The office will be closed between 02-02-2024 and 11-02-2024 due to vacations.
Check your insurance documents for the emergency numbers.
Vérifiez vos documents d'assurance pour les numéros d'urgence.
Check your insurance documents for the emergency numbers.
Regards
Salutations
Kind regards
Segurantis - Expatgestoria
The "Non-Resident Income Tax" (GNI) refers to the tax levied on the income of non-residents of Belgium who generate income in Belgium. In other words, it is the return for individuals who do not have a tax residence in Belgium, but do (or do not) receive taxable income from Belgian sources.
The specific rules and rates may vary depending on the type of income (for example: income from real estate located in Belgium, income from employment in Belgium, pensions, benefits, etc.). Certain exemptions or reductions may also apply, depending on bilateral tax treaties between Belgium and other countries. In short, every euro that leaves Belgium and is sent to your bank account must be declared, and that applies to ANYONE.
Keep in mind that the last day to file this return is 24/11 of the current calendar year. Failure to complete it may result in penalties and even the deletion of income.
If you have specific questions about the GNI non-resident tax in Belgium, such as rates, deductions, or how to declare this tax, I recommend that you contact a Belgian tax advisor or the Belgian tax authorities for the most up-to-date information: email to tax.belgium@minfin.fed.be or call 0032 2 572 57 57.
The green card, also known as the International Insurance Certificate or CIS certificate, is a document that proves car insurance abroad. Previously, it was mandatory to carry the physical green card when driving in many European countries.
However, regulations can change, and there was discussion within the EU to remove the requirement to carry a physical green card as electronic systems become more sophisticated and information is more easily accessible.
At the time of writing, the CIS certificate is still a useful document to have with you when traveling through Europe, even if it is not always strictly necessary. After all, it shows that you are insured and can reduce any discussions or problems at a traffic stop or after an accident.
If you are going to travel abroad with your car with Spanish plates, do not forget to ask us for your international certificate. The insurance companies are more and more strict with the provision of this document and they hardly give it for a period longer than 3 months. This is to avoid insurance fraud, as you are not supposed to drive your Spanish car abroad continuously unless it is for professional reasons and the vehicle is registered as a professional vehicle.
If you are leaving for abroad, ask us for the CIS certificate a few days in advance. We will provide you with it free of charge in paper or digital version.
The new animal welfare law came into effect on Sept. 29, 2023 , but not all of the law's measures are already in place. This is due to the fact that the Spanish government is currently not yet formed or is still in negotiations for a new government formation. It is not yet known when these measures will take effect. Some of the measures yet to be developed are:
The law provides for economic penalties ranging from 500 to 200,000 euros for people who fail to comply with the aspects of the law that are already in effect. If the violation is minor, the fines are 500 to 10,000 euros; if the violation is serious, the fines are between 10,001 and 50,000 euros; and if the violation is very serious, the fines are between 50,001 and 200,000 euros and the animal will or may be confiscated.
GNI, or "Non-Resident Tax," in Belgium is a tax levied on the income of non-residents who receive certain income from Belgium. Unlike residential taxpayers, who pay tax on their worldwide income, non-residents pay taxes only on income derived from Belgian sources unless there is an agreement with the country of residence to avoid the double taxation waiver treaty.
There are several categories of income that may be subject to this tax, including income from employment performed in Belgium, rental income from Belgian real estate, income from a Belgian company, pensions, benefits, profits of all kinds, allowances, ...
GNI rates and rules can vary depending on the type of income and the specific circumstances of the non-resident. In addition, double tax treaties that Belgium has with other countries may affect how and where the tax is levied.
If you have specific questions about your situation or need more detailed information about BNI, it is advisable to contact a Belgian tax advisor or the Belgian tax authorities. You can find out if you need to file a tax return through the WWW.MYMINFIN.BE web portal.
For Dutch, French or customers with a nationality other than Belgian, please contact the tax authorities of your previous country of residence or the country where you were previously employed.
Every owner of a property in Spain (a house, garage, shed, plot of land,...) must pay the annual property tax, better known in Spanish as the Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles (IBI). Per separate cadastre number (this is the registration number of your property), a percentage of property tax will be levied annually. The IBI applies to anyone who owns a home or other type of property in Spain.
The amount of the IBI is set by the municipality of the place where the property is located and is calculated on the cadastral value (valor catastral) of the property. If you have a home in Madrid but also a country house on the coast, both properties will be subject to a property tax, which may differ in assessment rate. The amount of the tax is subject to change.
It is not unusual for sometimes significant increases in the valor catastral to occur as municipalities strive to bring the valor catastral closer to the real market value of the property. More and more municipalities are revising cadastral values.
Most municipalities usually send out this annual tax assessment between June and October , showing the amount payable and the cadastral value along with the property number. It is best to check with your own municipality when the payment is due. This assessment can be paid in person at the municipality (especially the first time) after which one can order that this can be automatically withdrawn from the bank account in the future. Those who have an automatic order drawn up will be notified annually in advance (nowadays by email) about the tax to be paid, from which account it will come and when it will be withdrawn.
