Moving to Spain

Planning to move to Spain? Here are your first steps in the right order, the 2026 tax rates, the Spain emergency numbers to save and an address book of agencies and city offices in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga.

If you are moving to Spain now, you arrive under a new rulebook. Since 20 May 2025 the immigration regulation has been Real Decreto 1155/2024: students in higher education may work up to 30 hours a week without a separate permit, family members of Spaniards have a residence permit of their own, and people already living here can qualify through arraigo (settlement in Spain) after two years. The golden visa for investors ended on 3 April 2025 (Organic Law 1/2025), and the extraordinary regularisation windows under Real Decreto 316/2026 closed on 30 June 2026. On 22 September 2026 the Supreme Court's judgment of 8 July 2026 was published: it annuls parts of RD 1155/2024 – among them the automatic refusal of a permit to relatives of Spaniards with a criminal record, without an individual assessment.

This guide is for anyone about to move to Spain or already living in Spain as a foreigner: EU and British citizens, employees and EU Blue Card holders, digital nomads, students and researchers, families, retirees, people seeking protection and Latin Americans. Choose your profile below, then read the 15 guides in the series, and keep this page as your checklist, your tax summary, your list of Spain emergency numbers and your address book. Spain has 17 autonomous communities (regions), and many rules, taxes and fees differ between regions and cities, so we always say where a rule applies – with Madrid, Catalonia and Barcelona, Valencia, and Andalusia and Málaga as examples.

Comparing countries or new to Europe? Moving to Europe lists every country guide and explains the rules that apply across Europe – Schengen, EES, ETIAS, the EU Blue Card and free movement.

Who are you? Choose your guide

Choose what fits you best and get your own step-by-step path, the rules that apply to you and which guides to read.

EU/EEA or Swiss citizen

Under the fee order in force since 16 June 2025, the EU registration certificate costs €12. You need no visa, but if you stay more than three months you must apply for it in person within three months of arrival; it shows your NIE (foreigner identity number). You must also join the padrón (municipal register), which Madrid, Catalonia and Andalusia ask for before issuing a health card.

Step	What to do
Register your address	Register at the ayuntamiento (town hall) where you live; it is free and needs ID and proof of address. In Madrid city, in-person registration needs a cita previa (appointment). – Where: Ayuntamiento (town hall)
Apply for the registration certificate	Within three months of arrival, apply in person with form EX-18, your passport or national ID card and fee form 790 code 012 (€12). It is issued on the spot and shows your NIE. – Where: Oficina de Extranjería or Policía Nacional (book via Cita previa de extranjería)
Bring proof of your situation	Employees: an employer's declaration or certificate, or a registered contract or Seguridad Social (social security) registration. Others: health insurance equal to the public system and sufficient resources. – Where: Oficina de Extranjería or Policía Nacional
Get your Seguridad Social number	If you will work, request your number (NUSS) online in Import@ss with your NIE, a mobile number and e-mail, or on form TA.1. Your employer must register you before your first day. – Where: Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS)
Get your health card	The INSS recognises your right; if you do not work, it can ask for a certificate that your home country does not export health cover. Your regional health service then issues the card. – Where: INSS, then your regional health service
Open an account and get a digital ID	Banks offering accounts must offer a basic payment account (max €3 a month). For online procedures, register for Cl@ve (government e-ID login) with your registration certificate and ID, or get the free FNMT certificate. – Where: Your bank; Agencia Tributaria or another Cl@ve registration office
Check your driving licence	Your EU/EEA licence stays valid and exchanging it is voluntary (€28.87). If it has no expiry date or is valid for more than 15 years, renew it in Spain after two years' residence. – Where: Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT)

Rules that apply to you
Staying under three months? A valid passport or national ID card is enough, and you do not need to register with any authority.
No fixed euro amount may be set for ‘sufficient resources’; resources above the yearly threshold for a non-contributory benefit always count.
Non-EU family members get a free, priority visa, then apply for an EU family residence card within three months of entry: €12, valid five years.
After five continuous years you acquire permanent residence (certificate on form EX-18); it is lost after more than two consecutive years away.
More than 183 days a year in Spain, or your main economic interests here, makes you tax resident for the whole calendar year.

Source: BOE (official gazette), Policía Nacional, Punto de Acceso General, Seguridad Social, Ayuntamiento de Madrid, Banco de España, DGT, read 23 September 2026

From the UK

The EU Entry/Exit System has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. If you lived in Spain before 1 January 2021, only the TIE (foreigner identity card) marked ‘art. 50 TUE’ exempts you from its stay count and from ETIAS – the old green certificate is not enough. If you are moving now, you need a national visa to stay more than 90 days, like any non-EU citizen.

Step	What to do
Resident before 2021: swap to the TIE	If you still hold the green EU certificate, apply in person with form EX-23, your passport, fee form 790 code 012 (€12) and one photo. After five years' legal residence you can get a permanent card valid 10 years. – Where: Policía Nacional (National Police)
Book your police appointment	Police and Foreigners' Office appointments – cita previa (appointment) – are booked through the government's online ‘Cita previa de extranjería’ service. – Where: Sede Electrónica de las Administraciones Públicas (government e-office)
Moving now: apply for a national visa	Work, telework, study, family, non-lucrative and highly qualified routes all need a national visa from the Spanish consulate before you travel. The London consulate lists its 2026 fees in pounds. – Where: Consulado General de España en Londres
Moving now: get your TIE within a month	If your visa or permit is for more than six months, request the TIE in person within one month of entry; a first card costs €16.08. – Where: Policía Nacional (National Police)
Register your address	Join the padrón (municipal register) at the ayuntamiento (town hall) where you live; it is free and needs ID and proof of address. – Where: Ayuntamiento (town hall)
Exchange your UK driving licence	A UK licence lets you drive for six months from arrival or from getting legal residence. Exchange it without a test (car or motorbike) under the agreement in force since 16 March 2023; fee €28.87. – Where: Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT)
Sort out healthcare	If you work, the Seguridad Social (social security) covers you. If not, the INSS can ask for a certificate that the UK does not export your cover; a registered S1 counts as insurance for the non-lucrative visa. – Where: INSS, then your regional health service
Bring your pet from Great Britain	Enter through an authorised point of entry with a health certificate or EU pet passport – GB-issued pet passports are not valid. No rabies antibody test is needed. – Where: Aduanas (customs, Agencia Tributaria) and Guardia Civil

Rules that apply to you
Visitors may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period; entry can be refused once the 90 days are used up.
The Withdrawal Agreement did not require you to be in Spain on 31 December 2020; temporary absences that do not affect residence are accepted.
The Withdrawal Agreement TIE costs €12, the same as the EU registration certificate.
Non-EU family members of Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries can get a free, priority family visa at the consulate.

Source: La Moncloa, Consulado General de España en Londres, Policía Nacional, Ministerio de Inclusión, European Commission, DGT, Agencia Tributaria, read 23 September 2026

Worker from outside the EU

Since 20 May 2025 the new immigration regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024) applies: your employer applies for your permit in Spain, and it takes effect only once you are registered with the Seguridad Social (social security). A Supreme Court judgment of 8 July 2026, published on 22 September 2026, annulled several parts of it, such as the ban on temporary-work agencies holding seasonal-work permits.

