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IGIC Exemption for small traders -Régimen Especial del Pequeño Empresario o Profesional en el IGIC

2018 has begun with good news for the self-employed and small entrepreneurs, the modification of certain aspects of the IGIC, LAW 7/2017, of December 27, of General Budgets of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands means an exemption for most self-employed who bill less than 30,000 euros per year. The amendment to the law establishes a special regime for small business owners or professionals, which will include individual taxpayers whose total volume of operations* carried out during the previous calendar year**, in the totality of their business or professional activities, did not exceed 30,000 euros. Another requirement to be …

New Automated Check In System At South Hospital (El Mojon)

The Canarian health Service have now implemented a new automated outpatients check-in service at the Hospital del Sur (formerly known as El Mojon). As you can see from the photo (left) there are several machines which are located to your right as you enter by the main outpatients entrance hall of the hospital and EVERONE must now check in to confirm they have arrived for their specialist’s appointment. If you have one of the new Canarian Health service blue cards with a bar code on the back you can put this in the machine, if you haven’t picked up yours from your local …

Touristic Letting Modelo179

From July of this year(2018) all intermediaries involved in supplying vacation accommodation to tourists will have to submit an informative tax declaration (modelo 179) to the National Spanish tax authorities as part of IVA (VAT) tax requirements. This will particulary affect vacation rental housing platforms like Airbnb and HomeAway who have not previously had an obligation to divulge information to the authorities. The return to be presented in July will cover quarters 1 and 2 of this year and then the returns will carry on quarterly after that. The initial delay is to allow firms and individuals time to put systems …

Main Changes To Accounting Procedures for Self Employed from Jan 2018

Working From Home From 1 January 2018 those declaring their taxes using the direct estimation method are able to deduct part of the utilities expenses of a property partially used for their economic activity and also living expenses that directly relate to the economic activity. Article 11 of Law 6/2017 adds letters b) and c), with effect from January 1, 2018, to rule 5 of section 2 of article 30 of Law 35/2006, of November 28, of the Income Tax for Individuals and states the following: I. Contributors whose economic activity is conducted in their habitual residence In these cases, 30 percent of the pro-rata …

Activating a New NIE number

Occasionally if a couple purchase a property together one spouse’s NIE number is used as the lead on subsequent documents and the other spouse’s number never becomes activated with the Agencia Tributaria (Tax Office), or if an individual gets an NIE number at the Extranjeria and then for whatever reasons never uses the number for anything (i.e a house or car purchase, importing anything over 150 euros, getting a job, becoming self employed etc. etc.) their number too remains unactivated. This is easily rectified and you should take the trouble to sort it out in case you need to use …

Automatic exchange of tax and financial information between Spain and the UK

As of 2016, 83 countries including the UK and Spain signed an agreement to implement a system for the automatic exchange of tax and financial information on a global level. It is common for UK banks to send letters to account holders who have given their Tenerife address as their residence address. The letter asks for various information and the format varies slightly between the different banks, but the gist of the letter/form is that you need to provide your country [or countries] of Residence for Tax Purposes so that they can share information between countries so that correct taxes …

“Non Letting Tax” Modelo 210

If as a non resident you own a Spanish property that is for for personal use and NOT let out at all it is liable to pay tax called Renta Imputada – Deemed Income tax declarable on a form called Modelo 210. If your property is left empty, even though you do not let out your holiday home for gain, Spanish law assumes you have what is called a “Deemed (Rental) Income” which is subject to non-resident Income Tax. The “Deemed (Rental) Income”, which historically was included on the old Modelo 214 form, is now declared on a Modelo 210 …

Canary Islands IGIC and Import Duty

This information applies to for commercial imports NOT personal ones which are exempt up to 150 euros in value Goods leaving the Mainland or another EU country and coming to the Canary Islands The Canary Islands does not apply IVA (VAT) sales tax but its own version which is called IGIC (El Impuesto General Indirecto Canario). This has different rates from IVA. To know if a Spanish company liable under the IVA regime has to apply IVA or not , we have to ask which applies scenario 1 or 2: If products (physical goods) are brought into the Canary Islands, from the …

