Every step of moving to Spain, explained.

Identify your visa category

Book consulate appointment to lodge your visa application

Obtain a national criminal-record check, apostilled and translated into Spanish

Obtain a medical certificate (issued within 90 days, on official letterhead, translated into Spanish) confirming no diseases per the International Health Regulations

Gather proof of passive income

Heads-up: your income band looks below the NLV requirement

Gather employment contract / client agreements showing remote work permission

Gather proof of remote income

Heads-up: your income band looks below the digital-nomad-visa requirement

Obtain a social-security certificate of coverage (e.g. US/Spain totalization, UK A1) from your home country

Prepare letter of intent for NLV consulate application (reasons for move, intended region, source of income)

Provide notarized declaration of intent not to work in Spain (NLV applicants of working age)

Obtain apostilled university degree or official proof of 3+ years professional experience (DNV requirement)

Obtain employer/client certificate of incorporation showing 1+ years of business activity (DNV)

Obtain employer letter authorizing you to work remotely from Spain, describing your role (DNV employed workers)

Work visa (cuenta ajena): your Spanish employer files the residence-and-work authorization for you (form EX-03) before you move

Self-employment visa (cuenta propia): apply for the initial residence-and-work authorization with a viable business plan, proof of sufficient funds and any licences your activity needs

Secure your study place first

Heads-up: Spain has no general job-seeker visa

Short stays run on the Schengen clock: at most 90 days in any 180-day window

Apply for your residence card (TIE)

Apply for family reunification (reagrupación familiar)

Citizenship eligibility: 10 years of legal residency required

Citizenship eligibility: 2 years (ex-Spanish-colony nationals)

Renew non-lucrative residence permit

Renew your digital nomad residence permit before it expires

Apply for long-term residence after 5 years of continuous legal residence

Submit your naturalisation (nationality by residence) application to the Ministry of Justice

Complete the jura/promesa (oath of fidelity to the King and obedience to the Constitution, art. 23 Código Civil) at the Registro Civil

Start learning Spanish

Decide where in Spain to live before you commit

Empadronamiento

Obtain your NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero, form EX-15)

Register in the Central Register of Foreign Nationals and get your EU citizen registration certificate (certificado de registro, form EX-18)

Apply for the EU family-member residence card (tarjeta de familiar de ciudadano de la Unión, form EX-19) for household members without an EU passport

Apostille civil documents for the consulate (birth/marriage certificates and other foreign public documents)

Obtain certified sworn translations (traductor jurado) of all apostilled foreign documents into Spanish

Obtain a digital certificate (FNMT) to file taxes online and receive official government notifications

Register as self-employed: file Modelo 036 with Hacienda, then register with Social Security (RETA) the same day or within 60 days (Modelo 037 was abolished in 2025)

If you'll study on

Your EU driving licence stays valid in Spain

Citizenship fast-track for the spouse of a Spanish citizen: after just 1 year of legal residence (married and not separated; marriages celebrated abroad must be registered in Spain), the non-Spanish spouse can apply for Spanish nationality

Import your pet: microchip, valid rabies vaccination (given at least 21 days before travel), and

Pass DELE A2 Spanish language exam (Instituto Cervantes)

Pass CCSE constitutional and sociocultural knowledge exam (Instituto Cervantes)

Notify home country tax authority of change of tax residence

File Modelo 720 (foreign-assets declaration) if any category of overseas assets exceeds €50,000

Consult a cross-border tax specialist before moving

File Modelo 030 to register with Hacienda as a new Spanish tax resident (census of tax obligations)

Apply for the Beckham Law special regime (Modelo 149)

File annual Spanish income tax return (Modelo 100 / IRPF)

File annual wealth-tax return (Modelo 714) during the renta period

Pay monthly autónomo Social Security (RETA) contributions

File quarterly IRPF provisional income tax payments (Modelo 130)

File quarterly VAT returns (Modelo 303)

File the annual VAT summary declaration (Modelo 390)

File annual corporation tax return (Modelo 200) for a Spanish-registered company

Pay property transfer tax (ITP) on a resale property

Pay the annual municipal property tax on your home to the town hall (IBI)

File non-resident imputed income tax (Modelo 210) on a Spanish property you don't rent out

Purchase private health insurance from a Spanish-authorized insurer

Enroll in the Convenio Especial to buy into public healthcare

Apply for the public health card (tarjeta sanitaria) once you contribute to Social Security or qualify for public cover

Order your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before travelling

Purchase visa-compliant private health insurance (from an insurer authorised in Spain, SNS-equivalent cover, no copays, no waiting periods, repatriation included)

Open a Spanish bank account (can be done remotely as a non-resident before arrival)

Exchange your driving licence under your country's bilateral agreement

Pass Spanish driving test (theory + practical)

Enroll your child in school

Engage a Spanish property lawyer for due diligence (title search, debts, planning, habitation licence)

Sign completion deed (escritura de compraventa) before a notary and pay the balance

Register the escritura at the Land Registry (Registro de la Propiedad)

Pay community of owners (comunidad de propietarios) fees for shared building maintenance