It happens in many municipalities that at the same time as the IBI assessment they also send an assessment for paying the tax for garbage collection (recogida de basuras). In addition, owners of parking lots may receive a separate assessment for the cadastral value of that parking lot or you may receive a separate assessment for having plants in your yard.
So you no longer need an intermediary to pay this tax. Many law firms or gestors charge you extra to keep this in order for you annually while this can be paid automatically. Through the IBAN, your international account number for payments across borders, you can perfectly have these taxes paid automatically every year through your bank account in your country of residence.
If you are non-resident in Spain and you have a property (-men), you must file the non-resident declaration (model 210). This tax declaration/obligation must be done once per calendar year and is calculated on the number of days you owned the previous calendar year. The declaration must be filed and paid between January 01 and before December 31. If you are renting then other tax obligations apply.
Depending on the value of the property (calculated on the cadastral value), you will have to pay a corresponding tax,the annual non-resident tax. So this is NOT the IBI or SUMA (!). The IBI or what is sometimes incorrectly called the SUMA is a cadastral tax that must also be paid annually and is levied on the property itself. The non-resident tax is a tax that affects the owner(s) of the property (property = home, garage, storage room, ... anything with a cadastral reference).
Each owner must make this declaration accordingly according to his % share owner. For example a married couple is usually 50%-50% owner, so 2 declarations. For example, if you are 4 owners (2 parents and 2 children who each own a share) then you will have to declare 4 according to the ratio of your property in the whole. This declaration is then made per head per property (the more property you have as a non-resident, the more declarations you will have to make and pay the tax due on it).
Segurantis will begin this campaign in September - October and will contact you if you have already reported wanting to use our service. If you are new and would like to run this service through us please contact us via email info@segurantis.com.
We often read on facebook or other social media all kinds of fabrications of what you should or should not have in your car of documents. What are the mandatory attestations or supporting documents that you, as a driver, must be able to present at all times when official law enforcement agencies ask for them?
We would like to give drivers the correct info once and for all and also where you can check the facebook phrase or cafe talk for their accuracy in the future. We explain this briefly and at the bottom you can check the information via the source.
When driving, there are 3 documents you must always carry with you: driver's license, registration certificate and the ITV card (inspection certificate).
These are the three documents that, for any type of ride, you must carry and be valid when you drive:
Always have these 3 documents, either original or legalized, with you when you drive. This will be the first thing an officer will ask of you if you are stopped or involved in an incident. Remember that since 2008 it is no longer mandatory to have the insurance policy or final receipt in the car.
These documents are also required for rental vehicles. Before driving a rented vehicle, check that the vehicle contains the required documentation.
We ourselves at Segurantis recommend that in addition to these mandatory on-board documents, you should also always have your insurance documents and a collision form handy in case you have an accident.
If you don't have insurance documents or collision forms feel free to jump in and get a free copy. Would you also like a price competitive and fully comprehensive insurance for your vehicle with additional legal coverage up to 10, 000 euros (interpreter included)? Then feel free to make an appointment and we will look into the possibilities for you!
Or you can get an instant quote for your vehicle through our link below:
Neither insurance nor a course for dog owners will be mandatory from Sept. 29, 2023 (!). The government acknowledges that it cannot yet apply all the provisions of the Animal Welfare Law "Ley de Protección de los derechos y el bienestar de los animales.
We have waited a while with our communication and told our customers to be patient because we are in contact with several insurance companies, animal organizations and town halls and they already told us to wait with spreading news because they themselves had not yet received clear instructions on how the law will be applied. With this you are now informed about the latest substantiated news.
The lack of a specific regulation forces the postponement of the obligation of some items of the standard that takes effect Sept. 29.
The Animal Welfare Act will take partial effect. Mandatory liability insurance for dog owners, training courses for new owners and the creation of a national pet registry will not yet be a reality, despite the law going into effect on Sept. 29. The reason? These items required specific additional regulations describing their characteristics, and to date, this does not exist.
The Ministry of Social Rights this week sent a circular to veterinary associations and other relevant government agencies acknowledging that the obligation to obtain liability insurance for all dogs will be postponed until the specific regulations are approved. For now, the obligation will remain only for potentially dangerous dogs.
"In strict legal terms, it does not actually apply until the regulatory development of this provision has taken place in accordance with what is set forth therein," the circular says with regard to liability insurance.
"These regulations are in the form of a Royal Decree and a fully functioning government is needed to approve them," ministerial sources said, confirming that the text is ready to be given the green light, pending a change in the political situation.
For the same reason, the entry into force of the training course to own a dog, the national pet registry and the registry of authorized breeders will also be delayed.
Nevertheless, the implementation of the law will come, the only question is when. We ourselves have already taken the necessary measures and can insure your pet according to the legal requirements that are (not yet) applicable. The insurance can be purchased from 35 euros per year (if included in your home insurance).
The rates for dog insurance per se, suppose the law will require that every pet needs a mandatory separate insurance we can offer in different formulas. Where the insurance can be extended from the legally required for 75 euros per year to the mandatory insurance extended with legal coverage and / or medical coverage.
