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Do you need a visa to move to Spain?

It depends entirely on your nationality. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens have freedom of movement — you can move to Spain without a visa and simply register your residency with the local town hall (empadronamiento) and police once you arrive.

Everyone else — including UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens — can only stay 90 days in any rolling 180-day period as a tourist. To live in Spain long-term, you need to apply for the right residence visa before you travel, at the Spanish consulate that covers where you currently live.

Spain visa and residency options for expats

Most expats moving to Spain fall into one of four visa categories. Which one fits depends on whether you plan to work, work remotely, retire, or study.

The non-lucrative visa does not permit any work, including remote work for a foreign employer — that’s what the digital nomad visa is for. Both typically require comprehensive private health insurance with no co-payments and a clean criminal record, and both count toward the five years of residence needed for permanent residency and the ten years needed for citizenship.

How to move to Spain: step by step

1. Choose your visa route — match your situation (retirement, remote work, employment or study) to the visa options above.
2. Gather your documents — passport, criminal record check (apostilled and translated), proof of income or savings, and private health insurance.
3. Apply at your local Spanish consulate — book your appointment (cita previa) as early as possible, since wait times vary by consulate and season.
4. Collect your visa and travel to Spain — most residence visas must be activated in Spain within a set window after issue.
5. Apply for your NIE and TIE — your foreigner ID number (NIE) and physical residence card (TIE) are required for almost everything that follows.
6. Register your address (empadronamiento) — this local registration is needed for healthcare, schooling and many other services.
7. Open a Spanish bank account and register for tax — needed to pay rent, receive income and meet ongoing visa conditions.

Each visa route has its own document checklist and consulate-specific quirks, so confirm exact requirements with your consulate before booking translations or apostilles — policies are tightened and adjusted from year to year.

Getting your NIE number

The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is Spain’s tax and identification number for foreigners, and you’ll be asked for it constantly — to sign a lease, open a bank account, buy a car, get a phone contract or start a job. You can apply for it at a Spanish consulate before you move, or at a Comisaría or Oficina de Extranjería inside Spain using form EX-15, your passport, and the paid Modelo 790 fee.

What does it cost to move to Spain?

Your total moving budget depends heavily on your visa route, how much you ship, and which region you settle in. As a starting point, budget for these categories:

Prices shift with the exchange rate, the season and the region, so treat this as a planning checklist rather than a fixed budget, and get itemised quotes from Spain’s moving companies before you commit to a date.

Healthcare in Spain for expats

Spain has a well-regarded public healthcare system (Sistema Nacional de Salud), but access depends on your status. Employees paying into Spanish social security get full access. Some UK state pensioners can access public healthcare funded by the UK via the S1 form. Most people on the non-lucrative or digital nomad visa need private health insurance, at least until their situation changes.

When shopping for a policy, check for annual cover limits and co-payment clauses — several consulates now reject policies with low annual caps or high co-payments, so read the fine print before you buy.

Finding somewhere to live

Most expats rent for their first year in Spain while they get to know a city or region, then decide whether to buy. Foreigners can buy property in Spain with no residency requirement and no minimum price, though a mortgage as a non-resident typically comes with a smaller loan-to-value ratio than for residents. Whichever you choose, work with a licensed estate agent and consider an independent property lawyer to review any contract before you sign.

Bank accounts, tax residency and the 183-day rule

You’ll need a Spanish bank account to pay rent, receive income, and meet the ongoing proof-of-funds conditions on most visas. Spend more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year and you generally become a Spanish tax resident, which means declaring your worldwide income. Some newcomers — including qualifying digital nomad visa holders — can apply for the Beckham Law regime, which taxes Spanish-sourced income at a flat 24% (up to €600,000) instead of Spain’s standard progressive rates. Speak to a Spain-based tax advisor before you move, since the right structure depends on where your income comes from.

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