Buying or Renting a Winter Home Overseas: Part 2

The Canary Islands are always a popular choice for a winter home in the sun, but it’s worth bearing in mind that you may face new requirements post-Brexit. Before you start the process of buying a holiday home in the Canaries, you may want to have an idea of what paperwork to prepare.

Renting or buying property in the Canaries is much the same process as in the Spanish mainland. One of the first steps is obtaining an NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero), or Foreigners’ Identity Number, which is essential for performing any kind of financial activity in Spain and Spanish regions, including the purchasing of property. Generally, an NIE should be obtained in the district in which one is buying property. A Power of Attorney may be useful if you are unable to travel to complete the application in person. If you certify a PoA in order to obtain the NIE, this will also facilitate the Deed registration later on.

Non-resident foreigners can apply for mortgages at banks in the Canary Islands – in fact, the process is not significantly different than it is for residents – but it is important to note that the documents submitted in support of your application will likely need to be apostilled and translated into Spanish, unless they are of Spanish origin. This includes:

  • Photocopies of identity documents
  • HMRC tax returns
  • Bank statements
  • Pay slips
  • Marriage certificate (if applying jointly)

Certain countries do not allow foreigners to take out mortgages at all. This is the case in Thailand, another prime destination for a warmer winter home. It is nonetheless not uncommon for foreigners to invest in property in Thailand, owing to the country’s relatively low costs and scenic location.

Foreigners are not actually permitted to purchase land in Thailand – in most cases, unless the land is purchased by a foreigner via a registered Thai business, the land will be held through leasehold by a landlord. This essentially means that foreigners can own property, but not the land it is built upon, which will continue to be owned by the landlord. Unlike outright ownership, leaseholds are only valid for a fixed period, but are generally long term. In Thailand, the maximum duration for a leasehold is 30 years, although it is usually possible to renew after this point.  

A PoA is advisable in Thailand, especially if you do not speak the language. It can be useful to have an agent present in the country who can act on your behalf and communicate in Thai with the landlord. Likewise, any documentation you use in Thailand should be appropriately translated.

Because Thailand is not signatory to the Hague Convention, any documents requiring legalisation, including the PoA, would have to be attested by the Royal Thai Embassy after having been apostilled.

Whatever destination you have in mind for your winter home, you should always check with the relevant authorities to find out which documents you need to prepare and how to prepare them. Once you have this information, we are happy to help you get the paperwork in order as quickly as possible so that you can focus on finding your perfect holiday home.

We offer an express apostille service and can arrange to have your documents notarised as needed before delivering them to the FCDO. We are also happy to arrange translations and attestation by embassies when required, including the Thai Embassy. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any queries.

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