Posted: Wed Mar 4, 2020 1:32pm
Hi, we got our residencia a year or so ago and I wrote a post describing our experience which you may find useful. Search " residencia" and "Cehegin" and you will find it. Jim's Guides accessed from the RHS of this page has lots of vital information.
We had to wait nearly 6 months for our appointment. At the time, Brexit was possibly going to happen on 31/3/2019 so there was great demand and we went to an overflow office instead of the main Oficina de Extranjeria on the northern edge of Murcia city. I don't think there is any delay now but you must have an appointment.
No, you don't need a registered translator but you will definitely need a fluent Spanish speaker and ideally someone who understands the system. We always use Carolina from Cehegin whenever we need a translator. She will arrange everything for getting residencia, from making the appointments to providing the forms and accompanying you to the office. Her mobile is 616139175.
You will definitely need to prove that you have health cover. S1 forms if you are retired or private cover if not. My post which I have already mentioned should answer your question about which other documents are required.
Minimum bank balance!! It seems to depend on what day of the week it is, what the weather is like, whether Real Madrid won their last match and who you happen to be talking to. Sorry, that's not much help but I don't know a definitive answer. Supposedly you need an income equal to at least IPREM which is about 6,500 Euros pa, just over 8,800 Euros for a couple. Some members of this forum have not had to prove income, owning an asset (their home) has been enough. They may be "tightening up" the system as we progress through the transition phase of Brexit so I would think it would be advisable to sort your residencia muy pronto.
Good luck!
Just remembered - you need to have a Padron which is no older than 3 months.