Getting married in Spain-Villanueva de la Concepción

Foreigners who wish to marry in Spain will need certain documents so it is advisable to start the process as soon as possible. You will need a minimum of two months.

Start of proceedings:

The proceedings for civil marriage must always be initiated at the Civil Registry of the municipality in which one of the interested parties is registered or has their permanent place of residence. If the parties are registered in different towns, they may choose the one that best suits their needs.

Place of the ceremony:

Although the prior proceedings are conducted at the corresponding Civil Registry, once the pre-marriage proceedings have been completed, the interested parties may choose to hold the marriage ceremony in any municipality.

The physical place of the ceremony must always be the offices or departments of the Civil Registry of the municipal building where the same is located, or any municipal facilities allocated for said purpose, when the wedding is officiated by the mayor or a councilor.

Under no circumstances may weddings be held in other places such as: restaurants, estates or private homes.

Once final approval for the marriage has been issued, the wedding can take place as soon as the needs of the service so allow.

Marriage Registration

Registration certifies the marriage and the date, time and location at which it took place. It is the means of proving that the marriage took place, and it is the certification that gives legitimacy to the married marital status.

The marriage is legally effective from the moment it takes place, but it requires registration in the Civil Register for full recognition.

The Judge, Mayor or Civil Servant who performs the marriage issues the registration or corresponding certificate with his or her signature and those of the married couple and the witnesses. Once the registration has been processed or the certificate issued, the Judge, Mayor or Civil Servant provides each of the individuals who were married with a document certifying that the wedding took place, which is the Family Book. (Libro de Familia). If you later have children they will be inscribed in this book.

Don’t forget to report your wedding to your own country’s Embassy or Consulate.

If you would like to have a civil marriage in Villanueva de la Concepción, both parties will need to have the following.

• Passport, original and photocopy.
• Full birth certificate.
• Certificate from the British Embassy regarding your Civil Status (see below).
• Empadronamiento Certificate which shows where you have been living the past two years (If in the last 2years you were registered in another locality before the present one, then you have to bring the certificateof the other area also, which shows when you were registered there and when it ended).
• If you are a legal resident in Spain, resident certificate, original and photocopy.
• Photocopy of NIE of your two witnesses.
• Town Hall form completed

All foreign documents that are presented must be also presented with their translation in Spanish. The British Embassy can arrange and advise on what documents need to be translated.

Certificate of Civil Status (Certificado de Estado Civil)

This certificate is issued by your local British Consulate.  It involves swearing an oath/declaring to the effect that you are single and free to marry. If you are divorced or widowed, you must declare as such and present your original divorce decree or a death certificate on making your application for the certificate at the Consulate. In all cases you must present an original copy of your full British Birth Certificate (i.e. the copy which includes your parents’ details) and your valid British passport. You may need to show

• Certificate of Empadronamiento
• Certificate of dissolution/annulment of a previous Civil Partnership/same sex marriage, if relevant.

Please note you may be asked for additional documents to those above if your local Consulate requires further proof of your circumstances.

Once all the paperwork is available and the form from the Town Hall completed then a suitable date can be arranged.

Disabled Parking Card

Who can be cardholders?

In general, a disabled parking card can be obtained if your disability status has been recognized and met the requirements, and those who have significant mobility problems. These are circumstances which have to be accredited by completing the necessary paperwork and assessment by the official bodies who will determine the level of disability.

Once the card has been obtained, the owner of it can use it in any vehicle where they are a passenger, whether or not they are the owner and whether they are driving or not. In all cases when using the card it must be put in a visible place inside the vehicle.

What are the procedures to obtain one?

Normally the person who needs it must apply for it or their legal representative. It is the Town Hall where you live that will grant the card so you need to ask them the procedures to follow. Normally on completion of the forms, they need to be presented to the Town Hall accompanied by the document which confirms their level of disability or reduced mobility.

If the information supplied doesn´t meet the requirements then the appropriate paperwork must be presented within 10 days or it will be assumed that you have withdrawn the request.

Once it has been granted, the card will be issued and once signed will be laminated by the town hall and issued to the cardholder along with the terms of use within the European Union.

Obtaining the Degree of Disability Certificate

The minimum level for qualification as disabled is 33%, that being physical disability, mental or sensory impairment.

