BCN Life - Expert Barcelona Relocation & Visa Services

BCN Life hizo posible esta mudanza para nuestra familia. Un amigo que recientemente había utilizado sus servicios me recomendó la empresa de Akida y Lia Mashaka. A principios de enero decidimos que en el próximo otoño queríamos que nuestra hija y nuestro hijo pudieran comenzar la escuela en España. Hugh Donagher fue nuestro contacto principal con la empresa para obtener una visa no lucrativa mientras aún vivíamos en los Estados Unidos. Según nuestra ubicación, se nos pidió que utilizáramos el Consulado español de Los Ángeles. Akida y Hugh estaban al tanto de todos los requisitos y matices de trabajar con el consulado de Los Ángeles, los plazos de documentación y las preferencias de trámites. Sin su experiencia, habría sido una transición no navegable. Akida y Hugh no solo nos conectaron con los traductores y proveedores de seguros necesarios, sino que también nos ayudaron a encontrar una empresa que pudiera ayudarnos a programar las citas requeridas en el consulado. La navegación por la solicitud de visa se sintió como una línea de tiempo hacia atrás, ya que tuvimos que pagar tarifas de matrícula no reembolsables para asegurar espacios en las escuelas para nuestros hijos incluso antes de obtener citas para las visas. Pero Hugh y Akida nos aseguraron que podríamos hacer este movimiento y fueron increíbles al ayudarnos a ejecutarlo.
Como testimonio de su destreza, mientras esperaba mi cita, fui testigo de cómo la mujer que estaba delante de mí rompía a llorar mientras intentaba pasar por el mismo proceso que yo. También había trabajado con un abogado para ayudarla a prepararse para la cita consular, pero le faltaban documentos clave (lo que puede significar que es posible que deba comenzar el proceso desde cero). Después de la interacción polémica, me acerqué al escritorio y la recepcionista me dijo que sí, sabía que tenía que volar para la cita, pero que si algo no estaba bien, tendría que irme a casa. Gracias a la diligencia de Hugh, pasé por toda la cita y de hecho recibí elogios del secretario de mi organización. Cuando llegué a la mañana siguiente para la cita para la visa de mi hijo, ella estaba feliz de verme y sabía que todos mis trámites estarían en orden.
También es muy agradable trabajar con Akida y Lia porque no sólo han trabajado con muchos consulados de España en Estados Unidos, sino que también tienen conexiones increíbles por toda Barcelona. Lia y Oriol trabajaron con nosotros en la búsqueda de pisos. Las conexiones de Lia con agentes y empresas de bienes raíces, así como con la comunidad de expatriados, son fundamentales para su éxito. Lia también tiene un conocimiento increíble sobre los vecindarios alrededor de la ciudad, qué cuadras son tranquilas, transitables, tienen buen tránsito… básicamente todos los elementos esenciales que son imposibles de determinar sin haber vivido ya en una ciudad. Lia fue increíblemente perspicaz sobre qué pisos serían adecuados para nuestra familia según las razones por las que queríamos vivir en Barcelona. Ella y Oriol nos brindaron increíbles recorridos en video a pie por los apartamentos y los vecindarios alrededor de los pisos. Una vez que encontramos un apartamento y nos ayudaron a negociar nuestro contrato de arrendamiento, Oriol pudo trabajar con el propietario para que el piso estuviera listo para nosotros a nuestra llegada al país. Tuvo tres asistentes fantásticos para ayudarnos a mudarnos a nuestro apartamento. Oriol nos ayudó a cambiar todas las facturas de servicios públicos a nuestro nombre y nos presentó a nuestro propietario (y haber hecho que Lia y Oriol investigaran a un propietario también es de gran ayuda).
Pero el servicio de mudanzas que presta BCN Life no acabó ahí. Reubicarse en España no solo requiere la visa, sino también la documentación y el registro ante el gobierno nacional y de la ciudad una vez que llegue, que al igual que la visa, es un proceso de varios pasos. Dentro de las dos semanas de nuestra llegada, obtuvimos nuestro empadronamiento y completamos nuestras citas para la solicitud de TIE. Todo en agosto cuando la mayor parte de España está cerrada.
Por eso recomiendo absolutamente trabajar con BCN Life. Todos trabajaron juntos para disminuir nuestro estrés, ayudarnos a superar un proceso complicado y ejecutar con éxito una mudanza internacional con adolescentes. También sé que cuando tenga preguntas en el futuro, puedo contar con su experiencia.

BCN Life es una excelente empresa. El personal, particularmente Hugh Donagher y Lia Mashaka, fueron extremadamente eficientes y serviciales. Me dieron toda la información y los formularios necesarios para solicitar la visa no lucrativa, así como el permiso de residencia. Además, su ayuda para encontrar un apartamento adecuado para mí es de un valor inestimable. En esencia, mi mudanza a Barcelona fue tranquila y sin contratiempos. Recomiendo ampliamente BCN Life.
Brenda Spears

No hay respuesta a múltiples mensajes enviados a través de varias plataformas. Aparentemente fuera del negocio.

