Living or moving to Spain Official Guidance
Official information British people moving to or living in Spain need to know, including guidance on Brexit, residency, passports and healthcare.
If you need assistance with your paperwork once in Spain here are some contacts for you
Living or Moving to Spain Official Guidance FULLY UPDATED December 2023
The information given below is quite generalized, you will find more local information on each subject in the LIVING IN SPAIN SECTION of our website.
This information is provided as a guide only. You should obtain definitive information from the Spanish authorities. Benidorm Seriously is not liable for any inaccuracies in this information.
If you were living in Spain before 1st January 2021
Some parts of this guide only apply if you were living in Spain since before 1st January 2021. You should read these in addition to the rest of the guidance in each section.
You should also read our Living in Europe page for detailed guidance about citizens’ rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.
Visas and residency
You must tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.
Check the entry requirements for Spain.
Before you move to Spain you must apply for the appropriate visa from the Spanish consulates in London or Edinburgh, or the Spanish consulate in Manchester (details available from the Foreign embassies in the UK list. You must apply for your residence document as soon as you arrive in Spain. Your children must also be registered with their own residency documents.
Read the Spanish government’s guidance on:
- moving to Spain
- the different types of residence permit available to you (in Spanish)
Visas and residency if you were living in Spain before 1st January 2021
If you have been living in Spain legally since before 1 January 2021, you and your family members have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. You must ensure you are correctly registered as a resident. Your children must also be registered with their own residency documents.
If you are registering for the first time, you will be issued with a biometric residence card called a Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE). This card shows that you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.
If you registered as a resident before 6 July 2020, you will have a green A4 certificate or credit card-sized piece of paper from Extranjeria or the police. This is still a valid residency document. You do not have to exchange this document for the new TIE. However, we and the Spanish government strongly recommend that you do.
The TIE biometric card is more durable. It will also simplify administrative processes and border crossings. Read the Spanish government’s guidance on how to apply for the new TIE.
Both the TIE and the green A4 certificate or credit card-sized piece of paper, exempt you from European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and visa requirements.
Residency certificate recognition (certificado de registro - ‘green residency certificate’)
If you have difficulty using your green A4 certificate or credit card-sized piece of paper, you can refer to this . This document sets out the most relevant official Spanish government websites that confirm the validity of the green document as valid proof of ‘Withdrawal Agreement beneficiary’ status in Spain. You can refer to this letter when accessing public services and dealing with businesses that provide services.
For more information:
- see the Spanish government’s information on residency for UK nationals living in Spain before 1 January 2021
- read the Spanish government’s guidance for UK nationals living in Spain before 1 January 2021
If you need further information on how to register as a resident, you may find the information on the webpages from these organisations in Spain useful:
| Region of Spain | Website |
|---|---|
| Alicante, Valencia and Castellon | Babelia |
| Andalusia, Castilla la Mancha, Castilla León, Ceuta, Extremadura, Madrid, Melilla, Murcia | The International Organization for Migration |
| Aragon, Asturias, Balearics, Basque Country (Pais Vasco), Canary Islands, Cantabria, Catalonia, Galicia, La Rioja, Navarra | Age in Spain |
For details of official Spanish government and non-government organisations including in the voluntary sector, visit the Support in Spain website.
Family members
Your close family members are able to join you and settle in Spain at any time in the future. Read more information on who this applies to in the Living in Europe guidance. They should apply online before moving to Spain (in Spanish) or through a third party in Spain, such as a lawyer. Alternatively, they can apply within 3 months of arrival to Spain.
Depending on their nationality, some non-EU family members may need a visa before travel. The Spanish authorities should issue Withdrawal Agreement family reunion visas free of charge.
Read the Spanish government’s guidance for ‘UK nationals and their family members residing in Spain’. This explains how you and your close family members can apply for the TIE and how to renew your TIE before it expires.
Appeal process
If your request to register under the Withdrawal Agreement is refused, read the refusal letter carefully. It will set out the decision, the reasons for it, and how to appeal. You have 1 month to appeal from the date of the refusal letter.