Step	What to do
Check the job can be offered to you	Your employer can apply if the job is on SEPE's quarterly list of hard-to-fill occupations for the province, or after the public employment service has handled the offer for 8 days without suitable candidates. – Where: Your employer; SEPE (State Public Employment Service)
Your employer files the application	The employer books the cita previa (appointment) and applies at the Foreigners' Office of the province where you will work. Pay must follow the collective agreement; no decision within three months means refusal. – Where: Oficina de Extranjería (Foreigners' Office)
Apply for your work visa	Apply in person at the Spanish consulate within one month of the approval being notified to your employer; it decides within one month. Enter Spain within the visa's three-month validity. – Where: Spanish consulate
Start work and get registered	Your employer must register you with the Seguridad Social within three months of your legal entry; your permit only takes effect from that registration. – Where: Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS)
Apply for your identity card	Within one month of that registration, request the TIE (foreigner identity card) in person with form EX-17 and fee form 790 code 012 (€16.08 for a first card). It shows your NIE (foreigner identity number). – Where: Policía Nacional (National Police)
Register your address	Join the padrón (municipal register) at the ayuntamiento (town hall); it is free. Without long-term residence you must renew it every two years or you are removed. – Where: Ayuntamiento (town hall)
Get your health card	The INSS recognises your right as a worker; your regional health service then issues the card. In the Madrid region, bring your TIE, a padrón document under 90 days old and the INSS document. – Where: INSS, then your regional health service
Plan your renewal	The first permit lasts up to one year and is limited to one autonomous community and one occupation. The renewal lasts four years and lets you work anywhere in Spain, employed or self-employed. – Where: Oficina de Extranjería (Foreigners' Office)

Rules that apply to you
SMI 2026: €1,221 a month in 14 payments (€17,094 a year). On a part-time contract your total pay must still reach the full-time annual SMI.
Fees: you pay €10.94; your employer pays €203.84 (pay below twice the SMI) or €407.71 (twice or more) and may not pass it on to you.
The maximum working week is still 40 hours on average over the year; the 37.5-hour bill was rejected on 11 September 2025.
Already in Spain? Most arraigo (settlement) permits need two years' presence; the extraordinary regularisation under Real Decreto 316/2026 closed on 30 June 2026.
New job-search visas give 12 months to look for work, in quotas set by the yearly GECCO order – for example for children and grandchildren of Spanish-born nationals.

Source: BOE (official gazette), SEPE, Ministerio de Inclusión, Sede Electrónica de las Administraciones Públicas, Policía Nacional, Comunidad de Madrid, Congreso de los Diputados, read 23 September 2026

Highly qualified (EU Blue Card)

From June 2026 the EU Blue Card salary threshold is €41,356.36 gross a year, or €33,085.09 for shortage occupations and recent graduates, under Orden PJC/44/2026 (1.4 times the average wage). You or your employer apply online to the UGE (the unit for large companies and strategic groups), which must decide within 20 days; silence means approval.

Step	What to do
Check you qualify	You need a higher-education qualification of at least three years (EQF level 6) or five years' relevant experience (ICT: three within the last seven), plus a contract or firm job offer of at least six months. – Where: Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE)
Check the salary threshold	Gross pay of €41,356.36 a year, or €33,085.09 for shortage occupations in groups 1–2 or a qualification from the last three years. The national highly qualified permit has one threshold: €41,356.36. – Where: Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE)
File online, with your family	Either the company or you can file. Your spouse or partner, children and dependent parents can apply at the same time, and simultaneous applications are decided together. – Where: Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE)
Get your visa if you are abroad	Take the approval to the Spanish consulate; visas under Ley 14/2013 are decided within 10 working days. – Where: Spanish consulate
Register for social security	If you have no NIE (foreigner identity number) yet, your passport is enough to register with the Seguridad Social (social security) during your first six months. – Where: Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS)
Apply for your identity card	Request the TIE (foreigner identity card) in person within one month of entry, booking a cita previa (appointment); a first card costs €16.08. – Where: Policía Nacional (National Police)
Decide on the Beckham regime	If you were not tax resident in Spain in the previous five years, you can opt to pay 24 % on employment income up to €600,000. Claim it on form 149 within six months of your Seguridad Social start date. – Where: Agencia Tributaria (tax agency)
Register your address	Join the padrón (municipal register) at the ayuntamiento (town hall) where you live; it is free. – Where: Ayuntamiento (town hall)

Rules that apply to you
The card is valid three years (or the contract length plus three months if shorter); renew for two years in the 60 days before expiry.
Unemployment: the card can be withdrawn after more than three months without work (holder for under two years) or six months (two years or more).
Blue Card from another EU state? After 12 months (6 if in several states) you can move and apply here within one month of entry.
Your time as a Blue Card holder in other EU states counts towards Spanish long-term residence after five years.
The Beckham regime can also cover your spouse and children under 25 who move with you or after you.

Source: BOE (official gazette), Ministerio de Inclusión (UGE), Agencia Tributaria, Policía Nacional, read 23 September 2026

Digital nomad

The 2026 minimum wage (SMI), in force since 20 February 2026 with effect from 1 January, sets the income bar: you must earn 200 % of the SMI, which is €1,221 a month in 14 payments. The Buenos Aires consulate states €2,442 a month. Employees may work only for foreign companies; freelancers can earn up to 20 % from Spanish clients.

Step	What to do
Check you qualify	You need a degree from a university, VET or business school of recognised prestige, or three years' experience. The company must have operated for a year and worked with you for the last three months. – Where: Spanish consulate or UGE
Prove your income	Show 200 % of the SMI a month (SMI 2026: €1,221), plus 75 % of the SMI for the first family member and 25 % for each additional one. – Where: Spanish consulate or UGE
Sort out social security	Employees: Seguridad Social (social security) registration via the employer, or a certificate of applicable legislation under an agreement (only some countries issue it). Freelancers join RETA (self-employed). – Where: Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS)
Apply for the visa	Apply at the Spanish consulate and request an NIE (foreigner identity number) at the same time. Bring criminal records for the last 2 years plus a sworn statement covering 5 years; decision in 10 days. – Where: Spanish consulate
Arrive and register your address	The visa is valid for up to one year and proves your residence, so a TIE (foreigner identity card) is optional. Join the padrón (municipal register) at your ayuntamiento (town hall). – Where: Ayuntamiento (town hall)
Switch to the residence permit	In the 60 days before the visa expires, apply to the UGE for the telework permit (up to three years, renewable for two). Fee €73.26 per person; no answer within 20 days means approval. – Where: Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE)
Consider the Beckham regime	As an employee with this visa you meet the regime's ‘moved for work’ condition. Claim it on form 149 within six months of your Seguridad Social start date. – Where: Agencia Tributaria (tax agency)

Rules that apply to you
You need health insurance covering all risks of the Spanish public system; the London consulate also accepts an S1 registered with the Seguridad Social.
Already legally in Spain? You can apply to the UGE for the telework permit directly, without the visa.
More than 183 days a year in Spain makes you tax resident, taxed on your worldwide income.
Colombian citizens pay no national visa fee for the telework visa at the Consulate in Bogotá.

Source: BOE (official gazette), Ministerio de Inclusión (UGE), Spanish consulates in London, Buenos Aires and Bogotá, Agencia Tributaria, read 23 September 2026

Researcher or PhD student

New in 2026: a management criterion signed on 7 August 2026 (Criterio de Gestión DGGM 2/2026) states that foreigners doing a PhD in Spain use the national research permit, and the university can file the application for you. You get the residence authorisation from the UGE first, then the visa from the consulate.