Envié un formulario de contacto en línea solicitando ayuda para solicitar una Visa Dorada; nunca supe de ellos.

Hacer una mudanza internacional es intimidante y, a menudo, bastante desalentador, pero Lia, Hugh y el equipo han hecho que el proceso sea mucho más sencillo y han brindado un gran alivio del estrés y tranquilidad a lo largo del camino. Desde ayudarnos a encontrar un gran apartamento y recibirnos en nuestro nuevo hogar a nuestra llegada con las llaves en mano, hasta ayudarnos con las cuentas bancarias, el teléfono, el WiFi y los trámites para la visa, BCN Life ha sido nada menos que esencial e increíblemente servicial. ¡Recomiendo encarecidamente esta increíble empresa para su mudanza a Barcelona!

My wife and I have nothing but good things to say about BCN Life. From apartment finding, to getting our utilities, bank accounts and cell phone plans in place, they were extremely helpful every step of the way. Thinking back to all of the steps that Lia and team worked alongside us on or on our behalf, there is no way we could have replicated this work as quickly as they did or without the stress.

Thank you Hugh, Lia, and Oriol.we are very grateful for you!

Hugh, Lia, and the whole BCN Life team greatly simplified my move to Barcelona. I immediately felt the stress start to melt away as the team reassured me that they had my back and would be able to help me land on my feet. With their help, I found an amazing flat in Gracia and navigated many of the challenges of starting life abroad. Many thanks to the BCN Life team!

Moving to a different country was a very daunting experience consisting of many complex steps. I eventually realized that it was a bit too much for me to handle on my own, and I contacted BCN Life - a decision I’ve not once regretted since. They helped me secure a long term rental just days after my arrival, get settled in, and to sort out the countless documents needed by the authorities. Interacting with them has been a pleasure, they’ve been professional throughout and have adapted very well to my wishes and feedback. I’d highly recommend them?

Cuando decidí mudarme de Estados Unidos a Barcelona, ​​supe que necesitaba ayuda. Investigué varios servicios de reubicación y, con la recomendación de un amigo, elegí BCN Life y estoy muy contenta de haberlo hecho.
No son la empresa más barata, pero obtienes lo que pagas. Lia y Hugh hicieron todo mucho más fácil. Desde encontrar un piso hasta encargarse de todos los trámites, ellos se encargaron de todo.
Una vez llegué a Bcn, Hugh me recibió en mi nueva casa con las llaves. Como nos conocimos por primera vez en una reunión de Zoom, fue muy agradable tener una cara amigable y familiar esperándome después del largo viaje desde AZ.
Ofrecen "integración social" con algunos de sus paquetes, y fue un cambio de vida. He conocido y me he hecho amigo de muchos lugareños y expatriados por igual.
Su servicio no se detiene una vez que estás instalado. Han seguido ayudándome con los pequeños problemas del apartamento, entrando en el sistema sanitario español, abriendo cuentas bancarias, consiguiendo mi Padrón y cualquier cosa que se presente en el camino.
Como antiguo propietario de empresas de alto nivel, estas personas son DE PRIMERA CLASE. Si quieres tener mucho estrés, posibles barreras idiomáticas, no entender cómo funcionan las cosas aquí, entonces no los contrates. Sin embargo, si quieres una mudanza mínimamente estresante, haz lo que hice yo, contrátalos y no te arrepentirás.

To simply say thank you to the team at BCN Life doesn’t capture my family’s gratitude. We are deeply and eternally grateful for the expert guidance and care they have shown helping us begin our new chapter in Barcelona. Lia and Akida were thorough, knowledgeable, kind and available whenever needed them. Our apartment hunt ended in the perfect place for our family. They vetted schools for us, helped with immigration issues, and introduced us to new people here in the city. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

I could not have hoped for better services from Lia, Akida and their staff. They helped me find and secure an incredible apartment when I was still overseas.

Once I got there, they helped me navigate the Spanish bureaucracy with ease (believe me, you won't be able to figure it out on your own). And finally, my bank account and all other utilities were set up in no time.

BCN Life has definitely made my move in Barcelona a breeze!

We hired BCN-Life to help us navigate the complexities of immigration to Spain, to advise us on finding a great apartment in a great neighborhood, and to help us avoid costly mistakes. They have exceeded our expectations on all fronts. We are extremely happy with our new home in Barcelona. The process was as smooth as glass. And there were no mistakes or extra costs. You should absolutely hire BCN-Life to help make your own immigration plans become a reality.

