My Spain Story: Stacey Taylor, arriving on a tourist visa and getting work permission through “arraigo social”

By
Bruno Bianchi
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Residency experiences in Spain can feel like a roller-coaster journey – we know, we remember those frustrating days. That’s why in this SpainGuru blog series, we’ve interviewed successful expats so they can share a more personal side of their residency experience.

We hope this series helps guide those who have some of the same questions and are in the same spot as we were once in our residency decision/process in Spain. 

Expat: Stacey Taylor, US, co-founder of SpainGuru

Where do you currently live in Spain?

Madrid

Have you lived in any other cities/regions/Communidades in Spain?

Yes but temporarily as a student in Sevilla – summer 2007.

What year did you arrive in Spain to live?

August 2008

What kind of visa or permit did you initially come to Spain with?

Tourist Visa

What kind of permit or visa do you currently have?

Work and Residency Permit for Cuenta Ajena (Contracted Worker) through Arraigo Social (although I do have Pareja de Hecho with my Spanish partner).

How long did it take you to go through that process?

I made the cita previa to submit my application documents in March 2012. I started prepping the documents for the application in Summer 2012. I applied for the arraigo work permit in September 2012, and I received the approval in February 2013. I got my NIE card around April 2013.

How many different visa/permit processes have you gone through in Spain?

(Tourist, Student, Work Permit, Pareja de Hecho, Marriage, Nationality) Arraigo Social (Cuenta Ajena) and Pareja de Hecho

What process (if you have done several processes) was the easiest and/or the most difficult to go through?

The most difficult process was the Arraigo Social Work Permit process. At the time that I went through it there was very little information, especially in English, that was clear and concise regarding how to go about getting it. I spent a lot of time (and money) on speaking with lawyers, going to Extranjería and asking via word-of-mouth from other Non-EU foreigners who had been through the process. The easiest has been the Pareja de Hecho process as I had already been living in Spain for a long time and mostly all of the documents I needed I could obtain in Spain.

What is something you regret about your whole legal process for Spain? Anything you wish you would have done differently?

I wish I had found a better lawyer from the beginning. I was sadly working with one who I felt overcharged me and didn’t hardly do much of anything with regards to support or answering my questions clearly. In general, you can do the Arraigo process on your own but I truly do believe it came in handy to have a lawyer review the documents I had showcasing that I had been living and contributing to Spanish society over my first 4 years here “irregularly.”

How much longer do you see yourself in Spain?

I’m in Spain indefinitely for the time being, but never say never.

How does Spain compare to your home country? Why do you prefer living here?

I am originally from the US – from Saint Louis, Missouri to be exact. I have come to the conclusion that there is no perfect place in the world but you have to find what works for you at that specific moment in your life. What I like most about living in Spain so far is that with very little money you can live quite well. Obviously it all depends on what “living well” means to you.

I love that Spain has a little bit of everything terrain wise, meaning whether I want to spend time in the mountains or by the sea it is all just a few hours’ drive away (nothing at all like where I come from where it could take 10 hours by car to get to the sea). I am also a big fan of their social security benefits, public transportation, availability to being a member of a Trade Union no matter what sector you work in, and the 3-euro bottles of delicious wine.

As someone who is from the Bible Belt in the US – I have actually found a lot more similarities between people from Spain (especially from those who aren’t originally from the big city centers of Madrid or Barcelona) and those from my part of the US. I cannot say that my life here is better than it would have been in the US but it is different and it is good enough for me right now at this moment in my life.

What is your current profession in Spain?

I work as a Project Assistant in the Clinical Trial Management sector.

What have been your past professions in Spain and for how long?

I started out as an English teacher (like basically every other Native English speaker I know who has come to Spain) working in mostly academies for 4 and a half years. I worked in a private school (colegio privado) for a year and as an Online Marketing Assistant for another year. I have spent the past 3 years in my current sector and find it works for me and my needs for the time being.

How easy or difficult has it been for you in Spain to find a job? (Especially in a country with such high unemployment)

Well, I’m not going to sugar-coat it. I arrived just a few months before the 2008 crisis started and as an English teacher I never had an issue finding work. But when it has come to the job market outside of the English teaching bubble it hasn’t been the easiest process.

When I made the transition from teaching I was currently on “paro” (unemployment benefits) and was somehow lucky in that I was able to convince my former employer that I could do the job with very little previous experience.

When I decided to leave the Marketing sector I made another big leap and somehow once again was lucky enough to be able to convince my former employer that I would be able to handle the job in the Clinical Trial sector where I currently work. I want to make it clear that I have struggled here. I have been on “paro” twice and I have had a lot of cultural issues with regards to the work culture here in Spain.

I’m not surprised when a lot of my foreign friends tell me that they’re freelancers or own their own companies because working within the Spanish work culture (whether corporate or small business) has not been an easy task, especially with my North American educational and work ethic background. Just stay open to your options and never be afraid to try something new or leave something that isn’t working.

Any future goals for your life here in Spain both personally and professionally?

Personally, my Spanish partner and I are planning on buying land soon and building our own ecological home out in the mountains of Madrid. Professionally, for now I will continue my work in the corporate sector but I have a feeling that if I continue to stay in Spain long term, I will end up starting my own company in the future.

Any tips for those still deciding whether to stay long term to live in Spain?

In the exact words of my friend and other Guru – Tina Samson – “Staying in Spain, or any foreign country, is not for everyone. Those who persevere and want to lay down their roots and develop their lives in another place is not easy at all. If you decide you are willing to invest the effort, it will pay off. If you find yourself complaining and don’t have the will and the determination to resolve issues, keeping in mind there’s a multitude of resources out there to help you, then it’s probably best you make the most out of your experience and then go back.”

By Stacey Taylor, co-founder of SpainGuru

Social media: LinkedIn

What’s your Spain story?

If you would also like to share your personal residency experience on SpainGuru, please send your responses to hello@spainguru.es along with:

  • any social media accounts or blog/website links you wish to include promoting yourself or your business
  • 1-3 photos of yourself (it is up to you but we would like at least 1)

Thanks so much!

Shaheen, Stacey and Tina

Useful links

Need help with your residency and work status in Spain? Make a consultation with a trusted law firm here.

Also read SpainGuru co-founder Shaheen Samavati’s Spain story here

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