The appeal process usually has 2 steps:
- administrative appeal, where a different administrative authority reviews the decision
- court appeal
The outcome of an appeal is final. If you want to appeal, we strongly recommend you seek independent, specialised legal advice. The British Embassy cannot get involved in individual immigration applications and we cannot provide legal advice.
You can:
- seek legal advice using the Spanish Bar Association website or the list of English-speaking lawyers
- read about access to legal aid in Spain
- get help and advice, or make a complaint about how your registration request has been processed, free of charge, using the European Commission’s specialist assistance service
If you do not want to appeal, or do not meet the criteria to reside in Spain under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, you should consider other options:
- contact the local immigration services (servicio de atención al inmigrante) provided by your local town hall or regional government
- read the Spanish government information on general immigration routes and criteria (in Spanish)) and Spanish government information on immigration if you are in exceptional circumstances (in Spanish). These circumstances include if you are a victim of domestic violence, or if you can prove strong family, work or social links to Spain
- contact organisations that specialise in migration issues, such as ACCEM (in Spanish) or Migrar.org (in Spanish) run by the Red Cross
- read information on returning to the UK
Passports and travel
Coronavirus travel restrictions may affect may affect travel to and from Spain.
You can apply for or renew your British passport from Spain. The British Embassy does not issue passports.
Check the Spain travel advice for passport validity requirements.
Always carry your passport when travelling within the Schengen area. If you have citizenship of an EU or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) country, in addition to your British citizenship, you should enter and leave Spain using your EU or EFTA passport.
If you stay in Spain with a Spanish residence permit or long-stay visa, this time does not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit for the Schengen area.
If you visit other Schengen area countries outside Spain, make sure you do not exceed the visa-free 90 days in any 180-day period. You are responsible for counting how long you stay under the Schengen visa waiver, and you must comply with its conditions.
Different rules apply to EU countries that are not part of the Schengen area. Check each country’s travel advice page for information on entry requirements.
If you were living in Spain before 1st January 2021
When you travel, carry your residence document (the green A4 certificate or credit card-sized piece of paper or the TIE) or frontier worker permit issued under the Withdrawal Agreement, in addition to your valid passport.
You must proactively show your residence document (the green A4 certificate or credit card-sized piece of paper or the TIE) if you are asked to show your passport at border control. If you have applied for, but not yet received, your residence document, show proof that your application is in progress.
If you cannot prove that you are a resident in Spain, you may be asked additional questions at the border to enter the EU. Your passport may be stamped on entry and exit. This will not affect your rights in the country or countries where you live or work. If a passport is stamped, the stamp is considered null and void when you can show evidence of lawful residence.
If you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement, you can enter and exit Spain with a valid passport. You do not need any additional validity on the passport beyond the dates on which you are travelling.
Children travelling from Spain
Children (under 18 years old) resident in Spain, who travel out of Spain without a person who has parental responsibility, may need a certified authorisation by that person. This is required in addition to a valid travel document.
The regulation does not apply to foreign children resident in Spain who are subject to the law of their country of nationality, or to non-resident foreign children visiting Spain.
The Spanish immigration authorities are aware that there is no similar standard regulation in the UK, and therefore British consulates do not provide travel authorisation documents.
British children do not need written permission to travel unless they are subject to a court order which states that written permission is required from those holding parental responsibility. If the child is subject to such a court order, or to ensure that an unaccompanied child will be able to leave Spain without delay, you must obtain a certified authorisation from a public notary in Spain.
If you have parental responsibility for Spanish children in Spain, you can obtain a certified authorisation at a notary, national police station (in Spanish, or at the Guardia Civil (in Spanish).
Flight discounts for residents in Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Ceuta and Melilla
Read the Spanish government’s guidance on who is eligible to access discounts on flights, and on how this has changed for UK nationals since 1 January 2021.
Healthcare
Read our guidance on healthcare in Spain and make sure you are correctly registered for your circumstances.
If you are resident in Spain, you must not use your UK-issued EHIC or GHIC for healthcare in Spain, unless you are a student or a detached (posted) worker.
Travel insurance is also not intended to cover healthcare costs if you live overseas.
Read the Spanish government’s guidance on access to healthcare.
