Recommending a great town for expats

vigo_galicia · 2019-01-15T18:19:05+01:00

Explore why Vigo, Spain, is ideal for expats seeking a vibrant community, affordable living, safety, and welcoming diversity on the Atlantic coast.

vigo_galicia Member

Member since 15 January 2019

vigo_galiciaMember15 January 2019 16:19:05

Hi.
I live at Vigo, a town from Galician province at Spain.It is a northwest coast of Spain, atlantic coast and near of Portugal.
I think this is a great place if you are thinking where to move to make a decent life.
You know about spanish crisis, well, here at Vigo there was not such a problem with crisis cause we have a citroen factory and a harbour that is the leading port in fishing worldwide.
Another reason to move here would the opened mind of the citizens of Vigo.There are so much people from other areas of Spain, a lot really and there is no problem with it, you may consider too that we have a football team here and the ultras of this team are all left wing ones and they are not racists or homophobic.Here there not beatings or persecution of anyone.Other races are well accepted as well as homosexuals.The left wing uses to govern here also.Soooo, i really think it is an opened place to anybody looking for an easy life.The weather is the weak point, it rains a lot, but is never as cold as interior areas of Spain, it is on the coast so the temperatures are never so low and never under zero.Renting a place to live is not excesively expensive either and there lots of offers to rent on this town.We are around 300 000 inhabitants on this town, and there are not so much inmigrants from other race but it is progressing and you can see more as time goes by, but as i said before half of the population of this town are not from this area but from other places of Spain and there is not trouble about it at all.It is a very safe town cause there is not much crime.You can walk around in the middle of the night and there is not risk of being victim of anything, it is very safe.Well, i think i have said not so much but enough for you to consider searching for more information about this great town to live at.Hope it is of any help and i wish you the best luck in your seek for a future at Spain, you are very welcome not matter from where you are or your race.Greetings for all.

Gliet New member

Member since 17 January 2019

GlietNew member17 January 2019 21:20:29

Very useful information, thank you. I hope to visit some day.

soeclectic New member

Member since 20 September 2018

soeclecticNew member22 January 2019 15:43:23

I am planning to move to A Coruna which is close to Vigo.I want to hire a Gestor or any English speaking Bi Lingual person to assist me in opening a bank account, getting my NIE and interpreting with landlords and agents to rent a flat. I am a retired U.S. citizen applying for a Non Lucrative聽 or Retiree Visa. I do not speak any Spanish yet. I could come to Vigo or they could com to A Coruna. If they have to come to A聽 Coruna I would also pay their travel expenses.

Johncar Spain Expert

Member since 25 November 2013

JohncarSpain Expert22 January 2019 15:51:34

1412

I may be wrong as your question is outside the area with which I am most familiar, however, I though as an American you would need to apply for a visa before you arrive in spain

I am sure you will get more specific advice from another poster here, maybe Papa Lima

soeclectic New member

Member since 20 September 2018

soeclecticNew member22 January 2019 16:13:11

You are correct.but before I apply for a visa I must find a Gestor/Translator. No sense in Getting a Visa, and not being able to open a bank account or deal with landlords. If one does not have a Spanish Bank account a landlord will require up to one year rent in advance. It is very difficult for an American to open an account in Spain and some other EU countries because of very strict regulations to prevent money laundering and the banks have to go through a lot of paperwork and hassles to comply with IRS regulations. Add to that problem the problem that I can't even communicate with anyone in a bank because I don't speak Spanish and I would not be able to understand any contracts I would have to sign. dealing with landlords would be even more difficult. I would also need the Gestor to interpret between me and doctors and Dentists. In sum, if I can not find anyone to be a Gestor I will not move to Spain. I already spent months considering moving to Santander or San Sebastian and could not find a Gestor. then I found out about A Coruna which I think I would really like. I found a hospital in A Coruna that takes Sanitas Insurance and has English Interpreters.

Johncar Spain Expert

Member since 25 November 2013

JohncarSpain Expert22 January 2019 16:26:07

1412

The expectations you have are probably well beyond the Services,聽聽with thirty years living in
Spain, that I am familiar with聽聽 It would seem you may need a personal assistant.聽

A large percentage of non Spanish speaking people manage to do all you mention without professional help

But nevertheless,聽聽good luck

soeclectic New member

Member since 20 September 2018

soeclecticNew member22 January 2019 16:49:01

Personal assistant, Gestor, Interpreter, whatever you wish to call them. I am certain a large percentage of people you claim to know about did not need an interpreter but I bet there was not a large percentage or even a tiny percentage of U.S. citizens able to accomplish there tasks as the regulations are far more complicated for U.S. citizens than Brits or other English speakers. There are very few and maybe no non spanish speaking U.S. citizens living in Galicai and a total of 200 living in San Sebastian according to the spanish census.聽 U.S. citizens living in Galicia or San Sebastian. I have lived in London and Amsterdam. It was almost impossible for me to become a legal resident of Amsterdam because it was required I have a Dutch Bank account. Even though all dutch speak English I had to go to about a dozen banks to open an account and that was only because I was able to talk with a bank manager who wanted to help me and opened an account even though she said technically she was not supposed to. Even in the Netherlands all legal documents, rental contracts, bank info etc. is in Dutch. I had a Dutch friend who interpreted and explained all the regulations for me. How do I search for a "Personal assistant"?