- how to apply for your nie number
- how to apply for residency
- working in spain
- setting up a business
- promoting your business
- opening a bank account
- social security
- health and medical cover
- school information & enrolment
- international and private schools
- town hall registration
- births/weddings/funerals
- recipes
- general safety tips
Births
The decision to have a child is monumental. In most cases the upheaval is joyous and inevitably life changing. You don't realise what it means until your bundle of joy is already crawling around your child proofed home. Your life and interests change quickly with an infant. You become more aware of your neighbourhood, noise pollution, and all of a sudden find yourself looking for playparks and nurseries.
But first things first: Once your family doctor, GP or gynaecologist has confirmed the results of your pregnancy test, you will be given a series of scheduled visits for blood and urine tests. During these regular visits you will have ultrasounds and at midterm they will offer to tell you the sex of your baby. As the due date approaches, check-ups will become more frequent, together with appointments for foetal heart rate monitoring. Being pregnant in a foreign country can make you feel uncertain. Having to communicate with doctors through translators can be stressful. A good book to have in your possession is "What to Expect When You are Expecting". It gives a month by month outline of the developments both physical and emotional.
Many people choose to have their child in a private hospital, many of which have bilingual midwife services available. The Hospital Costa del Sol is a popular place to give birth; in fact, that is where Melanie Griffith delivered her last child with Antonio Banderas. Located along the coastal road it is easily accessible and you won't get lost or stuck in traffic. The Spanish National Health plan is quite good, the hospitals are fully equipped, however alternative birthing notions are virtually unheard of here. Know before you go, as they say. Familiarise yourself with the maternity ward and ask your questions: e.g. Can my partner be present? Are children permitted to visit me in the maternity ward? What is the hospital policy regarding flowers? What procedures are optional? .
Spanish women love to talk about babies and share war stories. Once you are visibly pregnant, not a day will go by that someone doesn't ask you:
• ¿De cuanto estás? - How many months?
• ¿Quieres un niño o una niña? - Do you want a boy or a girl?
• ¿Qué nombre le vas a poner? - What are you going to call him/her?
• ¿Cuando te toca? - When is it due?
Some useful terminology:
• Comadrona Midwife
• Epidural - same word different stress (stress on "al")
• Ecografía - Ultrasound Scan
• Tocología - Maternity scan dept in hospital
• To give birth: dar a luz ("to give light")
• El parto - the delivery
• Estoy embarazada de "x" méses - I am "x" months pregnant
• Dar el pecho - To breastfeed
Midvife Services
Disfruta de tu Embarazo
Inma Romero runs courses in the Centro Vida in San Pedro on calle Eduardo Evangelista, 8. She is a doula, a delivery partner/companion that gives emotional support prior to and during delivery. She speaks Spanish.
Tel: (+34) 952 788 356 or (+34) 649 424 602
Arancha Fajordo and Pepe Martin are midwives (is Pepe a midhusband?) and work at the Hospital Costa del Sol. Trained in England, both she and her husband are bi-lingual midwives that individually accept private clients.
Tel: (+34) 654 531 692
Civil Marriage
Application for a civil marriage must be made, depending on the city, either to the Civil Registry or to the District Court (Juzgado.) Note that in order to be married in Spain, at least one of the two applicants must be a resident of Spain.
Both parties are usually required to each submit the following documents:
• An application form to be obtained from the Civil Registry, or Court in whose jurisdiction the marriage is to take place
• An original non-abridged birth certificate, legalized and translated into Spanish
• A certificate of bachelorship or non-impediment to marriage. A declaration of bachelorship may be obtained at the local Civil Registry. Where this is not possible, a "Statement in lieu of an Embassy issued certificate of non-impediment to marriage" is usually accepted.
• Divorced/widowed: Original marriage and death or divorce certificates, as the case may be, which must be legalized and translated into Spanish. Divorces obtained outside of Spain must be convalidated, the Exequatur must be obtained from the Sala 1ª del Tribunal Supremo, through a lawyer.
• Posting of banns: The Embassy or Consulates may issue a letter saying that this is not required in your country of origin
• Certificate of residence: Residents of Spain may obtain this document from the Tenencia de Alcaldía in the district of residence. For non-residents, a sworn statement declaring the addresses of the last few years may be signed before a consul
• A certificate of consular registration: Issued by the Embassy or Consulates upon presentation of a valid passport and completion of a registration card, this certificate must include an address in Spain.