Step	What to do
Choose the right permit	‘Investigación UE’ is for PhD holders or people with access to doctoral programmes, selected by a research entity under a hosting agreement or contract. Other cases, including PhD students, use ‘investigación nacional’. – Where: Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE)
Get a hosting agreement	An invitation letter that you expressly accept counts as a hosting agreement if it sets out the project, commitments and dates. – Where: Your university or research centre
File with the UGE	Apply on the basis of your hosting agreement or contract; for a PhD, the university can file for you. Research entities registered with the UGE need not prove your insurance and means when filing. – Where: Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE)
Apply for the visa	Take the original UGE authorisation to the Spanish consulate. The visa is decided in 10 days and must be collected within 1 month; your partner, children and dependent parents can get visas too. – Where: Spanish consulate
Get your card and register your address	Request the TIE (foreigner identity card) in person within one month of entry, booking a cita previa (appointment), and join the padrón (municipal register) at your ayuntamiento (town hall). – Where: Policía Nacional; ayuntamiento
Check the Beckham regime	It can cover R&D work paid over 40 % of your total income if you were not tax resident in the previous five years. Claim on form 149 within six months of your Seguridad Social (social security) start date. – Where: Agencia Tributaria (tax agency)
Plan the end of your project	You can stay up to 12 months to look for work or start a business, notifying the UGE between 60 days before and 90 days after your permit expires. – Where: Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE)

Rules that apply to you
The permit lasts three years or the length of your agreement, is renewable for two years, and long-term residence is possible after five years.
The EU research permit also lets you teach classes related to your research.
Hiring by public bodies, universities or research centres is exempt from the labour-market test.
Holding an EU research permit from another member state? Your host notifies the UGE, which can object within 30 days.
Short-stay Schengen visas are free for non-EU researchers travelling for scientific research.

Source: BOE (official gazette), Ministerio de Inclusión (UGE), Consulado General de España en Londres, Agencia Tributaria, read 23 September 2026

Student

Since 20 May 2025 (Real Decreto 1155/2024) a higher-education study authorisation lets you work up to 30 hours a week, employed or self-employed, with no extra permit, as long as the work fits with your studies. You must show 100 % of the IPREM for your upkeep – €600 a month in 2026 – and apply at least two months before your course starts.

Step	What to do
Apply early	Apply for the student visa at least two months before your course starts; the consulate has one month to decide, and no answer means refusal. For higher education you must be over 17. – Where: Spanish consulate
Show your funds	100 % of the IPREM a month (€600 in 2026), unless your accommodation is prepaid for the whole stay; 75 % for the first family member and 50 % for each additional one. Tuition money does not count. – Where: Spanish consulate
Get the right insurance	London consulate rules: cover for all public-system risks with no co-payment or waiting period, any limit at least €30,000; travel insurance is not accepted. Add a medical certificate. – Where: Insurer; Spanish consulate
Get your identity card in the first month	If your stay is longer than six months, request the TIE (foreigner identity card) in person within one month of entry, booking a cita previa (appointment); a first card costs €16.08. – Where: Policía Nacional (National Police)
Register your address	Join the padrón (municipal register) at the ayuntamiento (town hall) where you live; it is free. – Where: Ayuntamiento (town hall)
Work alongside your studies	Up to 30 hours a week, only in the autonomous community that granted your stay (and bordering localities). Registration with the Seguridad Social (social security) then covers your health insurance requirement. – Where: Your employer
Renew every year	Prove your enrolment each year and request the extension online in the two months before expiry (fee €17.49). One month without an answer means refusal. – Where: Oficina de Extranjería (Foreigners' Office)
Stay on after graduating	Switch to residence and work from 2 months before to 3 months after your stay ends, or, with at least a bachelor's degree from a Spanish institution, get a 24-month permit to look for work or start a business. – Where: Oficina de Extranjería or UGE

Rules that apply to you
Working more than 30 hours a week is grounds for losing your study authorisation.
Family members can join if at least 90 days of your authorisation remain, but they may not work.
Curricular internships under university agreements need no extra permit.
Madrid region: public universities charge non-resident students over 18 from outside the EU the fourth-enrolment price for bachelor's degrees.
For EU long-term residence, time on a study stay counts at 50 % towards the five years, if you hold a residence permit when you apply.

Source: BOE (official gazette), Ministerio de Inclusión, Consulado General de España en Londres, SEPE, Policía Nacional, Comunidad de Madrid, read 23 September 2026

Joining a partner or family

Since 20 May 2025 family members of Spanish citizens have their own residence authorisation, which lets them work anywhere in Spain, and since 16 April 2026 adult children and parents can also apply from inside Spain. If your relative is a non-EU resident, they need a year's residence and income of 150 % of the IPREM (€600 a month in 2026), plus 50 % per extra member.

Step	What to do
Find your route	Family of an EU citizen: EU family residence card. Family of a Spaniard: the family-of-Spaniards authorisation. Family of a non-EU resident: family reunification, applied for by your relative. – Where: Oficina de Extranjería (Foreigners' Office)
Family of an EU citizen	Your entry visa is free and processed with priority. Apply for the EU family residence card within three months of entry; it costs €12 and is valid five years. – Where: Spanish consulate; Oficina de Extranjería or police
Family of a Spaniard	Spouses, partners, children under 26 or dependent, and dependent parents qualify. Decision within two months; valid five years. If you apply from inside Spain, you may live and work provisionally once it is admitted. – Where: Oficina de Extranjería (Foreigners' Office)
Reunification: what your relative needs	One year's residence and permission for at least one more, 150 % of the IPREM plus 50 % per extra member, health insurance for all, and a housing report from regional social services under six months old. – Where: Regional social services (or the town hall where the region delegates it)
Reunification: the application	Your relative books the cita previa (appointment) and files in person; fee €10.94. The decision is due within two months, and no answer means refusal. – Where: Oficina de Extranjería (Foreigners' Office)
Apply for your visa and travel	Apply in person at the Spanish consulate within two months of the approval being notified, then enter Spain within one month of getting the visa. – Where: Spanish consulate
Your card, address and health cover	Request your TIE (foreigner identity card) within a month of entry; join the padrón (municipal register) at the ayuntamiento (town hall). Insured people's spouses, registered partners and children under 26 are covered. – Where: Policía Nacional; ayuntamiento; INSS
Enrol your children at school	Children arriving from abroad must be admitted to school at any time of year, in the year that best fits them. Basic education is compulsory and free. – Where: Regional education authority

Rules that apply to you
Reunited spouses, partners and working-age children may work anywhere in Spain without further formalities.
Stable unregistered partners need 12 months' continuous cohabitation, unless you have children together.
Dependent parents over 65 can be reunited; renewed family permits last four years.
A Supreme Court judgment of 8 July 2026 (published 22 September 2026) annulled the automatic refusal of Spaniards' relatives with criminal records, without individual assessment.
Children already in Spain must be in school for reunification, and your relative must prove it when renewing.

Source: BOE (official gazette), Ministerio de Inclusión, Policía Nacional, Sede Electrónica de las Administraciones Públicas, Seguridad Social, SEPE, read 23 September 2026

Refugee or protection status

Temporary protection for people from Ukraine runs to 4 March 2027, and your existing TIE (foreigner identity card) was extended automatically to that date, so you need no new card. The one-off arraigo for asylum applicants from before 1 January 2026 closed on 30 June 2026. If you need protection, ask for asylum without delay, at the latest within one month of entering Spain.