It is advisable to see the Social worker at your Town Hall who will be able to explain the procedures and process the application for you. You will need to have a copy of your NIE and residency card or your passport if you have the new type of residencia certificate. If you have a legal representative, a copy of their identification documents and a copy of the power of attorney giving them permission to act on your behalf. An appointment will be sent to you for a medical assessment at the “Centro de Valoración y Orientación”. Be warned the whole process takes time -usually various months.

When you go for the assessment, take all medical and psychological reports which refer to your problems and disability. If you have reports that show your situation has become worse, take them also. The certificate is an official document and will state whether the disability is temporary or permanent and whether a review has to be undertaken and when. You will be assessed by a team which consists of a social worker, a doctor and a psychologist who will decide whether or not you qualify as disabled.

Pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela via Villanueva de la Concepción

The Camino of Santiago has been historically identified as the French Road, which runs from Roncesvalles to Santiago de Compostela. It is in fact a network of roads from different routes that millions of pilgrims have travelled on from all the European capitals.

In recent years the roads have been extended by the Spanish Jacobean Association by restoring others paths; this is due to the amount of pilgrims who have enthusiastically completed the Pilgrimage. The Andalucían associations in particular are restoring the Mozarabic routes to Santiago to make it possible for Andalucians so that they can start the Pilgrimage from their own home as did many Mozarabics in the middle ages.

The Jacobean Association of Málaga has marked out the road from Málaga to Cordoba with the traditional yellow arrows. In the province of Málaga, the Mozarabic road passes through Almogía, Villanueva de la Concepción, Antequera, Cartaojal and Cuevas Bajas. It continues on to Encinas Reales, Lucena, Cabra, Doña Mencía, Baena, Castro del Río, Espejo and Santa Cruz to Córdoba. The result of these efforts is a publication by the Provincial County Council of Málaga under the tourism promotion plan of the reservoirs of the Guadalhorce-Guadalteba under the title “Notes and field notes. Mozarabic road of Málaga”. If you would like to view or download this publication, which is divided into two parts because of its size and the size of the files, click the following links.

Part 1:  http://es.calameo.com/read/0002561124ff829111de6
Part 2: http://es.calameo.com/read/0002561123f72ccbd9b35


The Association of Córdoba has restored the road up to Mérida where it connects to the Via de la Plata which was constructed for trade and war but was also used for the Pilgrims in the medieval days to reach Santiago de Compostela.
If you wish to make the journey on the Mozarabic road of Málaga, you can find out the information by looking at the following documents:

1. Map of Spain

2. Map of Andalucia

3. Topographical map 1:25000

4. Diagram of the route

5. The publication mentioned before “Notes and field notes, Mozarabic road of Málaga”.

6. You can also go to the Jacobean Association of Málaga who meet every Tuesday after 8.00p.m. in the Civic Centre of Limonar in the Street “Calle República Argentina”. The principal objective of these meetings is to inform and help future pilgrims so all are welcome.

Correspondence should be sent to:

Asociación Xacobea de Málaga,  Librería Mapas y Compañía,

Calle Fajardo, no. 4. 29005, Málaga.

General information:

-The Town Halls of Almogía, Antequera, Cuevas Bajas, Málaga and Villanueva de la Concepción.

-  ajacobeamalaga@hotmail.com

Characteristics:

-Level of Difficulty: Medium

Type of Route:

-Hiking

To see photo album and the various maps and diagrams as listed above 1-4, visit the web site of www.malaga.es/provincia/rutas/ficha.asp?tip=4&pag=4 under “Galería de Imágenes and “Datos Adjuntos” near the bottom of the page.

Planning Permission in Villanueva de la Concepción

In 2003, the urban planning law of Andalucía (LOUA) came into force, a land law which was passed as a response to Town planning corruption which was beginning to be revealed on the Costa del Sol. It was passed by the Andalucían Parliament and was made applicable to ALL of Andalucía. Apart from restricting Town Hall planning policies, at the same time it empowered the Guardia Civil and Prosecution authorities to take legal action against the mayors. This new law stipulated what was and what was not allowed and the measures Town Halls had to take in case of failure to comply with the law.

