Hi all. Now that we're actually here, thought perhaps we should make ourselves known :-) We have just moved to Roquetas from the UK, having holidayed here many times and currently renting an apartment in the urbanization. I speak a little Spanish, but find it quite hard understanding the rapid-fire Andalusian version that is being fired at me - it'll get easier, I know. Managing to cotton on to enough so far to manage ok. My husband isn't so hot on the language, but can make himself understood with the basics mostly.
We have 2 current priorities - getting online and applying for residencia! However, we are very confused about the actual process for residency as everyone seems to suggest doing things in a different order. We have health care via s1 forms and already have a spanish bank account. Also have a rental contract obviously. So what comes first? Do we need to get an NIE no first, or does that come with residencia? Do we have to get ourselves on the padron to become resident, or do we need the residencia to get on the padron? Everywhere I look I get different answers! If anyone, who has been through the whole process recently, can point us in the right direction we'd be very grateful.
The internet thingy is almost as confusing. Because of the situation of our apartment (a couple of taller blocks nearby cause problems with various signals) it looks as though we will have to go with fibre-optic - which would be my preference anyway. Is it possible to have an internet only connection or do they all come with line-rental even though we don't need a land-line? Movistar has been suggested to us, but I've also had a look at MasMovil. Again, if anyone can point us in the right direction......we'll be using an internet based TV service, so the speed needs to be reasonably good.
So sorry for the long rambling post - we knew this wouldn't be straightforward from doing quite a bit of research before we came out here, but we're in danger of tying ourselves in knots trying to figure it all out.
Many thanks in advance, Jane