Step	What to do
Ask for international protection	Apply within one month of entry (or of the events behind your fear). While your case is pending you cannot be returned or expelled, and you have the right to healthcare, free legal aid and an interpreter. – Where: Policía Nacional (National Police)
Get reception support	If you lack means, the state reception system supports you, normally for up to 18 months. Línea Acogida Informa: +34 913 990 009, Monday–Friday 9:00–15:00, in seven languages including Arabic and Ukrainian. – Where: Ministerio de Inclusión (reception system)
Register your address	Join the padrón (municipal register) at the ayuntamiento (town hall); it cannot check your residence status. In Madrid city, your asylum application receipt is accepted from one month after you apply. – Where: Ayuntamiento (town hall)
Open a bank account	Asylum seekers have a right to a basic payment account at any bank that offers accounts; it costs at most €3 a month and is free for vulnerable households. – Where: Any bank
Work after six months	If your application was admitted and is still undecided after six months for reasons not attributable to you, you may work; your document is marked ‘autoriza a trabajar’ (authorised to work). – Where: Policía Nacional (National Police)
School and Spanish classes	Children in the reception system should get a school place within three months of the asylum application. The reception phase can include Spanish and literacy classes. – Where: Regional education authority; reception system
Once protection is granted	Refugees and subsidiary-protection holders get permanent residence and work authorisation, and the same access as Spaniards to employment services, education, healthcare, housing and Seguridad Social (social security). – Where: Policía Nacional (National Police)

Rules that apply to you
A decision is due within six months in the ordinary procedure; after that the application may be considered refused.
Time as an asylum seeker does not count towards the two years needed for ordinary arraigo.
Refugee family reunification needs no proof of income or housing, but can be used only once.
Fees: refugee ID document €11.04; Geneva Convention travel document €27.08.
Recognised refugees can apply for Spanish nationality after five years' legal residence instead of ten.

Source: BOE (official gazette), Policía Nacional, Ministerio de Inclusión, Banco de España, Ayuntamiento de Madrid, Seguridad Social, read 23 September 2026

From Latin America

Two routes have closed: the Democratic Memory Law option for descendants stopped taking appointment requests on 22 October 2025, and the extraordinary regularisation under Real Decreto 316/2026 closed on 30 June 2026. Your biggest advantage remains: Spanish nationality after just two years of legal residence, without giving up your own.

Step	What to do
Get legal residence first	Choose a route – work, study, telework or non-lucrative – and apply at the Spanish consulate. Ibero-American nationals pay no fees for work authorisations. – Where: Spanish consulate
Check for Spanish ancestry	Children and grandchildren of Spanish-born nationals are exempt from the labour-market test; children of a parent who is or was Spanish by origin can get the family-of-Spaniards residence authorisation. – Where: Oficina de Extranjería (Foreigners' Office)
Get your card and register your address	Request your TIE (foreigner identity card) within one month of entry, booking a cita previa (appointment), and join the padrón (municipal register) at the ayuntamiento (town hall). – Where: Policía Nacional; ayuntamiento
Exchange your driving licence	Licences from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay and other listed countries are exchanged without tests (€28.87), but not Mexico or Venezuela. You may drive on yours for six months after becoming resident. – Where: Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT)
Pass the CCSE test	Nationals of Spanish-speaking countries are exempt from the DELE A2 but must pass the CCSE (€85, up to two attempts). Remaining 2026 dates in Spain: 29 October and 26 November (register by 8 October and 5 November). – Where: Instituto Cervantes
Apply for nationality online	File through the Justice Ministry's e-office with a digital certificate or Cl@ve (government e-ID login). The Ministry must decide within one year; no decision means refusal. – Where: Ministerio de Justicia (Ministry of Justice)
Take the oath within 180 days	Once granted, swear or promise loyalty and request registration in the Civil Registry within 180 days of notification, or the grant lapses. The oath can be taken before a notary. – Where: Civil Registry or a notary

Rules that apply to you
Your two years must be legal, continuous and immediately before you apply; one year is enough if a parent or grandparent was originally Spanish.
Non-lucrative residence: the Spanish Consulate in Mexico sets €2,400 a month, plus €600 a month per family member.
Colombians pay no national visa fee for non-lucrative and telework visas at the Consulate in Bogotá.
As a teleworker you may keep your home-country social security with a certificate of applicable legislation, but only some countries issue it.

Source: BOE (official gazette), Ministerio de Justicia, Instituto Cervantes, DGT, Spanish consulates in London, Mexico and Bogotá, read 23 September 2026

Retiring or living on your own means

The golden visa ended on 3 April 2025 (Organic Law 1/2025), so buying property no longer gives you residence; the non-lucrative route is the one for people who will not work. You need 400 % of the IPREM – €2,400 a month per the consulate's page – and to renew you must really live here, for more than 183 days a year.

Step	What to do
Gather proof of funds	Cover the whole year: the Buenos Aires consulate states €2,400 a month (€28,800) plus €600 a month per dependant. Foreign accounts need the balance at 31 December and the average for the last year. – Where: Your bank; Spanish consulate
Get health insurance and documents	Insurance with an insurer authorised in Spain covering all public-system risks (the London consulate accepts a registered S1), plus a medical certificate and criminal records for the last 5 years. – Where: Insurer; Spanish consulate
Apply at your consulate	Apply for the visa at the Spanish consulate for where you live. The immigration office decides within one month, and no answer means refusal. Fee €10.94, plus the consular visa fee. – Where: Spanish consulate
Get your identity card	Request the TIE (foreigner identity card) in person within one month of entry, booking a cita previa (appointment). Your first authorisation lasts one year. – Where: Policía Nacional (National Police)
Register your address	Join the padrón (municipal register) at the ayuntamiento (town hall). Without long-term residence, renew your registration every two years. – Where: Ayuntamiento (town hall)
Renew for two years	Apply in the two months before expiry (up to three months after, with a possible fine). You must have lived in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year; fee €16.40. – Where: Oficina de Extranjería (Foreigners' Office)
Join public healthcare later	Without other public cover, a convenio especial (special agreement) lets you join after one year's residence while on the padrón: €60 a month under 65, €157 from 65; regions may charge more. – Where: Your regional health service

Rules that apply to you
The non-lucrative visa does not allow any work or professional activity.
More than 183 days a year in Spain also makes you tax resident, taxed on your worldwide income.
Existing golden visas stay valid for their term; renewals follow the rules in force when the first permit was granted.
Long-term residence is possible after five years of continuous residence.
Madrid region: people over 65 travel free on public transport with the Abono +65.

Source: BOE (official gazette), Spanish consulates in London and Buenos Aires, Ministerio de Inclusión, SEPE, Consorcio Regional de Transportes de Madrid, read 23 September 2026

The 15 guides

Move

1. Part 1First 30 days in Spain
2. Part 2Visas and residence permits for Spain in 2026
3. Part 3NIE, TIE and padrón in Spain
4. Part 6Working in Spain
5. Part 7Beckham law, IRPF and tax residence in Spain

Live

1. Part 4Bank account in Spain
2. Part 5Renting in Spain
3. Part 8Tarjeta sanitaria in Spain
4. Part 10School enrolment in Spain
5. Part 11DELE A2 and CCSE in Spain
6. Part 12Driving licence in Spain
7. Part 13Utilities in Spain

Settle

1. Part 9Social Security in Spain
2. Part 14Public holidays in Spain 2026
3. Part 15Long-term residence and Spanish citizenship

Spain in numbers

Official statistics, fetched from the source. Each figure shows where it comes from and which period it covers.

Figure	Latest	Source and period
Population	49.13 million	Eurostat · 1 January 2025
Economy (GDP)	€1,687 billion	Eurostat · 2025
GDP per person	$38,627	World Bank · 2025
GDP growth	+2.7%	Eurostat, compared with a year earlier · Q2 2026
GDP growth, full year	2.8%	World Bank · 2025
Unemployment	10.0%	Eurostat, seasonally adjusted · July 2026
Employment rate	73.0%	Eurostat, age 20–64 · Q2 2026
Inflation	4.6%	Eurostat, EU-harmonised (HICP) · August 2026
Central bank rate	2.50%	European Central Bank deposit facility rate · 23 September 2026
Median income	€20,367 a year	Disposable, per adult equivalent · Eurostat · 2025
Price level	91	EU = 100 · Eurostat · 2024
Born abroad	19.3%	Eurostat · 1 January 2025

Source: Eurostat, World Bank and European Central Bank, read 23 September 2026, 23:40 Paris time (CET).