In the complexity of the Real Estate market of Barcelona, the help of Lia and BCN-life was absolutely essential to find the appropriate flat for our son. We apreciated her precious guidance. Lia is very competent, reliable and client oriented. We had choice and felt completely understood in our needs. We thank her for her patience and tenacity to deliver the best. We would definitely recommend BCN-life. The outcome is worth the price.

These guys are worth every penny. We hired them to help us A-Z with our relocation from US to BCN. They have a team in place to help with whatever comes up. They helped us get our visas, secure a lease and get our NIE/TIE. They are responsive and they know the Spanish system. Thank you guys!

After a year of planning, we have finally arrived in Barcelona and could NOT have done it without Lia and Akida at BCN Life. Wow! From the first time we spoke with them, we felt that they really got us and understood the type of experience we were hoping to have in Spain.

They provided excellent guidance to help the daunting non-lucrative visa (NLV) application process go as smoothly as possible – the ins and outs and current information they have that go beyond the requirements found on the Spanish Consulate site had us well prepared and set up for success. Not only did they find us an absolutely incredible flat in Gracia (a neighborhood that perfectly suits our family and interests), they reviewed the terms of the contract and were in regular contact with the owner and property manager to ensure we had everything we needed when we arrived. And Lia was there to greet us with keys in hand! Last, but not least, they helped our kids get enrolled in a local trilingual school – the school that was our first choice out of the many great options that they shared, most of which were not found through our own online research. (After recently touring the school with the Directora, we’re even more thrilled to have our kids going there this year.)

They also have multiple contacts in Barcelona and, once we arrived, immediately put us in touch with associates to open a local bank account and set up local phones to help ensure important on-the-ground logistics were quickly taken care of.

Their wealth of knowledge about the city, culture, language, schools, bureaucracies, housing, and recreation is so extensive. Being ex-pats themselves, they have been through the relocation process and completely know what it takes. Therefore, they offer the unique perspective of both that of ex-pats and that of long-time locals.

Throughout the entire experience, we felt supported and knew we were in good hands. They were so professional, communicative, honest, good humored, and readily available – even with the 9-hour time difference between California and Spain. If you’re thinking about or are in the process of moving to Barcelona, I cannot recommend BCN Life highly enough!

We greatly appreciated the services provided by Lia and Akida in our transition from NYC to Barcelona. They are a pleasure to work with - knowledgeable, helpful, and responsive. Thanks to their assistance we had an easy transition to our new city with a wonderful apartment and support with handling all sorts of bureaucratic obstacles. We were grateful for their professionalism and would recommend their relocation support highly to anyone interested in a move to this incredible city.

Bon dia! Should have written this long ago, but having too much fun! It's been one year this week since I visited Barcelona for the first time. It's been five months since my husband and I landed in Barcelona with our NLV's in hand, thanks to Akida and his crew at BCN Life. We could not have made this happen without their help. We used this service through the visa process, which took about three months start to finish, and then again when we arrived in Barcelona. They literally walked with us through the process of getting our empadronamientos and our NIE cards in Barcelona. If you're looking for a service to provide good honest help, good communication and follow through as they say they will, BCN Life is it! Thank you Akida and crew for making this dream come true. We are loving our stay in Barcelona.

My wife, and our friend came to Barcelona for our second time last year with the hopes of moving here this year. While visiting last year we found the information for BCN Life and called them up. They sent us their services and pricing sheet. Believing that I am a smart person my first thought was that I could save money and figure out the visa and emigration process myself and not have to use BCN. My wife and friend convinced me I was too busy to do it myself so I agreed to the basic service. Once we got into it I realized that I really couldn’t have done it myself and in fact we hired them for their other services. We are now living her and very happy. It would not have been possible for us without BCN. If you are intended in moving to Barcelona I highly recommend them. There friendly and good customer service mane it a pleasure to work with them. We gave them some challenges both with the visa and housing and they got us through them with a smile.
Thank you BCN Life for helping to give us this opportunity.

My family is working with BCN life to achieve our goal of time abroad with the family.

When I began encountering difficulties in obtaining the non lucrative visa for Spain, I sought counsel from several sources. After reading information on their website, I reached out to BCN life. Akida and his team took time to understand where we were in the process, what was our goal and desired date for arrival and what specific difficulties we were having. After having a clear understanding of our circumstances, BCN life helped us to meet some of the requirements for the non lucrative visa, specific to our consulate.

All of this work occurred during August which is notoriously difficult due to most people taking vacation during this month!

What I have been most impressed with is how Akida and his team excels in communication. They will check in with you to see how the process is going and if there is anything they can do on their end to help with the process. I have been very impressed with the services they offer and I would not hesitate to use them for any services you or your family need as you relocate to Spain.