We will keep you posted as more news on the application of the law comes to light.
Thank you.
Below we give you again the full contents of the Animal Welfare Act.
Basically, the new animal welfare law consists of three fundamental pillars: stop sacrificing (sacrificio cero), stop abandoning animals (abandono cero) and stop mistreating animals (maltrato cero). This new law is an important step because one in three households in Spain has at least one pet. It is estimated that there are more than 29 million pets in Spain, with dogs being the largest group at 9.3 million, and in order to guarantee the rights of these animals, this animal welfare law was created.
The 10 key points of Spain's new animal welfare law
Although the law is still changing, here are already 10 key points you need to know:
The law prohibits leaving our pet or companion animal alone for more than 3 days or 72 hours. This period is reduced to 24 hours for dogs, which must be accompanied before that time.
Moreover, it is also forbidden to regularly keep our pet on terraces, balconies, roof terraces, storage rooms, basements, courtyards and the like or vehicles.
In this way, the sale of these pets is regulated, and only those breeders with the relevant licenses are allowed to carry them out. The participation of intermediaries in the process is prohibited, as well as sales by individuals.
One of the last-minute changes was the change in the Animal Welfare Act project regarding the PPP Act, which would be replaced by sociability testing and the new designation of special-use dog.
In other words, the breeds Pit Bull Terrier, Rottweiler, Dogo Argentino, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa Inu and Akita Inu remain potentially dangerous breeds with all the obligations this entails for their owners: administrative license, short leash, muzzle, not being able to run loose in areas suitable for other dogs. As well as obtaining insurance for PPP dogs specifically designed to protect these breeds.
Regardless, not all has been said, as the General Directorate of Animal Rights remains committed to the idea of repealing the PPP law and introducing a sociability test for dogs classified as potentially dangerous, as well as large dogs.
In this way, killing our pets can only be done for health or medical reasons, never for a financial or economic reason.
All cats should be spayed starting at the sixth month of life, regardless of the cat's breed, sex or situation.
In this way, there will be more control over cats and ferrets, as is currently done with dogs. The goal is to reduce abandonment and control several aspects related to these pets.
All people who want to have a dog as a pet must prove that they have taken a mandatory course for keeping a dog that will be valid indefinitely. The goal is to train citizens in the proper care and maintenance of their dog. This training will be mandatory for both new owners and those already living with their dog in the home.
Although it was already mandatory to have liability insurance for dogs throughout the Madrid region, the Animal Welfare Law stipulates that it will be mandatory for all dogs in Spain to have third-party liability insurance, with the aim of insuring any damage they may cause. At Segurantis we have this mandatory insurance for your pet on offer. For a quote do not hesitate to contact us.
Within 24 months of the law's entry into force, the regulation will be adopted that develops an open and national list that will indicate to citizens which species of animals can be kept at home by Spaniards, as well as those species that, although they have been pets in the past, cannot be kept after the new law comes into force.
As specified in the Official Gazette, dogs with specific activities such as hunting, herding or security are not covered by this new law, so they do not have to comply with everything it stipulates.
What if you are not in compliance with these new regulations
Not having insurance under the new legislation will be divided into 3 types of penalties: a minor, serious and very serious violation. This will range from a warning if you are not in order to repeated disregard of the rules. Not having a Chip will immediately be counted as serious. Fines will range from light 500 euros to serious 10, 000 euros and a high probability of confiscation of the animal (and the associated costs).
Contact us to set up your liability insurance. Your can regulate as little as 35 euros per year. Contact us for terms and conditions.
Segurantis team is ready for you!
If you come to settle in Spain you will have to follow a number of laws, at least if you want to be in order. A general rule that applies within the EU, where there is free movement of people, is that you are considered a tax resident in a country if you stay there for more than 183 + 1 days. You will not be notified or invited of this, it is a given, a status. This tax status means that the country in which you reside can demand that you pay taxes to them because you reside in that country the most (roughly; by your presence you tax that country and there is something in return).
Another form of residency is the European Residence Card, proof of entry in the register of European citizens - "Certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión Europea." This is the "green residency card" which was also previously simply an A-4 document with a green background. Fiscal residency and the European residence card often go together. One must apply for this status and depending on how you wish to settle in Spain (retired, active, inactive, benefit recipient, etc.) you will have to meet other administrative requirements.
Finally, there is a certificate of tax residency. This subject is less known and it is mostly residents in Spain who come into contact with it. The certificate of fiscal residency is what a resident needs, for example, if he or she wishes to sell a property in Spain (a property registered in your name) and avoid the 3% retention. So with this attestation you avoid the 3% retention that non-residents have to pay on a sale. Even if you have the green card and you have lived in Spain for more than 6 months you will still have to request this at testation when selling a property in Spain.
Important note, de Padron - empadronamiento - el certificdo de empadronamiento colectivo, is a certificate of registration in the municipality and says nothing at all about your residency. By being registered in the municipality of Spain says nothing about your fiscal, legal status wherever you are considered resident.