Pros
The fastest growth of the six: +2.7% in Q2 2026 compared with a year earlier (Eurostat) and 2.8% in 2025 (World Bank).
The least expensive of the six: consumer prices 9% below the EU average, and eating out 16% below (Eurostat, 2024).
Housing and energy prices below the EU average: 96 (EU = 100, Eurostat, 2024).
Almost one in five residents was born abroad – 19.3% (Eurostat, 1 January 2025).

Cons
The highest unemployment of the six: 10.0% in July 2026, against 6.1% in the EU (Eurostat).
The highest inflation of the six: 4.6% in August 2026 (HICP, Eurostat).
Incomes below the EU average: median disposable income €20,367, against €22,939 in the EU (Eurostat, 2025).

Your first steps in Spain, in order

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need no visa and skip steps 1 and 5; everyone else follows every step. Immigration rules are national, but the padrón (municipal register) is kept by your ayuntamiento (town hall) and healthcare is run by your region, so documents, booking and waiting times differ from place to place. Almost every office visit needs a cita previa (appointment): for Foreigners' Offices and the police you book it through the government's online Cita previa de extranjería service.

Step	What	Where	Typical time
1	Non-EU citizens staying more than 90 days to work, study or live: get a national (long-stay) visa. For a first job your employer applies for the work permit in Spain. EU citizens only need a valid passport or national identity card.	Spanish consulate where you live; employee permits at the Oficina de Extranjería (Foreigners' Office) of the province; EU Blue Card and highly qualified permits online with the UGE-CE (Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit)	Employee permit: decided within three months (no answer means refusal), then one month to apply for the visa, decided within one month. Blue Card and highly qualified: 20 days (no answer means approval). Student visa: apply at least two months before the course
2	NIE (foreigner identity number) on its own – only if you need one before you have residence, for example to buy property or sign a contract. In an immigration procedure the police assign it automatically. Form EX-15, fee €9.84.	Oficina de Extranjería or police station, with cita previa; a Spanish consulate if you are abroad	Decided within five days (no answer means refusal). The consulate in London normally issues it within three weeks, by e-mail
3	Register your address on the padrón. It is compulsory for everyone who lives in Spain, free, and needed for your health card and school places. Bring ID and proof that you live there, such as a rental contract; in Madrid city the contract must run at least six months. Non-EU residents without long-term residence renew every two years.	Your ayuntamiento: in Madrid by compulsory appointment (010); in Barcelona online, by 010 or in person; in Valencia at the Oficina del Padrón without appointment; in Málaga at any OMAC (district citizen office)	The town hall must decide within three months – if it does not answer, you are registered. Barcelona online: about 7 calendar days
4	EU, EEA and Swiss citizens staying more than three months: register in the Registro Central de Extranjeros (Central Register of Foreigners) and get the registration certificate, which shows your NIE. Form EX-18, fee €12. If you do not work, you need health insurance and sufficient resources.	Oficina de Extranjería of your province or, failing that, the police station – in person, with cita previa	Apply within three months of entry; the certificate is issued immediately
5	Non-EU citizens with a visa or permit for more than six months: apply for the TIE (foreigner identity card), form EX-17, fee €16.08 for a first card. Optional for digital nomads, whose visa proves residence.	Police documentation unit at the Foreigners' Office or a police station in your province, with cita previa; your fingerprints are taken there	In person within one month of entry or of your permit taking effect; employees within one month of registering with the Seguridad Social (social security)
6	Get your Social Security number (NUSS). Your employer registers you before you start work; self-employed people register themselves.	TGSS (Social Security General Treasury): online in Import@ss, or form TA.1	Before your first working day; work-visa holders must be registered within three months of entry
7	Open a bank account. Every bank that offers payment accounts must also offer a basic payment account to anyone legally resident in the EU, for at most €3 a month. A TIE or passport is accepted as ID.	Any bank; rules and complaints guidance from the Banco de España (Bank of Spain)	A refusal must come in writing, with reasons, within 10 working days of a complete application
8	Get a digital ID for online government services: Cl@ve (the government's e-ID login) or the free FNMT citizen certificate. Both work with your NIE.	A registration office of the tax agency, Social Security, SEPE or a Government Delegation – many need cita previa – or Cl@ve online by an invitation letter posted to your tax address	No official time published
9	Check your tax position: you are tax resident if you spend more than 183 days a year in Spain. If you moved for a job and were not resident in the previous five years, you can choose the Beckham regime (see the tax table below).	Agencia Tributaria (Spanish Tax Agency) – form 149, filed online	Beckham option: within six months of the start date in your Social Security registration
10	Get your health card (tarjeta sanitaria). Employees, the self-employed, pensioners and legal residents without other cover are entitled to public healthcare. Without a right to it, after a year's residence and while on the padrón you can pay for a convenio especial (special agreement): €60 a month under 65, €157 from 65 – regions may charge more.	The INSS (National Social Security Institute) recognises your right; your regional health service issues the card – in Madrid at your centro de salud (health centre), 8:30–20:30; in Catalonia at your CAP (primary-care centre) or online, free; in Andalusia at a primary-care centre	No official processing time published. Madrid region: bring a padrón document issued within the last 90 days
11	Start a language course: Spanish everywhere, and the regional language where it is co-official, such as Catalan in Catalonia, Valencian in the Valencian Community or Basque in the Basque Country.	Madrid region: Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas (EOI, official language schools), €222 for a 120-hour course. Catalonia: CPNL, Catalan A1 and A2 free. Basque Country: Euskara Bonua, €120 for up to four years of classes	Madrid EOI 2026–27: applications for regular courses 4–22 June 2026, classes 8 September 2026 – 25 June 2027

The income tests for the main non-EU routes are national. An EU Blue Card needs a gross salary of €41,356.36 a year, or €33,085.09 for some shortage occupations and for people who qualified in the last three years. The digital nomad (international telework) visa needs 200% of the SMI (minimum wage), which is €1,221 a month in 2026 – the Spanish consulate in Buenos Aires puts this at €2,442 a month. Non-lucrative residence, which does not allow work, needs 400% of the IPREM (public income indicator, €600 a month): €2,400 a month according to the consulates in Buenos Aires and Mexico. Students need 100% of the IPREM. Check the exact figures and documents with the consulate where you apply.

Tax at a glance for 2026

IRPF (personal income tax) comes in two halves: a state scale that applies everywhere, and a regional scale set by your autonomous community on the same income. Social security rates are national, and your employer pays the larger share.