All required documents must be submitted at least 8 days before the desired date of marriage although the average delay is 35 - 40 days.
All translations into Spanish should be done by an official translator.
Legalization of required documents: Contact your consulate or embassy.
Translations should be done by an official translator.
Many businesses offer assistance in planning a marriage in Spain. You can get married in a hot air balloon, on the beach, in a boat. Look on the internet or check out these websites:
• www.beachweddingsinspain.com
• www.castelatours.com
• www.perfectweddingsinspain.co.uk
• www.sunshine-weddings.net
• www.weddingsinspain.com
• www.weddingsinspain.net
Funerals
When a loved one passes, there is great consolation in knowing where to turn. There are many funeral services available along the Coast.
You call the service of your choice and within an hour they are with you to help determine what services will be required. They take care of all the arrangements including:
• Viewings/ funerals (all religions)
• National and international transfers
• All paper work and documentation
• Cremation/ Burial
• Purchase of plot/ niche
• Flowers/ wreaths/ music during service
• Placement of obituaries in local and national news papers
• Headstones
• Vehicles arranged for family members
Funeral Services
In times of stress and personal loss it can be a great consolance to speak your native language and work with professionals that understand your needs. English Family Funeral Directors offer a caring personal 24 hour service. They have many years of experience and come from an established family business in London.
Covering the entirety of the Costa del Sol, English Family Funeral Directors take care of everything from registering the death to ordering flowers. The maximum price for a cremation with no hidden costs is 3500 euros. They offer pre-arranged funeral plans and their structured price list is very competitive.
Take care of business in advance, that way you won't be caught off guard. Do not find yourself in a compromised situation where under pressure, stress and emotional upheaval, you may sign paperwork that is legally binding. It is best to be prepared, as last minute funeral arrangements will be more expensive.
By dealing directly with the funeral director, you cut out the middle man and we the savings are appreciable.For friendly personal service call John Frangiamore at:
Tel: (+34) 952 887 232
Mobile: (+34) 699 664 660 (24 hours)
Email: info@englishfuneraldirectors.co.uk
Website: www.englishfuneraldirectors.co.uk
There are many Spanish companies operating along the Coast:
Alhaurín de la Torre
Servicios Funerarios Valle del Guadalhorce
Tel: (+34) 952 416 006
E-Mail: ffguadalorce@funespana.es
Website: www.funespana.es
Benalmádena
Funesol
Tel: (+34) 952 560 206
Website: www.funesol.com
Coín
Servicios Funerarios la Nacional
Tel: 902 408 100
Funeraria Valderrama
Tel: (+34) 952 455 123
Estepona
Funesol
Tel: (+34) 952 803 022
Website: www.funesol.com
Fuengirola
Funesol
Tel: (+34) 952 580 620
Website: www.funesol.com
Funeraria Ramón Cano
(Representatives of Rowland Brothers International y Golden Leaves Columbus)
Tel: (+34) 952 474 791 or (+34) 607 442 677
Málaga
Funesol
Tel: (+34) 952 615 090
Website: www.funesol.com
Servicio Funerario De Mena
Tel: (+34) 902 300 952
Marbella
Funesol
Tel: (+34) 952 823 848
Website: www.funesol.com
Interfunerarias Costa del Sol
Tel: (+34) 952 774 493
24 hours (+34) 902 162 162
Website: www.interfunerarias.es
Funeraria Marbella
Tel: (+34) 952 862 862
la Nacional
Tel: (+34) 902 408 100
Pompas Fúnebres San Bernabé
Tel: (+34) 607 540 774
Mijas
Funesol
Tel: (+34) 952 478 555
Website: www.funesol.com
Torremolinos
Funersol
Tel: (+34) 902 295 050 or (+34) 608 954 510
Website: www.funesol.com
To send flowers locally or internationally: All of these shops are in the Interflora network and can send flower arrangements world wide.
Málaga / Alhaurín de la Torre/Torremolinos
Flor y Mar (Open 24 hours-serve the Coast)
Tel: (+34) 952 433 698
Website: www.florymar.com
Fuengirola
Florgirola- Interflora
Tel: (+34) 952 581 280
Website: www.interflora.com
Fuengirola / Mijas
José Muñoz Interflora
Tel: (+34) 952 479 567
Website: www.jmflorista.com
Marbella
Flor y Mar
Tel: (+34) 952 868 687
Website: www.florymar.com