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CostaBlancaPeople 6th - 12th July 2021
6th - 12th July - edition 897
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your Essential Weekly Read
‘Military certificate’ law changed
the Ministry of defence has annulled the preconstitutional law that complicated the sale of property to buyers from non eu countries. A
new order issued by the Ministry has now changed the requirements. the regulations had obliged non-eu citizens to request special certification
in order to buy property in areas classified as of strategic interest for national defence. the law dates back to the late 70s and is well known to buyers from countries such as Russia who want to buy property in much of the Vega Baja, adjacent to Cartagena military base. Many in the industry feared that the additional requirements, and lengthy wait for military clearance certificates, would put post Brexit Britons off buying in the area. Areas of orihuela Costa, torrevieja, Pilar de la horadada and San Miguel were directly impacted by the law as, due to their proximity to Cartagena military base, they fall within the strategic military area. there was
public outcry after the requirements became apparent in January, with industry experts calculating that more than 800 property sales per year would be ruined by the law. Provia, the Alicante association of estate agents, appealed directly to the government to intervene, explaining the damage that would potentially be caused by the outdated law. the regulation obliged buyers from ‘third countries’ (non eu states) to provide a whole battery of documentation, including a criminal record check from their home country, plans of the property to be bought, as well as copies of their passport – all officially translated to Spanish. A relief to many when it was announced on Friday, the new order issued by the Ministry of defence indicates that where the land is classified as urban land, or has been approved in the municipality’s plan parcial, a military permit will not be necessary. only homes on
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undeveloped land will need this extra authorisation. Provia expressed its satisfaction with the decision, pointing out that it will pave the way for the arrival of new buyers to the Alicante province. in fact, on Friday when the law had been first changed, the first sale went through without a military cert. up until then, buyers were expecting a wait of between six and eight months for paperwork to come through.