Allen and Olivia sold their flat in London, moved to Turkey, and obtained residency there. This was just a temporary solution. Their ultimate goal was to apply for Spanish residency through the Spanish Consulate in Istanbul.
Allen shares their story:
“We were considering several countries: Slovenia, Greece, Croatia, and Spain. We didn’t need to find work, so it was more about finding the right place to live. In the end, it came down to two: Greece and Spain.”
Their final decision rested on three key factors:
- easy access for travel,
- high-quality education for their children,
- beautiful nature.
While both countries scored equally in terms of natural beauty, Spain came out on top for the other two.
According to Allen, in Greece, the type of education they were after is only available in private schools, mainly located in Athens, which limits your options for where to live. In Spain, however, excellent education is accessible in virtually any city, large or small. Another big advantage was Spain’s strategic location:
Allen:
“Even though Greece is part of the Schengen area, road trips to Europe feel like an adventure of their own. In Spain, you can drive to France for the weekend or, if you’re feeling adventurous, even make it to Italy or Switzerland.”
The comfortable Spanish climate also played a big role in choosing their new home. Allen and Olivia were both fed up with the long London winters.
Having settled on Spain, the couple began preparing their documents for residency, but they had no idea they’d soon be moving again. This time, not to Spain.
How ClickToSpain Helped the Couple Obtain Residency
Allen and Olivia reached out to us to assist with their move to Spain. They explained they were in Turkey and had no plans to return to England.
We learned that they had passive income from renting out their house and car, plus substantial savings in a Turkish bank. This was enough to qualify them for a non-lucrative residency permit (without the right to work). There was just one more detail to confirm—whether Allen could resign from his job as a solicitor with an English company.
He needed to do this before submitting his application to the Spanish Consulate in Istanbul. Since autumn 2020, Spanish immigration authorities have required that applicants for non-lucrative visas are not employed anywhere. Allen assured us this wouldn’t be a problem.
Although everything was progressing smoothly, we weren’t able to gather the full dossier in time. The Consulate then informed us that they no longer accept applications from those with Turkish residency lasting only 1-2 years.
It was an unexpected and disappointing turn of events, but the couple was determined not to give up. With Olivia nearing the end of her pregnancy with their second child, they decided to head to Argentina instead. Children born in Argentina automatically receive citizenship, and their parents are granted the right to permanent residency. The plan was to take this route and later, as Argentine residents, apply for Spanish residency through the Spanish Consulate in Buenos Aires.
How the Couple Ended Up in Argentina
Allen and Olivia arrived in Argentina in November 2022, and their second child was born in late December. The family ended up staying much longer than expected because Argentina suddenly became very popular, and bureaucracy there slowed to a crawl. What used to take two months to get permanent residency now dragged on for six months or more.
Securing an appointment at the Spanish Consulate in Argentina proved tricky. With limited slots available and a high demand from both locals and foreigners, the couple had no luck for a few months, forcing yet another change in plans.
How We Decided to Apply for the Digital Nomad Visa
Spain introduced a digital nomad visa, allowing remote workers employed by non-Spanish companies to apply. This was the perfect fit for Allen. The best part? No need to hunt for consulate slots—applications are submitted online while applicants are in Spain.
With their documents ready, the only issue left was securing a Schengen visa for their daughter. The youngest child, being an Argentine citizen, could enter Spain without a visa.
The parents had five-year French tourist visas, so they decided to try their luck at the French Consulate in Buenos Aires. Despite only accepting tourist visa applications from residents (and their Argentine permanent residency was still being processed), the consulate made an exception: with all the documents ready for the digital nomad visa application and their existing French visas, they granted their daughter a visa.
The family successfully made it to Spain, and we submitted their documents. It seemed like the challenges were finally behind them—but their adventure wasn’t over yet. The digital nomad visa was rejected because Allen had listed two income sources—one as self-employed and one as an employee.
We disagreed with the decision, as there’s no law against submitting applications with different types of contracts. However, there wasn’t time for an appeal—those can take months. So, we resubmitted the application showing only self-employment income. A month later, Allen’s visa was approved, and three weeks after that, his family’s visas were also granted.
Allen:
“To be honest, the digital nomad visa turned out to be the best option for us. It’s valid for three years, extendable for another two, and then we can apply for permanent residency. Plus, we can invest our savings, which is much more beneficial.”
Adapting to Life in Spain
The family has been living in Spain since submitting their visa application, and according to Allen, the adjustment has been smooth.
One big advantage, even compared to Turkey and Argentina, is that almost everyone speaks English here. In Turkey, it was incredibly difficult—even the couriers only spoke Turkish. In Spain, I don’t feel any discomfort at all about not knowing Spanish.
The couple is taking their time to find the perfect place to settle down—they want to figure out where they feel most at home.
Allen on Working with ClickToSpain
“ClickToSpain’s approach is fantastic—they truly care. It’s personal, not robotic, and they really want to help you find a solution. We loved that they were always available to stay in touch with us.”