You should also read our guidance on: finding an English-speaking doctor in Spain, travelling with medicines
Working in Spain
If you are planning to move to Spain and work, you must apply for the appropriate visa. Application processing times vary and you should only make travel arrangements once your visa has been issued.
Read the Spanish government’s guidance on:
- working in Spain as a foreign national
- immigration routes open to foreign national workers (in Spanish)
- how to get a visa
Read the guidance on visas and applying for a visa at the:
To apply for a job, you may need to provide a:
- UK criminal records certificate
- Spanish criminal records certificate (Certificado de Antecedentes Penales)
- certificate from the Spanish sex offenders registry (Certificado de Delitos de Naturaleza Sexual) to work with children
- record of your employment history in Spain from Seguridad Social (a Vida Laboral certificate)
Read:
- working or providing services in Spain
- working in an EU country
- EU guidance on working in an EU country
- guidance on how to get your UK academic or professional qualifications recognised in Spain
- the Spanish government’s guidance on the right of UK nationals to work in the public sector
If you plan to work in Spain, even if you work for a UK-based company, this may affect where you pay National Insurance-type contributions. Read the National insurance and social security contributions section for more information.
If you were living in Spain before 1 January 2021
You have the right to work without a visa, under the Withdrawal Agreement. You can use your TIE or green A4 certificate or credit-sized piece of paper as proof of your right to work.
If you live in Spain and were regularly commuting to work in another EU or EFTA country before 1 January 2021, read our guidance for frontier workers.
Professional and academic qualifications
You may need to get your professional qualification recognised if you want to work in a profession that is regulated in Spain.
Read guidance on:
- recognition of professional qualifications
- how to get your qualification recognised in Spain
Recognition and legalisation of UK academic documents
If you need your UK academic qualification officially recognised in Spain, follow the Spanish Ministry of Education’s guidance (in Spanish).
Your degree certificate or other documents need to be certified by a UK notary public and then legalised by the FCDO Legalisation Office. This legalisation service is not provided by the British Embassy in Madrid, UK consulates in Spain, or the British Council in Spain.
Read guidance on getting your UK degree qualification certified and legalised in the UK.
If you were living in Spain before 1 January 2021
If the relevant regulator in Spain officially recognised your professional qualification before 1 January 2021, or you started the recognition process by this date, make sure you understand the terms of your decision. You should get advice from the relevant regulator.
Studying in Spain
If you plan to study in Spain, carry out an internship or take up a placement as a language assistant, you must meet all visa requirements before you travel.
Contact the relevant higher education provider in Spain to check what fees you may have to pay.
Read guidance on:
- continuing your studies in the EU
- studying in the European Union
- immigration routes for students, internships and language assistants (in Spanish)
- visas for students, internships and language assistants
- healthcare for students in Spain
If you were living in Spain before 1st January 2021
The studying in the European Union guidance includes specific information for those who were already living in Spain before 1 January 2021.
Money, tax and banking
The UK has a double taxation agreement with Spain to ensure you do not pay tax on the same income in both countries. Ask the relevant tax authority your questions about double taxation relief.
You should get professional advice on paying tax in Spain. Find an English-speaking lawyer in Spain or you can use a registered ‘gestor’.
Read guidance about:
- tax if you leave the UK to live abroad
- tax on your UK income if you live abroad
- paying income tax in Spain
- paying tax in Spain from the Spanish Tax Authority.
- EU guidance on tax and customs, including online shopping from the UK
- EU guidance on customs including preferential origin
- EU guidance on excise duties
National insurance and social security contributions
National Insurance-type contributions (NIC) are called ‘social security contributions’ (SSC) in Spain. Find out if you need to pay National Insurance in the UK or social security contributions in Spain.
If you plan to move to Spain and work, even if you continue working for a UK-based company, you and your employer may need to pay social security contributions in Spain. These social security contributions would entitle you to certain benefits, such as healthcare, in Spain.
Read guidance on National insurance for workers from the UK working in the EEA or Switzerland.
Check your UK National Insurance record.
Declaring your assets
As a Spanish resident, you must declare your global income to the Spanish authorities, no matter which country it came from. If you are not a resident, you will only pay tax on income that came from Spain.
You may need to file an annual declaration of overseas assets called a Modelo 720. There are severe penalties if you do not file, or give incorrect or incomplete information.
