Vera Liprandi, Partner at the Tenerife office of De Cotta Law
Since 1st January 2021 British citizens who wish to buy or inherit rustic land in the Canary Islands must obtain a military authorization, in accordance with an old law applicable to non-EU citizens and companies. This regulation affects more than 1,500 municipal areas in Spain, and due to Brexit, the law became applicable to British citizens as well. Initially, it also affected some urban properties, but the authorities later clarified that urban properties not located in border aareas or areas with special military planning are exempt from this outdated requirement.
To obtain the authorization, various documents must be submitted, including:
- A criminal record certificate with The Hague Apostille and sworn translation
- A notarized copy of the buyer’s passport
- A location map and property plan
This regulation originally applied to all foreign individuals and companies, including
Spanish companies with over 50% foreign ownership. However, EU and Schengen
citizens/companies were later exempted. We hope that Spain and the UK will reach a
similar agreement in the future, as this is an outdated and burdensome regulation for many
buyers.
At De Cotta Law, we are fully equipped to assist you with this process, we offer in-person
legal support and can guide you through the military authorization process and all aspects
of property acquisition. For assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us by email at [email protected] or [email protected] or call us on +34 922 719520.