legal, tax, or immigration advice. Consult qualified professionals for your specific situation.

*If this helped,* like 👍, subscribe 🔔, and share with a friend who’s Spain-curious.