Energy Certificates

Even if you just want to advertise your property as being for sale or for rent you will need an Energy Performance Certificate. The notary will ask you for a copy of it before you sell. This is Spanish law and applies not just to Tenerife but all over Spain. What is an energy performance certificate? It is a report detailing the overall energy efficiency of a property on a sliding scale from A to G, similar to ratings on electrical appliances when you buy them. You can be fined for advertising your property without a valid certificate. Fines range from …

Registering on the padrón

What is the Padrón (empadronamiento) and do I have to register? The padrón is a list of all the people who live in a certain municipal area similar to the electoral roll in the UK. “Empadronarse” means registering yourself on this list at your local town hall. You’ll find you will need your empadronamiento certificate to process various administrative tasks, such as to apply for or update: ❖ Certificate of residence registration ❖ Register for healthcare ❖ Purchase a car ❖ Register your car with Spanish number plates ❖ Enrol your children in school Who should register? It is obligatory by Spanish …

European Travel Information and Authorisation System

British citizens may have to apply online and pay to travel to Europe , under plans being drawn up by the bloc for a visa waiver programme similar to the US system. The proposed scheme would cover entry to the passport-free 26-nation Schengen zone – of which Britain was not a member even before Brexit, from citizens of those countries that are designated as not needing a visa to enter. THIS DOES NOT CURRENTLY APPLY TO BRITISH CITIZENS and Brexit negotiations will ultimately decide whether this will apply to them after the UK leaves the EU, but regardless of this, the …

YOU as an overseas visitor in the UK

You should also remember if you return for visits to the UK you may not automatically be able to obtain health cover there. Are you visiting the United Kingdom? Have you been living outside the UK for more than 3 months? Did you know that you may have to pay for hospital treatment whilst in the UK? Hospital treatment is free to people who ordinarily live in the United Kingdom . If you do not normally live here then you may be required to pay for any treatment you might need. This is regardless of whether you are a British citizen or have lived or …

I HAVE HEALTH CARE ENTITLEMENT – BUT I DON’T SPEAK SPANISH – WILL I COPE?

There are notices in all Canarian Health Service establishments (in English, German, French, Arabic and Chinese and Spanish ironically, saying if you do not speak Spanish you must bring a translator with you. However in reality many GPs and specialists will be able to speak English and some particularly at Candelaria hospital are keen to practice English. HOWEVER they are not obliged to do so and whether you get an English speaker is the luck of the draw, if you are unlucky you may be refused a consultation and be sent away. Even if you are lucky enough to get …

Spanish Will

If you own a house in another country, you are most strongly advised to write a Will in that country to cover the property there – In Spain this means visiting notary and having the document drawn up in Spanish. Trying to administer an estate in Spain without the correct Will is like trying to walk in treacle! Remember When thinking about who should receive your assets, it is important that you consider all your possessions, not just individual items in isolation. A foreign Will is as much part of your estate planning as an English Will, and hence you should …

British Consulate and Renewing your British Passport

If you’re in Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera or El Hierro and you need urgent help (for example, you’ve been attacked, arrested or someone has died), call +34 928 26 25 08. If you’re in the UK and worried about a British national in Spain, call 020 7008 1500. General enquiries Consulates deal with a large number of urgent cases each year. Before contacting a Consulate with non-urgent enquiries, please read our detailed guide for British nationals living in Spain to see if the information you need is there. If you still cannot find the information you need, you can …

What happens if my car documents are lost or stolen?

Firstly report the loss or theft by denuncia (formal statement) to your local Police or Guardia if easier. To obtain a duplicate of the ficha técnica you would first need to establish what type your vehicle has. The older style green Ficha Técnica be it in A4 size or A5 size or the new style white Ficha Técnica. If you have the older style green Ficha Técnica then you would need to go your nearest ITV testing station and request a duplicado de la ficha técnica (log book). They will require a copy of the owners proof of identity and a copy of …