If you are coming from overseas, there are a few special considerations you should keep in mind. Even if you are coming from a country that speaks Spanish (or you speak Spanish), there will be a multitude of changes for you to assimilate in the beginning, and anything you can do to lessen that will help you adapt more quickly.

Here are the main legal aspects to consider if you are going to move to Spain.

When a Non-EU National takes up residence in Spain they may import their household possessions free of customs duty. This is a once only concession. It is not dependent on the purchase of property.

All major brands of electrical good are available in Spain so it is not actually necessary to import anything. The electricity Supply is 220 Volt and 50 cycles with a standard European two or three pin plug. All your other electrical goods should work fine, just change the plugs (preferable) or buy adapters available locally.

If you are moving as a family, the area where you decide to live will have a big impact upon your lifestyle, so there are a few things you should think about before you begin to look at houses. If you choose to live in the centre of the town or city you have chosen, which is a common choice in Andalucia, you will have access to all the shops and services you should need, many within walking distance, and others by taking public transport.

Following are some basic considerations you should keep in mind when shopping for a family neighbourhood in Andalucia. The area where you decide to live will have a big impact upon your lifestyle, so there are a few things you should think about before you even begin to look at houses.

Traditionally, in Spain the birthday was not celebrated; rather, it was the "santo", or saint´s day, that was the day one celebrated becoming a year older. These celebrations were minimal compared to what they have become in recent years.

You can save money on education at all stages in Andalucia - even for adults and third-age students. Beginning with nursery, it is not hard to find municipally-subsidised care that might cost less than 100 euros per month - slightly more if your child stays for meals. Pre-school (Infantil) is now offered free of charge in most municipalities, and takes place on primary school campuses.

Originally known as 100 peseta stores in pre-euro times, these offer a wide range of goods, from clothes and shoes to pet equipment, kitchen goods, stationery, DIY and fashion accessories. Often Chinese-owned these days, many of their goods are of dubious quality, although you can find great bargains - basic household chemicals and cleaning products.

Every municipality in Spain has a public office dedicated to informing you, the consumer, regarding your rights and responsibilities in the case you should have any doubts. The offices are known as "OMIC", which stands for "Oficina Municipal de Información al Consumidor". Ask at the town hall to find out where yours is located.

FACUA-Consumers in Action is a non-governmental and non-profit organization. Since its foundation in 1981, it has been dedicated to the defence of consumer rights. FACUA can be considered a progressive, democratic, plural and participatory organization, independent from government, political parties, religious ideologies and business interests.

To register a complaint against a bank or other financial entity in Spain, the process is as follows. The first thing you must do is to register a written complaint with the customer service department (servicio al cliente) of the institution in question. Be sure that you leave one copy with the company and have another stamped with the date received. In the case that your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction, you will need this documentation later.

An important part of the lead-up to Christmas for Andalucians involves one of their favourite pastimes - shopping. This isn't just about making purchases, whether gifts or food for one of the big family meals; it's about browsing, wandering through stores looking at things, discussing them - at length and in detail - with friends and family (jamon, decorations, belen figures, shoes, kitchen equipment) over coffee.

The Christmas season in Andalucia starts much later than those from northern Europe and North America might expect. The smell of chestnuts roasting over fires tended by street vendors will begin to waft past you as of November, and that will continue until the Three Kings make their visit to local homes in January.

The Royal Decree 240/2007 requires that everybody planning to reside in Spain for more than six months should obtain a Residence Certificate or Card at the local Oficina de Extranjeros.  The TIE card is issued to Non-EU foreigners legally resident in Spain, hence it is a useful document to have to prove your status.

Bureaucracy is never fun. It is even less so when you feel lost and don't know where to start in order to find the information you need and to understand why certain documents and procedures are required. Following is a list of tips and suggestions that can help you cut just about any type of red tape.

There are various legal and professional advisors in Spain that you may need if you purchase property or decide to become a resident. This section is intended to help you understand what the role of different professions is and how they can help you.

Buying and selling property in Spain will most certainly involve different procedures than you are accustomed to in your home country. However, you can make this a smooth experience by learning as much as possible about how these processes work here, and then selecting reliable professionals to walk you through each step involved.

The "padrón" is a municipal list of residents. A "certificado de empadronamiento" refers to a certificate the town hall will give you on request to demonstrate that you are registered on the padron. The process to register is simple and does not require that you have your residency papers in order. It is free and does not incur any additional taxes.

It is possible to carry out either a Spanish or international adoption via the Andalucian Regional Government. However, not everyone is eligible for every type of adoption. As requirements are continually changing, it is best to contact the "Centro de Atención al Niño".