How to Move to Spain: Full Guide (2025)


Jump to: Quick Facts · Living Essentials · Pros · Cons · Visas Guide · Residency & Citizenship · Business · Resources

Interested in moving to Spain? Here’s what you need to know:

🇪🇸 Spain at a Glance

  • Size: Fifth largest country in Europe, with a population of about 46 million.
  • Territory: Includes the mainland, Ceuta and Melilla (autonomous cities in North Africa), the Balearic IslandsCanary Islands, and three tiny islands off Morocco.
  • Sports: Spain is football-crazy! Home to legendary teams like Real MadridFC Barcelona, and Valencia CF.
  • Fiestas: Spaniards love a good party—with national, regional, and local fiesta days where life spills out into the streets.
  • EconomyFourth-largest in the EU; GDP per capita around €30,300 (2023).

🏠 Living Essentials

  • CurrencyEuro (EUR)
  • Languages: Officially Castilian Spanish; also CatalanValencianGalicianBasque, and Aranese in their regions.
  • ReligionCatholic (70.5%); 24.1% have no religion; about 3.1% follow other faiths.
  • Biggest citiesMadridBarcelonaValenciaSevilleZaragozaCordobaMálaga.

🤔 Why Choose Spain

  • Sunshine & LifestyleEndless sun and a laid-back lifestyle—a drink and tapas won’t break the bank.
  • Natural VarietyBeachesmountainslakes, dramatic coastlines, and charming villages—it’s all here.
  • National Parks16 in total! Don’t miss Sierra Nevada for skiing & hiking or Doñana (a UNESCO World Heritage wetland).
  • AffordabilityLower costs for alcohol, cigarettes, and gas compared to other first-world countries.
  • Cost of Living: Can be low (if you live like a local). House prices are affordable outside major cities. Rent for 1-bedroom apartments: €600–€1,050/month (region matters!).
  • Family Focus: Spaniards value family—weekends mean big gatherings at parks, beaches, and fiestas.
  • Welcoming PeopleFriendly locals are happy to help. Learn a few Spanish phrases, and you’ll fit in fast!
  • Kids & Education: Perfect spot for raising multilingual childrenfree state education for expat kids, plus plenty of international schools.
  • Transport: Buses & trains are on time and the motorways are top-notch.
  • HealthcareExcellent system with short wait times. Reciprocal healthcare for short-stay visitors; long-term residents need to register or go private.
  • Quality of Life: Consistently ranks high globally. Life expectancy is impressive—many credit the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet!

⚠️ Spain Challenges

Note: these are common expat complaints, and may not apply to you.

  • Paperwork: Expect lots of red tape and slow processes—“mañana” really means “not today.”
  • LawsNational, regional, and local laws may be wildly different. Rules change fast—keeping up can be a challenge, even for locals!
  • Siesta TimeShops shut down mid-afternoon—yes, siestas are still a thing.
  • JobsEmployment is tough to find (even with fluent Spanish). Self-employment (autonomo) is costly.

🛂 Spain Visa Guide

  • EU/EEA Citizens: Can travel and live in Spain visa-free. No paperwork for short visits.
  • Short Stay Visa: Required for non-EU citizens visiting up to 90 days within 180 days. No work allowed.
  • Tourist Visa Exemptions: New Zealand, Australia, and USA citizens don’t need a tourist visa, but must apply for a national visa for permanent moves at the Spanish Embassy.
  • Non-Lucrative Visa: Perfect for non-EU citizens wanting to live but not work in Spain. Needs €2,400/month income and full health insurance.
  • Work Visas: Options for non-EU residents:
    • Highly Qualified Professional Visa: For fields like tech or finance. Requires a job offer, high salary, employer sponsorshipQuicker process, but strict criteria.
    • General Work Visa: For non-specialized jobs listed as in-demand. Needs employer to prove no EU applicant is suitable. Secure job, but can be tough to get.
    • Startup Visa: For innovative entrepreneurs with an approved business plan and €32,000+ in savings. Great flexibility, valid up to three years.
    • Self-Employed Visa (Autónomo): For freelancers & entrepreneurs. Needs viable business plan and financial resources. Not recommended for absolute beginners.
    • EU Blue Card: For highly skilled pros with a university degree or equivalent, high-salary job offer. Opens doors across the EU, but salary must be high.
    • Digital Nomad Visa: For remote workers making at least €2,762/month. Needs 3 months’ experience in the role, degree or 3+ years of experience. Brings family, leads to permanent residency after 5 years, offers 24% reduced tax on income up to €600,000, and requires NIE, health insurance, and clean criminal record.

🛬 Residency and Citizenship

  • EU/EEA Residents: Free to live/work. Staying over 3 months? Register at the local foreigners’ office or police for your Residence Certificate.
  • Money Matters: Must show you earn €7,200/year for registration (as of 2024) for EU/EEA citizens.
  • Healthcare: EU citizens may use EHIC or get local insurance; non-EU applicants must have full health insurance.
  • Permanent Residents: Register at your local town hall (“empadronamiento”) so your municipality gets funding.
  • Non-EU/EEA Citizens: Staying over three months? You need a Residence Card.
  • Long-term Residency: Non-EU: eligible after 5 years of legal stay. Almost all the rights of locals.
  • Family Members: Non-EU family of EU citizens get the same rights; must apply for a EU Family-member Residence Card within 3 months.
  • Golden Visa: Still active! For those investing €500,000+ in real estate, €2M in public debt, €1M+ in companies or bank. Gives you and your family residency and Schengen travel.
  • Health Insurance: Mandatory for all non-EU applicants.
  • Paths to Citizenship:
    • By Birth: If born in Spain to Spanish parents, or abroad with Spanish parents. Show proof of parentage and birth.
    • By Residency: 10 years’ legal residency, clean record, DELE A2 Spanish, and cultural integration.
    • By Marriage: 1 year of marriage and Spanish residency. Supply marriage and residency docs.
    • By Descent: Grandchildren of Spaniards. Need ancestry proof.
    • By Option: For those with Spanish parents/guardians, or adopted by Spaniards.
  • Recent Updates:
    • Easier Docs for Descendants: Less paperwork if your lineage is already on Spanish record.
    • Language Test Exemptions: Ibero-American, Andorra, Sephardic Jews may skip language test if they prove long-term or educated in Spanish.
  • Applying for Citizenship:
    • Gather: passport, NIE, residency proof, and criminal record.
    • Pass: DELE A2 & CCSE (civics) exams (unless exempt).
    • Final Steps: Oath of allegiance, possible nationality renunciation, civil registry registration.
    • Wait Time: Usually 1-3 years after residency completed.
    • Fees: €100–€200 depending on application type.
  • NIE Number: Needed for almost everything, from buying property to signing up at the doctor.
  • Pro Tips: Always bring spare copies of documents and passport photos to appointments.

💼 Business in Spain

  • Some joke that the best way to make a small fortune in Spain is to start with a large one!
  • Entrepreneurship Warning: Spain is not a get-rich-quick zone! Cafés/bars are common expat traps—with a high failure rate.
  • Preparation is Key: Research your market, understand the tough laws, and do your legal homework before investing.
  • Paperwork Alert: Self-employment means a daunting amount of bureaucracy and red tape.
  • Social Security Payments: Self-employed pay €270/month (reduced to €50 for the first six months).
  • Get Professional Help: Hire a gestor (accountant) for taxes/social security and to register at the “Hacienda” (tax office).

📚 Helpful Resources

  • Spain Visa Types: the official list and requirements at the Spanish government’s website—only rely on official info!
  • InfoJobs – Spain’s leading job portal, widely used across sectors including startups and corporate jobs.

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