Buenas, I am living about an hour train ride from Barcelona in Manresa.  I have a lot of questions about work visas and how to get around the red tape.  I realize I?m not legal to work here, but their seems to be lots of opportunities.  I know quite a few people from catalunya and they have lots of advice about these kinda things, but I would really like to sit down with another American who has already figure out ?the system?.  I sometimes hear things like, don?t get the health card, tarjeta de salud.  It could be used to determine that you are in the country past your visa.  So, please respond if you have any advice or would be willing to meet with me in Barcelona one of these days. 

Thanks,

Mike

Hmm, specifically regarding the health card, and as one who is kinda in your situation, the Spanish government branches are NOT very well connected nor do they share data. It’s one of the nice things about the bureaucracy is that one can kinda “get lost” in it. They won’t track you based on your health card though, lots of illegal immigrants get it as it’s considered a Right of being in Spain (human right?). It also works in your benefit too; during the last amnesty in 2005, the empadronamiento and health card were considered valid forms of evidence of the date of which you arrived in Spain. Since you’d had to be living in Spain for more than (I think) 6 months and provide evidence to support that, many illegals who had taken the “risk” of getting a health card (and had a work contract, illegally) actually doubly benefited by being granted a work visa!