National insurance and social security contributions
National Insurance-type contributions (NIC) are called ‘social security contributions’ (SSC) in Spain. Find out if you need to pay National Insurance in the UK or social security contributions in Spain.
If you plan to move to Spain and work, even if you continue working for a UK-based company, you and your employer may need to pay social security contributions in Spain. These social security contributions would entitle you to certain benefits, such as healthcare, in Spain.
Read guidance on National insurance for workers from the UK working in the EEA or Switzerland.
Check your UK National Insurance record.
Benefits
UK Benefits
Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Spain.
If you are moving or retiring abroad, you must tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax.
Check which benefits you can claim while abroad and how to claim them.
Many income-related benefits such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit cannot be paid if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.
You can request proof from HMRC of the time you’ve worked in the UK and of your UK National Insurance record.
Spanish benefits
You may be entitled to Spanish benefits. To find out if you are entitled to Spanish benefits and how to claim, you can:
- speak to a social worker (trabajador social) at your local town hall (in Spanish) (ayuntamiento)
- visit your nearest Instituto de Mayores y Servicios Sociales office (in Spanish)
Pensions
Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Spain.
If you are moving or retiring abroad, you must tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax.
Read our State Pension guidance if you have lived in Australia, Canada or New Zealand and you are claiming or waiting to claim your UK State Pension.
If you retire in Spain, you can claim:
- your UK State Pension or new UK State Pension. Contact the International Pension Centre to claim
- pensions if you’ve worked in other EU countries
Read the Money and Pension Service’s MoneyHelper guidance on pension and retirement changes for more information on cross-border pensions.
Life Certificates for UK State Pensions
If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you must respond as soon as possible - your payments may be suspended if you do not.
Money and banking
Whether UK banks can provide service to customers living in the EEA depends on local laws and regulation.
Read the Money and Pension Service’s MoneyHelper guidance on banking, insurance and financial services for more information on cross-border banking.
Accommodation and buying property
Read guidance on how to buy or let property in Spain.
Driving in Spain - Updated 4th August2023
Read the guidance on:
You cannot renew or replace your UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man driving licence if you live in Spain.
If you have one of these licences, you can use it to drive for up to 6 months after becoming resident in Spain. To continue driving after this, you must apply for a Spanish driving licence.
The process for obtaining a Spanish licence depends on whether you have a UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man licence.
You cannot use an International Driving Permit (IDP) instead of a Spanish licence.
From 16 March 2023 you can drive using your valid UK or Gibraltar licence until 15 September. This is a temporary measure that the UK and Spanish governments have agreed.
If you have a valid UK or Gibraltar driving licence
If you were living in Spain before 16th March 2023, you can use your valid UK or Gibraltar driving licence to drive in Spain for 6 months from this date (15 September).
UK or Gibraltar licence holders who moved to Spain before 16 March 2023 and fail to make the exchange by 15 September will no longer be able to drive on their UK licence and will need to wait until their licence exchange has been completed to drive after that.
If you move to Spain after 16th March 2023, you can drive using your valid UK or Gibraltar licence for six months from the date you acquire residency. We recommend you start the exchange process during this time.
Exchange is possible after six months, but your UK licence will not be valid for driving in Spain while you await your exchange to be completed.
Read:
- the Spanish Traffic Authority (DGT) information on how to exchange your UK and Gibraltar licence for a Spanish one.
- the text of the Agreement between the UK and Spain on the recognition and exchange of driving licences (in English)
You will need to present a ‘check code’ from the DVLA, along with other documentation, at your appointment. If you have problems obtaining a check code, contact the DVLA on +44 300 083 0013.
If your licence was issued in Northern Ireland, read Northern Ireland government guidance to obtain the check code. If you have problems obtaining a check code,
If your licence was issued in Gibraltar you do not need a check code.
Expired UK or Gibraltar licences
Spanish authorities will exchange your expired UK or Gibraltar licence for a Spanish one if it was valid when you entered Spain. You cannot drive on an expired UK licence.
Some UK licence holders with expired UK driving licences (primarily those over 70) have been experiencing issues when trying to exchange their licence for a Spanish one.