Item	Rate or threshold	Where and when it applies
Tax residence	More than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year, or your main economic interests here	National. You are resident or non-resident for the whole calendar year; a residence permit alone does not make you tax resident
State income tax scale	9.5% up to €12,450; 12% to €20,200; 15% to €35,200; 18.5% to €60,000; 22.5% to €300,000; 24.5% above	National scale in force in 2026 – your region's scale is added on top
Regional income tax scale	Madrid 8.5% to 20.5% (top rate above €57,320.40); Catalonia 9.5% to 25.5% (above €175,000); Valencian Community 9% to 29.5% (above €200,000); Andalusia 9.5% to 22.5% (above €60,000)	These are the 2025 scales, the latest verified; the 2026 regional scales were not yet confirmed on an official page
Savings income (interest, dividends, gains)	19% to 30%, state and regional halves combined	National
Personal allowance	€5,550 a year; plus €1,150 over 65 and €1,400 more over 75	National
Allowance for children	€2,400 for the first, €2,700 for the second, €4,000 for the third, €4,500 for each further child; plus €2,800 per child under 3	National, as set out in the tax agency's manual for the 2025 return
Reduction for employees	€7,302 if your net work income is up to €14,852, tapering to nothing at €19,747.50	National, since 2024
Working mothers	Up to €1,200 a year per child under 3, plus up to €1,000 for nursery costs	National; can be paid in advance by the tax agency
Who must file a return	Not required for work income under €22,000 from one payer (other payers no more than €1,500 in total), or under €15,876 with more than one payer	Thresholds for tax year 2025, filed in 2026; the self-employed must always file
Social security, employee share	4.70% common contingencies; 1.55% unemployment (1.60% on fixed-term contracts); 0.10% vocational training; 0.15% MEI (intergenerational equity mechanism)	National 2026 rates; the employer pays 23.60% for common contingencies
Contribution ceiling	€5,101.20 a month; above it a solidarity contribution applies, with an employee share of 0.19% to 0.24% depending on the band	National, 2026
SMI (minimum wage)	€1,221 a month in 14 payments (€17,094 a year), or €40.70 a day	National, all of 2026 (Real Decreto 126/2026)
IPREM (public income indicator)	€600 a month, €7,200 a year	National; the benchmark for many immigration income tests
Beckham regime (inbound workers)	Flat 24% on employment and other non-savings income up to €600,000; 47% above	Year of arrival plus five years, if you were not resident in the previous five years; claim on form 149 within six months, then file form 151 each year
Non-residents	24%, or 19% if you live in the EU, Iceland or Norway	Non-resident income tax without a permanent establishment

The Relocate in Europe salary calculator applies these 2026 rates to your own salary.

Spain emergency numbers and health lines

Number	For what
112	All emergencies – police, ambulance, fire – across the EU. Free, and it works from a locked mobile or one without an active SIM. Catalonia's 112 answers in 50 languages; the Madrid region's in Spanish and English, with interpreters for other languages
091	Policía Nacional (National Police): report a crime, or call 112
062	Guardia Civil (Civil Guard), 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; free general information on 900 101 062
061	Regional health line – it differs by region. Catalonia: 061 Salut Respon, 24 hours, for urgent health problems that are not life-threatening and for health advice (call 112 in an emergency). Andalusia: serious health emergencies. Elsewhere, ask your regional health service
016	Violence against women: free and confidential, 24 hours, in 53 languages; WhatsApp 600 000 016; legal advice 8:00–22:00 every day
024	Suicide prevention: free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
900 202 010	ANAR helpline for children and teenagers
900 105 090	Ministry of the Interior line on trafficking of women for sexual exploitation
900 222 665	Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros (Insurance Compensation Consortium): damage from extraordinary floods, earthquakes and similar events, if you hold a paid-up home or property policy

You do not need to sign up for ES-Alert: civil-protection warnings reach every mobile phone in the affected area, the most serious ones sound even on silent, and messages come in Spanish and the regional co-official language and may include a second language, usually English. The free AlertCops app lets anyone, including people with hearing or speech impairments, alert the Policía Nacional and the Guardia Civil.

The address book

Numbers are given as the agencies publish them; from abroad, dial +34 or 00 34 before the nine-digit number. Each call to 060 costs the price of a one-minute call, and Social Security's 901 lines are usually not included in flat-rate phone plans. Where we could not verify a number or an office, we say so.

Residence and identity

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Oficina de Extranjería de Madrid (Foreigners' Office, Government Delegation in Madrid)	Non-EU residence and work permits, family reunification, renewals; case status also on 902 022 222 or 060	+34 91 272 95 00	Delegación del Gobierno en Madrid (Ministry of Territorial Policy)	Calle Silva 19, Madrid, and three other sites; Monday–Friday 9:00–14:00 as a general rule; applications with cita previa
Oficina de Extranjería de Barcelona (Foreigners' Office, Government Sub-delegation in Barcelona)	The same, for Barcelona province; general immigration questions only through the online consultation form	+34 935 201 410	Subdelegación del Gobierno en Barcelona	Passeig de Sant Joan 189–193 and Calle Murcia 42; Monday–Thursday 9:00–17:30, Friday 9:00–14:00; 16 June–15 September 9:00–14:00
Oficinas de Extranjería in Valencia and Málaga (Foreigners' Offices)	The same, for Valencia and Málaga provinces	See the agency's website	Delegación and Subdelegación del Gobierno (Ministry of Territorial Policy)	See the agency's website
Policía Nacional (National Police)	NIE, TIE and the EU registration certificate; fingerprints for the TIE	No information line for NIE or TIE; 091 is for emergencies	Policía Nacional (sede electrónica, e-office)	Documentation units at Foreigners' Offices and police stations, with cita previa
Cita previa de extranjería (immigration appointments)	Book appointments at Foreigners' Offices and with the police; employers book initial work permits, sponsors book family reunification	No phone line	Sede Electrónica de las Administraciones Públicas (Public Administrations e-office)	Online only; many applications can also be filed online through the MERCURIO platform
UGE-CE – Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit)	EU Blue Card, highly qualified, researcher and digital nomad permits from inside Spain	See the agency's website	Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones (Ministry of Inclusion)	Online filing
Padrón – Ayuntamiento de Madrid (City of Madrid)	Register your address; online with electronic ID, or in person	010 (free from Madrid city); +34 914 800 010	Ayuntamiento de Madrid (sede electrónica)	Oficinas de Atención a la Ciudadanía (Línea Madrid), appointment compulsory
Padró – Ajuntament de Barcelona (Barcelona City Council)	Register your address – compulsory and free; online (about 7 calendar days), by phone or in person	010	Ajuntament de Barcelona – Barcelona International Welcome	Citizen information offices (OAC) by appointment; OAC Monumental serves in English, French, Arabic, Urdu, Catalan and Spanish
Padrón – Ajuntament de València (Valencia City Council)	New registrations and changes of address, free	010; +34 963 100 010; +34 962 081 104	Ajuntament de València	Oficina del Padrón Municipal, Plaça de l'Ajuntament 1 (entrance on C/ Periodista Azzati); Monday–Friday 8:30–14:00; no appointment needed for new registrations
Padrón – Ayuntamiento de Málaga (Málaga City Council)	Hand in the padrón form and your documents	010; +34 951 926 010 from outside Málaga	Ayuntamiento de Málaga (sede electrónica)	Any OMAC in the 11 district boards, or the Gestión Tributaria office, Edificio Tabacalera, Avenida de Sor Teresa Prat 17; hours: See the agency's website
Punto de Acceso General – 060 (General Access Point)	Central-government information, including foreigners' affairs, DGT and SEPE	060; +34 902 887 060 from abroad	Punto de Acceso General	Phone agents Monday–Friday 9:00–19:00 (August 9:00–15:00), Saturday 9:00–14:00; automated service 24 hours; webchat
Cl@ve and FNMT certificate (government e-ID)	Log in to tax, social security and immigration e-services; the FNMT citizen certificate is free	See the agency's website	Cl@ve – Identidad electrónica para las Administraciones; FNMT-RCM	Registration offices of the tax agency, Social Security, SEPE and Government Delegations, many by appointment; FNMT has more than 2,400 identity offices, but the certificate cannot be requested at post offices
Línea Acogida Informa (reception system information line, Ministry of Inclusion)	Information on the state reception system for people seeking or holding international or temporary protection	+34 913 990 009	Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones	Phone Monday–Friday 9:00–15:00, in Arabic, Farsi, French, Ukrainian, Russian, English and Spanish
Ministerio de Justicia (Ministry of Justice)	Spanish nationality by residence: online application, fee €104.05	902 007 214 / 918 372 295	Ministerio de Justicia (sede electrónica)	Online; the oath is taken before the Civil Registry or a notary