This law has affected small communities such as Villanueva as it relies on the income which comes from Town Planning. It is felt that the law, albeit approved of by Parliament, is unfair to small villages, such as Villanueva as they have no choice but to implement these measures.

Therefore the situation mayors find themselves in is very difficult and unfair, yet very simple - they either comply with the law or they are held criminally responsible and could be put in jail. This can also be said of the local police or the Town Hall architect if they don´t adhere to this law.Villanueva has been currently reviewing building work in the "Campo" because they have no choice but to do so.It is clear and simple - who ever is governing Villanueva, they have no choice but to stick to this law.

It is a complex and somewhat lengthy law so if anyone has any queries or worries, it is best to make an appointment with the Town Hall architect who will be able to explain how it relates to your situation. He is available to the public on Wednesdays but a prior appointment must be made, either at the Town Hall reception desk or see the English speaking person in the Town Hall on Wednesdays from 11-1.00 who will make the necessary arrangements for you.

Fraudulent Gas Inspections

The Royal Decree 919/2006 of the 28^th July 2006 stated:
“Users of containers of gas are responsible for the conservation of them so that they are always in service and used with the appropriate level of security as recommended by the suppliers.
The owner of the gas supply/bottles should ask an authorized company to carry out the periodic revisions. This review is not compulsory where one single container of gas of less than 15kg is connected by a flexible tube or attached directly to a single mobile gas appliance”.

Even though this decree says it is the owner or user of the gas that should ask for a periodic service of their gas installation, certain “companies” send their so called “technicians” to homes saying that they have to carry out a service or make changes to the installation of the gas, as they are not to safety standards, and most of them are NOT necessary. These “technicians” pretend to be the official service agents of the gas distributors or they say they have come from the “Junta de Andalucía” or that they are from the gas industry. Although sometimes they do belong to registered companies, they persuade or threaten the client that they will be cut off from their service if they don´t have the work carried out that they say is necessary, when in fact it is not.

REMEMBER THAT NO GAS INSTALLATION COMPANY CAN CUT OFF YOUR GAS SUPPLY.

These companies usually target the elderly, people living alone and foreigners and the alterations they carry out are usually incomplete, putting them at high risk apart from a huge financial cost.
To prevent these irregularities, it is recommended to keep your gas installation in good working order and above all, never sign a document without speaking to your normal supplier or the company that installed your gas to confirm when your next service is due.

Recommendations

·         Butane gas should be serviced every 5 years and every four years for natural gas. When the service has been carried out the installation company should give you a stamped certificate which you should keep.

·         If you have not made an appointment for someone to come, do not let in nor allow any company to inspect your gas, even if they are very insistent or threaten to stop your supply.

·         Contact your usual supplier as soon as possible e.g. who supplies your gas bottles, they will be able to tell you what to do.

Don´t sign anything, you do not have to use people you do not trust. You are not obliged to allow anyone to enter into your house.

Keeping Animals in Spain

Rules regarding animals

The Town hall is governed by the following orders:- the law of the Consejería de Andalucía of 24^th November 2003 for the Protection of Animals and the law of 23^rd December 1999 regarding the keeping of potentially dangerous animals.

Andalucian Law of Animal Protection- Owners Obligations

The owners of the animals have the obligation to keep the animals -
- In good sanitary and hygienic conditions
- In accommodation adequate for the size and breed
- Provide the feeding necessary for their normal development
- Provide personal identification within three months after their birth
- Provide obligatory injections and treatment for their health
Dogs should wear a collar and lead and always be controlled by their owners in public places.
Excrement left by animals should be removed from public places.

Prohibited Activities
Mistreatment of or physical aggression towards animals.
(Fines imposed may range from €75 - €30,000)
Abandoning animals (Fines from €2,000 to €30,000)
Keeping animals permanently chained (Fines from €500 to €3,000)
Using animals as prizes in fairs or tombolas (Fines from €500 to €2,000€)
Dog and cock fighting (Fines from €2,000 to €30,000)
Keeping animals in places where they cause inconvenience or a nuisance to other people (Fines from €75 to €500)
Selling animals illegally, and selling animals to purchasers less than 16 years of age. 
(Fines from €500 to €2,000)
Exploitation of working animals. (Fines €500 to €2,000)

Leaving poison in public places.  (Fines from €2,000 to €30,000)

Reporting Cruelty to Animals

It is recommended that you contact the Town Hall (Police) or Seprona (Department of the Guardia Civil) in cases of abandonment and of ill treatment. Sometimes it only takes a warning to the owners to resolve the situation.

