The first steps
NIE number
Your tax number in Spain, needed for almost everything.
Visa (UK and non-EU)
Apply before you move, through the Spanish consulate in your country. Applications usually ask for proof of income or savings and health insurance.
Registration
EU citizens register at the Extranjería and receive a certificado de registro. With a visa, you apply for your residence card once you are in Spain.
Padrón
Registration with the town hall where you live. Towns receive funding per resident, and you need it for most other steps.
Healthcare
If you work in Spain, you are covered through social security. If you are a pensioner, ask in your own country whether you can get an S1 form.
Leaving home
Deregister where that applies in your country, and arrange your pension, health cover and post.
Tax as a resident
If you live in Spain for more than 183 days a year, or the centre of your life is there, you are a tax resident. You then file a return in Spain on your worldwide income. The double tax treaty between Spain and your home country decides which country taxes which income, for example your pension. Get advice before you move: the timing can make a difference.
Pros and cons
What buyers mention to us most often:
- Pro: the climate, the outdoor lifestyle, good healthcare and plenty of flights home.
- Pro: on the coast, large British, Irish, Scandinavian, Dutch and Belgian communities, and a lot of English spoken.
- Con: paperwork and waiting times at government offices, especially at the start.
- Con: busy and hot in summer, and quiet in some towns outside the season.
Rent first or buy straight away?
Many people rent for a few months first in the town they have in mind, including outside the high season. Once you know where you want to live, a buying agent can search in a targeted way, including for homes that are not yet online. Remember that a visa and a purchase are separate tracks: buying does not speed up the visa.
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Have your own situation checked by a lawyer or tax adviser.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still buy property in Spain after Brexit?
Yes. UK citizens can buy property in Spain as before, with an NIE number. What changed is residence: owning a home does not give you the right to stay longer than 90 days in any 180.
Do I need a visa to live in Spain?
Not as an EU or EEA citizen; you register after three months. As a UK or other non-EU citizen, yes, for anything beyond 90 days in any 180. Check the current requirements with an immigration lawyer.
When do I pay tax in Spain?
When you live in Spain for more than 183 days a year or your main interests are there. You are then a Spanish tax resident.
Can I get Spanish healthcare as a UK pensioner?
If you receive a UK State Pension, you may be able to register for Spanish public healthcare with an S1 form issued by the UK. Check your entitlement with the UK authorities before you move; a visa application has its own health insurance requirement.
How do I arrange healthcare in Spain?
Through your work in Spain, through an S1 form if you draw a pension from another country that issues one, or with private health insurance.