Money, work and social insurance

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Agencia Tributaria (Spanish Tax Agency)	Tax number (NIF), income tax returns, non-resident tax, Beckham forms 149 and 151	+34 91 554 87 70 (basic tax information, Monday–Friday 9:00–19:00, to 15:00 in August); +34 91 333 5 333 (information, help and appointments)	Agencia Tributaria (e-office, also in English)	Tax offices – book on +34 91 333 5 333
TGSS – Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (Social Security General Treasury)	Social Security number (NUSS), registration, contributions, vida laboral (work-history report)	+34 91 541 02 91 or 901 50 20 50 (Monday–Thursday 9:00–18:00, Friday 9:00–14:30)	Seguridad Social – Import@ss portal	Most procedures online in Import@ss
INSS – Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (National Social Security Institute)	Pensions, birth and childcare benefit, your right to public healthcare; Ingreso Mínimo Vital (minimum income)	+34 91 542 11 76 or 901 16 65 65 (Monday–Friday 9:00–20:00); appointments +34 91 541 25 30 or 901 10 65 70 (24 hours); 020 free line for the Ingreso Mínimo Vital	Seguridad Social	INSS offices Monday–Friday 9:00–14:00, by appointment
SEPE – Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (State Public Employment Service)	Unemployment benefit – apply within 15 working days of your last day of work; Empléate job portal; EURES	+34 91 926 79 70 (appointments, 24 hours); 060 for benefit information (a paid call)	SEPE (sede electrónica)	Benefits offices by appointment; benefit phone hours for Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga provinces 9:00–14:00, Monday–Friday
Oficinas de Empleo, Comunidad de Madrid (Madrid regional employment offices)	Register as a job seeker in the Madrid region	012	Comunidad de Madrid	Employment offices 8:30–14:30, preferably by appointment
Banco de España – Portal del Cliente Bancario (Bank of Spain customer portal)	Your right to a basic payment account (at most €3 a month), bank fees and fraud warnings	See the agency's website	Banco de España	Online

Health and safety

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
SERMAS – Servicio Madrileño de Salud (Madrid regional health service)	Health card and medical appointments in the Madrid region; bring your TIE, a padrón document under 90 days old and the INSS entitlement document	Your health centre, option 2 (Monday–Friday 8:00–21:00); the Cita Sanitaria Madrid app	Comunidad de Madrid	Your assigned centro de salud, 8:30–20:30
CatSalut – Servei Català de la Salut (Catalan Health Service)	TSI health card in Catalonia – free, needs padrón registration in a Catalan municipality; health advice	061 Salut Respon (24 hours, 365 days)	CatSalut – Generalitat de Catalunya	Your CAP, or online
Servicio Andaluz de Salud (Andalusian Health Service)	Health card in Andalusia, including Málaga; it has no expiry date	061 for serious health emergencies	Junta de Andalucía – Servicio Andaluz de Salud	A primary-care centre, with a padrón certificate
Regional health service of the Valencian Community	Health card in the Valencian Community	See the agency's website	Generalitat Valenciana	See the agency's website
Policía Nacional – denuncias (reporting crimes)	Report a crime by phone, online or in person; SATE offices assist foreign tourists	091 or 112	Policía Nacional	Police stations
Guardia Civil (Civil Guard)	Emergencies and general information	062 (24 hours); 900 101 062 (free general information)	Guardia Civil	See the agency's website
Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros (Insurance Compensation Consortium)	Claims for extraordinary floods, earthquakes and similar damage, if you hold a paid-up property policy	900 222 665	Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros	See the agency's website

Moving goods, cars and pets

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Aduanas – Agencia Tributaria (Customs, Spanish Tax Agency)	Duty- and VAT-free import of your household goods when you move from outside the EU: you must have lived outside the EU for at least 12 consecutive months, have owned and used the goods for at least 6 months, and import them within 12 months of moving	See the agency's website	Agencia Tributaria	Customs where the goods arrive; pets from outside the EU only through an authorised Travellers' Point of Entry, declared to Guardia Civil customs control
DGT – Dirección General de Tráfico (Directorate-General for Traffic)	Driving-licence exchange (€28.87 for EU and EEA licences and car or motorbike licences from agreement countries), vehicle registration (€99.77) and environmental labels (€5, sold at post offices and authorised sellers); a non-EU licence exchange needs a medical report from an authorised Centro de Reconocimiento de Conductores, valid 90 days	060 (citizen line); 011 (road information); 018 (free line for victims)	DGT	Traffic offices (Jefaturas and Oficinas de Tráfico), cita previa required; headquarters C/ Josefa Valcárcel 44, Madrid
Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food)	Rules for dogs, cats and ferrets: microchip, rabies vaccination (from 12 weeks, valid after 21 days) and an EU pet passport; up to five animals count as pets	See the agency's website	Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación	Online information
Your ayuntamiento (town hall)	Annual vehicle tax (Impuesto de Circulación), set by the town hall of your address	See the agency's website	Your town hall	Town hall offices

Education and qualifications

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades – Valida-TE (Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities)	Homologación (to practise a regulated profession) or declaration of equivalence of a foreign university degree; decided within six months	See the agency's website	Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (Valida-TE portal)	Online only, through the electronic office
Ministerio de Educación, Formación Profesional y Deportes (Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports)	Homologation of foreign school qualifications – free for the ESO graduate title; not needed to join a Spanish school up to 4º ESO	See the agency's website	Ministerio de Educación, Formación Profesional y Deportes	Online e-office, or any official registry, including Spanish consulates
SAE – Servicios de Apoyo a la Escolarización (school-placement services, Madrid region)	A school place for children who arrive outside the admission period	See the agency's website	Comunidad de Madrid	The five territorial education directorates: Madrid-Capital, Norte, Sur, Este and Oeste
OME – Oficines Municipals d'Escolarització (municipal school-placement offices, Catalonia)	A school place outside the preinscripció (admission round) – free, up to 4 schools in order of preference	See the agency's website	Generalitat de Catalunya (Tràmits gencat)	The OME in your municipality, or online
UNEDasiss	Credential for entry to the Madrid region's public universities with the European Baccalaureate, the IB Diploma or a school-leaving title from an EU country	See the agency's website	UNEDasiss	Online
Instituto Cervantes	DELE A2 (€138 in Spain) and CCSE (€85) tests for Spanish nationality; next CCSE dates 29 October (register by 8 October) and 26 November 2026 (register by 5 November)	See the agency's website	Instituto Cervantes	Exam centres; the CCSE is held only in Spain
EOI – Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas (official language schools, Madrid region)	Spanish as a foreign language, A2 to C2: €222 for a 120-hour course, €250 for 135 hours	See the agency's website	Comunidad de Madrid	Public EOI schools; applications through the RAICES online system
CPNL – Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística (Catalan language consortium)	Catalan courses 2026–27: A1 and A2 free, B1 €68	See the agency's website	CPNL	See the agency's website

Cities

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Línea Madrid 010 (City of Madrid)	City information and procedures, including padrón appointments; service in English 8:00–22:00 Monday–Saturday and 10:00–21:00 on Sundays and holidays	010 (free, 24 hours); +34 914 800 010 from outside Madrid or abroad	Ayuntamiento de Madrid	Oficinas de Atención a la Ciudadanía, by appointment
012 Comunidad de Madrid (Madrid regional government)	Regional information and appointments, for example at employment offices	012 within the region; +34 91 580 42 60 from elsewhere in Spain or abroad	Comunidad de Madrid	Phone Monday–Friday 8:00–22:00; weekends and holidays 10:00–20:00
010 Barcelona (Barcelona City Council)	City information and procedures	010 (free, every day 7:00–23:00); +34 931 537 010 from outside the metropolitan area; switchboard +34 934 027 000	Ajuntament de Barcelona	City Hall, Plaça Sant Jaume 1
Barcelona International Welcome	The city's English-language newcomer service: padró, healthcare, transport, schools and work	010	Ajuntament de Barcelona – Barcelona International Welcome	OAC Monumental citizen office, in English, by appointment
010 València (Valencia City Council)	City information and priority padrón appointments	010 (free; Monday–Friday 8:30–18:30, Saturday 9:00–14:00 except August); +34 963 100 010 from outside the city	Ajuntament de València	Oficina del Padrón Municipal, Plaça de l'Ajuntament 1
010 Málaga and the district boards (Málaga City Council)	City information, padrón and local procedures	010; +34 951 926 010 from outside Málaga	Ayuntamiento de Málaga	District office Centro, Calle Merced 1 (+34 951 926 041), Monday–Friday 9:00–14:00; OMAC offices in all 11 districts

