Spain Relocation Checklist — Europe Unlocked

Phase 1 · 12–18 months out

Decide with real numbers

Take a scouting trip — you get 90 days visa-free per rolling 180, and the EES biometric system has counted your days automatically since April 2026 Pick your visa route: non-lucrative (passive income, €2,400/mo in 2026) or digital nomad (remote work, €2,849/mo) — the NLV bans all work, including remote Understand the 183-day rule: renewing an NLV now requires living in Spain more than half the year — which also makes you a Spanish tax resident. If that doesn't fit your life, rethink the plan now Book a cross-border tax adviser before you trigger anything — Spain taxes IRAs, 401(k)s and RRIFs for residents, and Roth IRAs are a genuine grey area (Tax guide) Shortlist regions with the Where to Live guide — Madrid runs €6,694/m² on portal data; Alicante €2,811, and Murcia is notably cheaper still Build a monthly budget from the Cost of Living data — a retired couple typically needs ~€2,150–3,450/month depending on city Start Spanish lessons — DELE A2 is required for citizenship (10 years away for Americans and Canadians), and daily life outside expat hubs runs on Spanish

Phase 2 · 6–12 months out

Build the paper foundation

Get your NIE (foreigner identity number, form EX-15, €9.84; CAD 15.90 via Toronto) — digital nomad applicants need it before applying; everyone needs it for banking and property Open a Spanish bank account — non-residents can, with a passport plus a certificado de no residente (about a week to issue, valid 3 months); some banks accept a passport alone Request your FBI (US) or RCMP (Canada) criminal record check, get it apostilled and sworn-translated into Spanish — it must be under 6 months old at application, so time it carefully Get the medical certificate your consulate requires, and check your passport has at least 1 year's validity Gather income evidence: pension/Social Security award letters, 3 months of bank statements, a bank certificate (NLV) — or contracts, payslips and an employer remote-work letter (DNV) Buy health insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain: 100% cover, no copays, no waiting periods, no coverage limits. Travel insurance is rejected. Budget roughly €300–350/month for a couple in their 60s (indicative)

Phase 3 · 3–6 months out

Apply — through your consulate

Book the consulate covering your US state or Canadian province (Washington routes via the BLS visa centre; Toronto works by email appointment) — you must be legally resident in that district Pay the fee and submit the full file — 2026 NLV fees: $140 + $13 (US) or CAD 1,085 + CAD 17.70 (Canada); digital nomad: $190 (US) / CAD 2,140 (Canada) While you wait (legal maximum: 3 months at the consulate), plan the physical move — see Living for pets and driving rules Pets: ISO microchip first → rabies vaccination (≥12 weeks old) → 21-day wait → EU health certificate endorsed by USDA-APHIS or CFIA, valid 10 days for entry. No quarantine, no blood test Receive your visa — valid 1 year from entry, covering your first year of residence (RD 1155/2024; some consulate pages still describe older practice) — and book travel

Phase 4 · Arrival & first 90 days

Become a resident, properly

Register at your town hall (empadronamiento) — it's mandatory, free, and unlocks healthcare registration, TIE renewals, and your citizenship clock Apply for your TIE biometric residence card within 1 month of entry (€16.08, tasa 790-012) Keep your private health insurance running — the public buy-in (convenio especial, €60/mo under 65, €157/mo at 65+) only opens after 1 year of continuous residence (Healthcare guide) Start the driving licence process early: US and Canadian licences cannot be exchanged — you may drive 6 months, then need the Spanish theory (available in English) and practical tests (Living guide) Set up utilities — suppliers typically want your NIE, a Spanish bank account for direct debit, and the rental contract or deed Diarise tax: 183+ days in the calendar year = Spanish tax resident, taxed on worldwide income; Modelo 720 foreign-asset reporting runs 1 January–31 March (Tax guide) Mark the calendar: first renewal before year 1 ends (then 2+2), long-term residence at year 5, citizenship eligibility at year 10 (CCSE + DELE A2)

The rulebook was rewritten in 2025–26 — the golden visa abolition (Apr 2025), the new immigration regulation with its 183-day renewal rule (May 2025), and full EES biometric borders (Apr 2026). The newsletter below is how we tell you when this page changes.

Sources

Visa requirements & fees — Consulates of Spain in Washington and Toronto: exteriores.gob.es
NLV rules incl. the 183-day renewal requirement — Ministerio de Inclusión, Hojas 6 & 7: inclusion.gob.es
TIE/NIE fees — Policía Nacional: sede.policia.gob.es · empadronamiento — INE: idapadron.ine.es
Healthcare buy-in — Ministerio de Sanidad: sanidad.gob.es · driving-licence exchange list — DGT: dgt.es
Pets — USDA-APHIS: aphis.usda.gov · CFIA: inspection.canada.ca · EES/Schengen — European Commission: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
Tax residency & Modelo 720 — Agencia Tributaria: sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es

The whole move,
in order.

Decide with real numbers

Build the paper foundation

Apply — through your consulate

Become a resident, properly

Sources

Need a relocation specialist?

The whole move,in order.

Decide with real numbers

Build the paper foundation

Apply — through your consulate

Become a resident, properly

Sources

Need a relocation specialist?

This checklist updates. So should you.

The whole move,
in order.