If you want to report cruelty to animals, you will need to provide answers to as many of the questions listed as possible:-

1. Type of animal e.g. Dog, Horse …
2. Have you witnessed ill treatment?
3. How long have you been witnessing ill treatment?
4. At what times of day or night?
5. What is the animal’s physical condition?
6. Does the animal have shelter from the sun and rain?
7. Have you seen it being fed?
8. Does it have water?
9. Does it have any other type of shelter e.g. Trees?
10. Is it permanently tied up?
11. Does it live with people and/or animals?
12. Is it in Rustic land, urban land or in the town?
13. Have you consulted a professional Vet?
14. Have you taken photos or videos of what has happened to the animal?
15. Would you be willing to be called as a witness?
16. Which official body have you contacted: e.g. Local Town Hall or Seprona (Guardia Civil).
17. Address where the animal is located.
18. Name of an address of animal owner if known?
19. Your personal details: Name: Address: E-mail: Telephone: N.I.E. or Passport number:

If you find a dog do not automatically phone or take it to a dog centre or charity.
Most are usually full to capacity and the dog may have an owner so try these suggestions first.

1.Check if it belongs to any of your neighbours. 
2. Take it to your local vet and they will check to see if the dog is micro chipped. If it is then they will contact the owner.
3. Go to your local Police Station, Dog pound or Vet and ask if anyone has lost the dog. Owners usually go there when they lose a dog.
4. Take a look in the lost pages of Animal Charities and the free papers.
5. If you can keep the dog for a few days, then put a poster in the Veterinaries, Police Station, shops and also send a photo and details to animal charities...
6. If you cannot keep the dog at all then contact your local animal centre/charity to see whether the dog can be taken in or to see if they can suggest where the dog could be taken.

General Rules for Pet Owners in Spain

All domestic pets in Spain must be identified by microchip.
Vaccination against rabies is compulsory. It is also advisable to have dogs vaccinated against other diseases (see below). Cats should be immunised against feline gastro enteritis and typhus.
There is no law against dogs fouling in public places, except in Granada, however people are becoming increasingly sensitive about it and there are specific rules within certain places, such as urban parks. 
Dogs should be kept on a lead in public places.
By law, dogs travelling in a car must be kept away from the driver or restrained.
Generally, dogs are permitted on trains. Sometimes they may need to be contained in a pet carrier, or they may have to be muzzled. Dogs normally travel at half the fare of a 2nd class ticket; this charge is payable directly to the conductor. 

Veterinarians 

The standard of Spanish vets is considered to be very high. 

Vaccinations

All dogs should be given the rabies vaccination and annual rabies booster injections. Other vaccinations are not obligatory, but are strongly recommended. They are the standard vaccinations (and annual booster injection) against Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza and Leptospirosis. Some kennels request that a dog be vaccinated for kennel cough (Bordetella Bronchiseptica).
These are the standard vaccinations prepared and given by a vet. The vet records the dose in the dogs’ health record.

Tick and flea treatments and worming

Ticks and fleas are seasonal and vary depending on the area. Spot-off treatments can be carried out monthly and are effective, these are available at vets.

Buying & Owning a Pet

The seller of a domestic animal has to provide the following documents:

        Sale certificate (Contrato de compra-venta)

    Microchip number and identity card (Formulario de identificación canina)

    Vaccination book signed by the vet.

    Original pedigree document (if applicable)

The new owner of the pet has to:
Vaccinate the animal against rabies when the animal is six months old and keep up to date with rabies booster injections

Lost a pet in Spain?

• Contact local vets and give the pet's identification number
• Contact the Archivo de Identificación del Colegio de Veterinarios:
  Tel: 934 189 294 (office hours)
  Tel: 902 170 401 (24 hour service)
• Report the animal missing at the local police station, and provide a photograph and description of the pet
• Contact SPA (Sociedad Protectora de Animals) to ask for help

Regulated Animals

There are restrictions on owning certain breeds of dog and potentially dangerous animals in Spain. Laws are regulated by the Autonomous Communities (Comunidades Autónomas), which impose a wide variety of rules and regulations within the country. 
In general, the following are considered as dangerous animals and owned under specific conditions: 

• Wild animals including: reptiles (alligators, crocodiles and poisonous snakes), any wild animal weighing over two kilograms, poisonous fish and mammals weighing over 10 Kg when adult.