*****UPDATE*****

As a result of added diffictulties from COVID restrictions, we had a delay in our relocation journey. With a year of experience under our belt, we repeated the process and engaged with BCN Life and their relocation services. This was an excellent choice. The team at BCN Life has an expert understanding of the rental process and the timing to ensure a smooth transition. During our process we followed the recommendations of the BCN Life team regarding timing and they were 100% correct. As a result of using their services we were greeted with a handshake, a hug, and the keys to our new apartment upon arrival. With so many steps on the relocation process, consider using BCN for some, if not all, of your relocation needs.

Akida and the BCN Life team made the transition process *so* easy. They worked with our situation and guided us through, giving us confidence and a sense of security in an often precarious pursuit. (And, given the stresses of people at a consulate, getting visas, it’s very obvious that services like BCN Life are crucial to easing the process.) Highly recommend — and we’ll worth the cost!

BCNLife was a super helpful service for relocating to barcelona. Akida and Lia helped me and my partner to get our NIE numbers and bank accounts.
Akida also spoke with our renting agency to reduce our deposit significantly, which saved us a lot of money.
I would recommend them 100% to anyone trying to navigate the Spanish beurocratic system alone. The price is worth it for the assistance provided.

Akida, Lia and their team in BCN Life were fantastic in helping me relocate to Barcelona. His team helped my through the entire process getting my NIE card, they organised all the appointments and all documentation needed. They set me up with the exact kind of bank account I needed here in Spain, making sure I got the best account to suit my circumstances. They then found me a great gestor to help pay my taxes and completely simplified the entire process of becoming autónomo in Barcelona.

Akida also went out of his way negotiate a lower deposit for my apartment and jumped through hoops to help me settle in Barcelona. I can't recommend their services enough!

Even if your family member moved to Barcelona and then helped you move there it wouldn’t be easier or feel more welcoming than the experience BCN Life gives you. Highly recommend them.

I am so happy that I decided to use BCN Life for my move to Barcelona! They guided me throughout the entire process of getting my VISA and finding an apartment. Even after I was living in Barcelona for a couple months, they still helped me find a dog walker when I asked for their advice.

I used BCN Life when I was reallocating from Lisbon to Barcelona. I can only highly recommend BCN Life. I felt from day one that I was taking good care of. They some me great apartments, giving a tour of the wonderful areas. They really listened to my needs and went the extra mile. They also helped me with practical things, which made it son much easier to settle down in BCN, as setting up internet, phone, bank accounts and even connected me with other expats. I can only give the best recommendation for the excellent service!

Akida of BCN Life was a lifesaver to me! I had to move very suddenly and quickly in May, during the pandemic lockdown, and had rigid requirements for an apartment but no time to seek one out. Akida found exactly what I asked for within a day of my request, and I moved right on time. BCN Life continues to provide me with information and assistance when I have questions typical to tenant life here in Barcelona, but still new to me. I am so glad I followed a friend's recommendation and hired BCN Life to help me relocate!

As a very anxious person already and now moving all the way to Spain; Akida and Lia helped to make my move seamless. From obtaining an apartment to getting my NIE in a timely manner (and we all know what a mission that and getting almost anything else done in a timely manner can be). They have provided support for me even after all the formalities which has helped to adjust quite quickly to life in a foreign country. I highly recommend their efficient and affordable service!

Lia and Akida were instrumental in the success of our NIE numbers. From the first phone call, they were thorough, helpful and made the process super simple for our family. I can't say enough about BCN Life and highly recommend them for all of your relocation needs.

BCN Life provided professional, friendly service during our NIE renewal process. Their local expertise abt all things Barcelona is incredibly valuable for people looking to re-locate.

Lia and Akida have been lifesavers for myself and my daughter since we arrived in Barcelona Spain. I am so glad that I found them. They helped me to get my daughter into one of the best and hardest schools to get into here and at last minute too I might add. They even went with me to many places so that I didn’t get lost and helped me with getting our residence cards at last minute as well.again another lifesaver. They also helped me get a bank account (after I had tried unsuccessfully seven times by myself!). They have gone above and beyond and I would strongly recommend if you speak English and are moving to Barcelona Spain to contact them. They have also become my friends while living here and they are a super sweet couple and very nice people to work with️

We utilized their service for our visa renewal process and it was super easy (and nothing related to paperwork is easy in Spain). Super professional and very prompt. Set up all the appointments, told us exactly what was needed in terms of documents and all was communicated in English. Highly recommend this company. Took away all the stress of the process and sped up the process significantly. Thank you so much for everything.

I recently moved to Barcelona. Without the help of BCN Life I would be have been lost. They helped find me the perfect flat in the perfect neighborhood. House Hunters International look out, you have serious competition!

I have just moved to the perfect (even more than perfect!) flat in a great location, and all that thanks to Lia and Akida. They kept me informed during all the process, answered any questions I had and I didn't have to worry about anything (even the temporary housing between my arrival and the date I could enter the flat). I totally recommend BCN Life!