The biggest cities

Madrid

Population	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
3,506,730 (1 January 2025, INE – National Statistics Institute, official figures)	Metro de Madrid, EMT buses and regional services, fares set by the Consorcio Regional de Transportes de Madrid (CRTM). 30-day Abono Transporte, zone A (roughly the city): €32.70 for ages 26–64 in 2026; Abono Joven €10; free for ages 7–14 and over-65s	Complutense, Autónoma, Politécnica, Carlos III, Rey Juan Carlos and Alcalá (public universities of the region)	Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas (MAD): Metro Line 8 from Nuevos Ministerios to Airport T4, 06:05–02:00, with a €3.00 airport supplement; EMT airport express bus €5.00	Línea Madrid 010, with an English service; 012 for the regional government

Centro is the old town – Felipe II made Madrid the capital in 1561 – with the neighbourhoods Palacio, Embajadores, Cortes, Justicia, Universidad and Sol. Salamanca, laid out under the Plan Castro of 1860 and fully built by 1927, is one of the main shopping areas; Chamberí grew north of the old city wall from 1860 and is home to the Museo Sorolla; Retiro is shaped by its park and is the cultural district, with the Museo del Prado. Madrid's low-emission zone covers every street in the city: since 1 January 2025 vehicles without a DGT environmental label may not drive there, apart from a transitional regime for vehicles domiciled in Madrid, and the fine is €200 (€100 if paid early).

Barcelona

Population	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
1,731,649 (1 January 2025, INE official figures)	TMB metro and buses within the ATM integrated fare system. T-usual personal 30-day pass: €22.80 for 1 zone, €30.55 for 2, €42.70 for 3 (prices shown on 23 September 2026)	Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Universitat de Barcelona and Universitat Pompeu Fabra	Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat (BCN): Rodalies line R2 North from T2, and metro L9 Sud – the T-usual is valid to and from the airport metro stations	Barcelona International Welcome, the city's English newcomer portal; OAC Monumental serves in English

Ciutat Vella was the walled city until 1859 and takes in la Barceloneta, el Raval, the Gòtic – the oldest part of the city – and Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera. L'Eixample is the grid laid out to Ildefons Cerdà's plan, crossed by the Diagonal and the Meridiana, with neighbourhoods such as Sagrada Família and Sant Antoni. Gràcia was a separate municipality until it joined Barcelona in 1897, and Sant Martí grew as the industrial district from 1846 – Poblenou and the Vila Olímpica are here. The ZBE Rondes de Barcelona low-emission zone bans vehicles without a DGT label on weekdays from 7:00 to 20:00; foreign-registered cars must meet the equivalent Euro standard and be registered in advance.

Valencia

Population	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
840,792 (1 January 2025, INE official figures); the city's own register counted 858,178 on 1 January 2026	Metrovalencia (its lines 3 and 5 serve the airport); city bus operator and adult monthly pass: See the agency's website	Universitat de València	Valencia (VLC): Metrovalencia lines 3 and 5	010 information line; the Oficina del Padrón registers newcomers without an appointment

Valencia has 19 districts. Ciutat Vella, the old town, has six neighbourhoods, among them el Carme with 7,381 residents (municipal register, 1 January 2026). In l'Eixample, Russafa has 26,056 residents. The seafront district of Poblats Marítims includes el Cabanyal-el Canyamelar (20,229) and la Malva-rosa (13,650); el Pla del Real includes Mestalla and Ciutat Universitària, and Benimaclet has 23,761 residents.

Málaga

Population	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
599,063 (1 January 2025, INE official figures)	EMT Málaga city buses and Metro Málaga, in the Consorcio de Transporte Metropolitano del Área de Málaga. With the Consorcio transport card a trip costs €0.83 by EMT bus and €0.49 by metro (15 July–31 December 2026); adult monthly pass: See the agency's website	Universidad de Málaga, with a campus in Teatinos-Universidad	Málaga-Costa del Sol (AGP): Cercanías line C1 Málaga Centro Alameda–Fuengirola	010 city line (+34 951 926 010 from outside Málaga) and OMAC citizen offices in every district

Málaga has 11 districts, from 1 Centro to 11 Teatinos-Universidad. The Centro district office is at Calle Merced 1 (+34 951 926 041); Este, along the eastern seafront, is served from Avenida Juan Sebastián Elcano 133 (+34 951 926 042); Teatinos-Universidad, where the university campus is, from Calle Pablo Bruna 1 (+34 951 926 151); all three open 9:00–14:00. The city's low-emission zone covers 404.03 hectares of the centre and is phased in; cameras read number plates, so you do not need a DGT sticker.

Embassies in Spain

Your embassy issues passports, registers births and helps in an emergency. These are the embassies most people moving to Spain need – 42 countries. Addresses, phone numbers and e-mails were read on each embassy’s official website or the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ diplomatic list on 23 September 2026. Most consular services are by appointment only – book before you go.

Good to know about living in Spain as a foreigner

Renting: under national law the deposit for a home is one month's rent, extra guarantees are capped at two months' rent, a landlord may not ask for more than one month's rent in advance, and agency fees are paid by the landlord. You can stay for at least five years, or seven if the landlord is a company, and for contracts signed after 26 May 2023 annual rent updates are capped by INE's IRAV index – 2.47% in August 2026. Rent caps in stressed areas apply only in Catalonia (including Barcelona city), the Basque Country, Navarre, Galicia and Asturias (from 30 July 2026) – there are none in the Madrid region or the Valencian Community.

Work: the legal maximum is still 40 hours a week – a bill to cut it to 37.5 hours was rejected on 11 September 2025. You get at least 30 calendar days of paid holiday, and birth leave has been 19 weeks for each parent since 31 July 2025 (32 weeks for single parents). There are up to 14 paid public holidays a year, two of them local; in 2026, 1 November falls on a Sunday, and nine regions, including Andalusia and the Madrid region, move the holiday to Monday 2 November.

Bills and cash: VAT on electricity has been back at 21% since 1 June 2026. The network company is fixed by your address, but you choose your electricity retailer, and switching is free and done within 10 working days. You may not pay €1,000 or more in cash to a business, and shops may not charge extra for paying by card. Smoking is already banned in enclosed bars and restaurants; extending the ban to terraces is only a bill so far.

Driving: an EU or EEA licence stays valid while it is in force. A non-EU licence can be used for six months after you become resident; then you exchange it – Spain has agreements with 33 countries, including the United Kingdom – or take the Spanish tests. Since 1 January 2026 the connected V16 beacon has replaced the warning triangle.

Staying for good: non-EU residents can get long-term residence after five years of legal, continuous residence. Spanish nationality by residence normally takes ten years – two for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea or Portugal and for Sephardic Jews – and you must pass the CCSE test on the Constitution and Spanish society and, unless you come from a Spanish-speaking country, the DELE A2 language test.

Relocate in Europe provides general information, not legal or financial advice. Numbers, prices and opening hours were checked on 23 September 2026 – check with the agency before you visit.