Note: From October 2008, residents in Andalucía were forbidden from owning exotic or wild animals as pets. Residents had six months to declare their pets at the local town hall and deliver them to the designated authorised establishment. Owners that failed to meet the October 2008 deadline could face a fine. The ban applies to:

• Crocodiles, caimans, poisonous amphibians and fish, snakes, spiders and insects
• All species of reptile that weigh over 2 kilograms when fully-grown
• All primates and wild mammal species that weigh more than 10 kilograms as adults (for carnivores this is limit is 5 kilograms)

All dog, cat and ferret owners in Andalucía are required to register their animals on the Animal Identification Registry of Andalucía (Registro Andaluz de Identificación Animal, RAIA). Owners have three months to register their pets, except for those with a potentially dangerous breed of dog who have one month to obtain the necessary license.

Dangerous dogs in Andalucía

Any person owning a potentially dangerous dog  (perros potencialmente peligrosos) in Spain must have an appropriate license (by law of article 3 of the Royal Decree 287/2002, of 22 of March 2002) and the dog must be registered with the municipality. Handlers and walkers of dangerous or potentially dangerous dogs must also be licensed (article 1, 2 of Law 50/1999, of December 1999). A license is valid for five years. 
Potentially dangerous dog are identified as being in one of three categories: 

1) Breeds and breed crosses classified as potentially dangerous:

• Doberman
• Pit Bull Terrier
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier
• American Staffordshire Terrier
• Rottweiler
• Dogo Argentino
• Fila Brasileiro
• Tosa Inu
• Akita Inu

2) Dogs with certain characteristics of these breeds are also classified as potentially dangerous. The characteristics are:

• Strong musculature, powerful or athletic constitution, robustness, agility, vigor and endurance
• Short hair
• Deep chest (60 to 80 cm), height of over 50 cm and a weight over 20 Kg
• Big, square, head, with a wide skull and strong jaws
• Broad, short and muscled neck.
• Straight, parallel forelegs and muscular hindquarters, relatively long back legs standing at an angle

3) Dogs that have a track record of aggression to humans and other animals must also be licensed and registered.   

Dog owner license application   

The license application is made to the municipality of the place of residence. The applicant must take the following (an applicant must be over 18 years): 

• Proof of identity (passport or residence card) 
• Proof of having no criminal convictions
• Proof of being mentally and physically capable of looking after one of these animals. (There are physical and psychological aptitude tests and a certificate is issued. The certificate must have been issued in the previous 12 months)
• An insurance contract for the dog with a liability of at least €175,000.
• Proof of fully up-to-date vaccinations
• Proof of identification by microchip
• Proof that the dog is or has attended training school

Once accepted, a license is issued. 

Dog registration

Potentially dangerous dogs must be registered with the municipal registry for dangerous dogs (Registro Municipal de Perros Potencialmente Peligrosos). Registration of the dog must be renewed annually.
Documents to take:

• Proof of identification and microchip number's certificate
• Certificate from the vet stating that the dog is in good health

Walking a potentially dangerous dog in Andalucia 

Dog owners or handlers must carry the license and dog registration document when out with the dog. The dog must be muzzled and also restrained by a non-extendable lead when outside of the home on a lead of no more than one metre long . Only one dog may be handled per person. Dangerous animals are banned from entering children's leisure or recreational areas.
Properties housing dangerous dogs must have clear signs, high walls or fences, and strong doors to ensure the dogs can't get out, otherwise they need to be chained up. Owners not adhering to the law can be fined.

Rules regarding the tipping of rubbish and unwanted/old furniture in Villanueva de la Concepción

The timetable for putting rubbish in the bins is from Sunday to Friday 7.00p.m. to 9.00p.m. (as there is no collection on Saturdays). Unwanted/old furniture can be put out between 7.00p.m. and 9.00p.m. on the last day of each month.