The Department of Transport has been working to resolve this issue with the Spanish Government and can confirm that Spain’s Traffic Authority (DGT) will be able to exchange expired UK licences, as long as they expired after the individual moved to Spain.
A digital “check code” to enable the DGT verify these licences is available via gov.uk.
If your licence was issued by Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man
You cannot currently exchange your Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man licence for a Spanish one. You must apply for a Spanish licence as a non-EU national. This includes taking both a theory and practical driving test.
Disabled drivers
If you have a UK Blue Badge and live in Spain, you must return it to the original UK issuing authority. You can apply for a new Spanish disabled parking card. The process is different in each region of Spain. Contact your local town hall or social services department for further information.
Read the EU guidance on the EU parking card for people with disabilities.
Bringing a UK-registered vehicle to Spain
Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.
If you register as a resident or spend longer than 6 months of the year in Spain, you must register your vehicle with the Spanish authorities and you may need to pay some taxes. You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so you will need certificates of exemption.
Read the Spanish Traffic Authority’s guidance on registering a foreign vehicle in Spain.
Driving outside Spain with a Spanish licence
You can use your Spanish licence when visiting the UK. Keep up-to-date with the UK Highway Code.
If you return to live in the UK, you can exchange your Spanish licence for a UK one without taking a test.
To drive in another country, in addition to your Spanish licence, you may need to apply for an International Driving Permit (in Spanish with English translation).
Read the EU guidance on:
Voting
Local elections
You can vote and stand in local elections in Spain once you have been resident for 3 years. To do so, you must:
- be registered on the municipal register where you live (padrón municipal)
- confirm your registration on the electoral roll (censo electoral), within the dates set by the electoral authorities before each election
You cannot register on the electoral roll at other times. You must re-register on the electoral roll before each local election.
Read:
- the Spanish government’s guidance on voting in local elections
- the entry in the Official State Gazette, which confirms the process for registering on the electoral roll (in Spanish)
To stand as a local election candidate, read Spanish organic law 5/1985 (in Spanish) or consult with your local Oficina del Censo Electoral.
Other elections
You cannot vote in general or regional elections in Spain or European Parliamentary elections.
You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:
Births, deaths and getting married
If your child is born in Spain, you will need to register the birth abroad.
If someone dies in Spain you can:
-
read our guidance on what to do after someone dies abroad
-
read guidance for UK nationals on bereavements in Spain
Find out how you can get married abroad.
Find out about notarial and documentary services for British nationals in Spain.
Pets
If you’re moving to Spain with your pet, read the guidance and ensure you comply with the regulations:
To visit other countries with your pet, check the rules for the country you’re travelling to. Contact your vet to get the travel documents your pet needs.
Read guidance on:
- bringing your pet to Great Britain. Check that your pet’s rabies vaccinations are up to date. Vets in Great Britain cannot enter rabies vaccination details in non-UK issued pet passports
- travelling to Ireland with your pet
- travelling with your pet in the EU
Emergencies
You can dial the European emergency number on 112 in Spain for the police, ambulance or fire brigade, or dial:
-
091 for police
-
061 for health emergencies
-
080 for firefighters
-
092 for local police
You can dial the EU 116 000 hotline to report a missing child in the EU country where you live or in another EU country. It also provides guidance and support to the families of missing children.
If you’re the victim of crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis abroad, contact your nearest British embassy or consulate.
Returning to the UK
Check the COVID-19 travel guidance for entering the UK.
Tell the UK and Spanish authorities if you are returning to the UK permanently. To help prove you are now living in the UK, you should deregister with your:
- local town hall (padrón)
- the Spanish National Police (Residencia)
- your local health centre
If you get healthcare in Spain through the S1 form, you must contact the Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 (0)191 218 1999 or Seguridad Social to make sure your S1 is cancelled at the right time.
To move your pension or benefits payments to the UK, tell the International Pension Centre and the Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social.
Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on, amongst other things, tax, access to services and bringing family members.
If you return to the UK permanently and meet the ordinarily resident test, you’ll be able to access NHS care without charge.
Disclaimer
Please note this information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information should be obtained from the Spanish authorities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) nor Benidorm Seriously is not liable for any inaccuracies in this information.