Since Brexit, British citizens are third-country nationals in Spain. That means no free movement, and no moving first and sorting it out later — you apply for permission before you go, from the UK.
It’s very doable. The requirements are financial and administrative rather than discretionary, and thousands of people meet them every year. What catches people is the sequence, not the difficulty.
Rules, fees and income thresholds change, and consulates vary in how they apply them. This is a plain-English map of the process, not immigration advice — check GOV.UK’s Living in Spain guide and your nearest Spanish consulate before acting, or use an immigration adviser.
The 90/180 rule — what you have without a visa
With no residency permission you’re a visitor: 90 days in any rolling 180. Fine for a holiday home, useless for living there. Overstaying risks entry bans, and the exit stamps make it visible.
Everything below is about getting past that limit legally.
The main visa routes
Non-lucrative visa (NLV) — the classic retirement or independent-means route. You evidence passive income or savings and agree not to work in Spain. Popular with retirees and anyone living off pensions, investments or rental income. There’s a minimum income requirement, set against Spain’s IPREM index and revised periodically, plus private health insurance.
Digital nomad visa — for remote employees and freelancers earning from outside Spain, introduced under the 2023 startups law. Higher income threshold than the NLV, but it lets you work, and it carries a favourable tax option for some applicants.
Work visa — where a Spanish employer sponsors you. The employer does much of the heavy lifting.
Family routes — joining a Spanish or EU-resident family member. Usually simpler and cheaper than the others, with different evidence requirements.
Student visa — for courses over 90 days; can sometimes be a stepping stone.
Each has its own income threshold, document list, and consular queue.
The two acronyms that gate everything
NIE — Número de Identidad de Extranjero. Your foreigner’s identification number. Nothing works without it: no bank account, no rental contract, no utilities, no car.
TIE — Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero. The physical residency card you apply for after arriving, once your visa is granted. Appointment-based, fingerprints taken, card issued afterwards.
And a third that isn’t an acronym: the padrón. Registering at your local town hall proves where you live, and it’s what unlocks healthcare registration, school places and local services. Do it early.
The documents that slow people down
Most applications need some combination of:
- Passport with sufficient validity
- Proof of income or savings, often bank statements over a period
- Private health insurance with no co-payments, from a Spanish-authorised insurer
- A criminal record certificate (ACRO in the UK), apostilled
- A medical certificate
- Proof of accommodation
The two that catch everyone: apostilles (a Legalisation Office process, which takes time) and sworn translations (a traductor jurado — an ordinary translation isn’t accepted). Both add weeks. Start them first, not last.
A realistic sequence
- 6–12 months out — choose the route, check the current income threshold, start gathering documents. Apostilles and sworn translations begin here.
- 3–6 months out — book the consular appointment; submit the application.
- On approval — book flights and the removal. Not before. See the mistakes guide.
- First 30 days in Spain — TIE appointment, padrón registration, bank account, healthcare.
Healthcare and tax, briefly
Healthcare comes via employment, the S1 form if you’re a UK state pensioner, or private cover — which most visa routes require regardless.
Tax: more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year makes you tax resident on worldwide income. That’s a conversation to have with an adviser before you move, particularly if you have UK property or a pension in drawdown.
Moving your things
Once residency is settled, the removal is the straightforward part. Household effects moving with a change of residence generally qualify for duty relief in Spain; coming the other way, you’ll want ToR1 relief.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I still move to Spain from the UK after Brexit? Yes — but you need a visa granting residency before you move. Free movement ended; you apply from the UK.
How long can I stay in Spain without a visa? 90 days in any rolling 180-day period, as a visitor.
What is the non-lucrative visa? A residency route for people with sufficient passive income or savings who won’t work in Spain. It requires evidence of income and private health insurance.
What’s the difference between an NIE and a TIE? The NIE is your identification number; the TIE is the physical residency card you get after arriving in Spain.
Do I need private health insurance? Usually yes — most routes require a policy from a Spanish-authorised insurer with no co-payments, even if you’ll later access state healthcare.
How long does the whole process take? Plan on six to twelve months from starting documents to moving, driven mainly by apostilles, translations and consular appointment availability.
Can I work on a non-lucrative visa? No. If you need to work, look at the digital nomad or work visa routes instead.