Planning Your Move to Spain

If you spend any time in UK-to-Spain forums, you’ll have seen the same point come up again and again: when planning your move to Spain the timeline matters, especially if you’re selling your UK main home.

Many people aim to complete the sale before they become Spanish tax resident*, because once you’re resident in Spain, the tax treatment of a property sale can change.

That principle is widely discussed. What’s less talked about is the practical reality: property sales don’t run to neat dates, and visa timelines aren’t perfectly predictable. If you don’t plan the sequence properly, it’s easy to end up with a timeline that feels “fine on paper” but becomes stressful (or expensive) in real life.

Spain’s recent healthcare decree concerning access to the public healthcare system has attracted considerable attention in expatriate forums, social media groups and among British and other non-EU foreigners already resident and those planning to move to Spain

The law in question — Royal Decree 3/2026, published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) — has led some to conclude that Spain has introduced a new route for Brits and other non-EU foreigners to access public healthcare.  That interpretation is mistaken.

The decree does not change the position for the vast majority of foreigners living in Spain, including those who hold legal residence or are applying to. Rather, it addresses a very specific situation: access to healthcare for people living in Spain who DO NOT have legal residence status.  Some might refer to these as illegal immigrants.

There are many great reasons to retire from the UK to Spain and statistics suggest that many know this.  In recent years there has been a noticeable increase in the number of British nationals choosing to leave the UK and start a new life abroad. Migration data suggests that close to one million British citizens moved overseas in the three years to the end of 2024, and more than 250,000 leaving in the most recent year alone.

For many retirees, the reasons are easy to understand. The appeal of a better lifestyle, rising living costs in the UK, and ongoing debate around tax, fiscal policy and politics are all prompting people to reconsider where they want to spend the next stage of life. For some, these factors simply encourage them to bring forward retirement plans they were already considering — and Spain continues to be one of the most attractive destinations.

If you’re retired (or close to it), you’ve earned the right to design your next chapter intentionally. For many people, Spain isn’t just a “nice idea” — it’s a practical, lifestyle-upgrading move that can make day-to-day life simpler, healthier, and more enjoyable.

Given that Spain is both the most popular holiday destination for Brits and the number one place in Europe for UK citizens choosing to relocate, it’s hardly surprising that many of those leaving the UK ultimately end up here.  Below are 10 genuinely strong, great reasons to retire from the UK to Spain — especially the coastal stretch from Valencia down through Andalucía to Cádiz.

British citizens / UK nationals now have to follow the same process as other non-EU national citizens of third countries to get Spanish residency, i.e. there is a requirement to first obtain a visa.

The financial means required for a British Citizen / UK national to obtain a residency visa, is a lot higher than it was when the UK was in the EU.  A single applicant needs to have around €30k per year in either income or savings, whereas a citizen of an EU country €7k p/a income is sufficient.

British nationals also have to obtain a police criminal report to prove they have no criminal record, get official supporting documents legalised, and obtain medical certificates to show they are free from any infectious diseases.

The way your banking and finances are set up can have a significant impact on your Non-Lucrative residency renewal.

Since Spain’s recent immigration rule updates, one change in particular is catching out more and more Non-Lucrative residency holders who moved from the UK — and it’s one that could have serious consequences if ignored.

The Problem: Foreign Financial Documents Under Scrutiny

Under the updated regulations, proof of financial means from foreign banks — which includes UK banks and financial institutions — must now meet far stricter standards.

Immigration offices across Spain are increasingly asking for:

The day the UK left the EU changing the requirements and costs for British nationals to get residency in Spain is becoming a fading memory.  For many British nationals the Non-Lucrative Visa is the route to Spanish residency.

We initially published this article early in 2021 not long after Brexit, when this was the ‘new norm’ for Brits.  Now with it very much the ‘norm’, for British nationals, we revisit the Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa costs and requirements, and highlight the most recent changes.

We cover the general requirements in our article Spanish Residency Requirements for British Citizens and UK Nationals.

Here we drill down further into what th Spanish residency requirements for British nationals and the costs in real terms.

Spanish Residency Requirements for British Nationals as Citizens of Third Countries

In 2024 Spain implemented significant reforms to its immigration laws to enhance migrant integration and address labour market needs.

Key Spain rule and law changes that are relevant to people that are not citizens of EU countries who are looking to move to Spain include:

Property Investor ‘Golden Visa Residency

In November 2024, the residency scheme for property investors, or ‘Golden Visa’ as it’s commonly known, was deleted from the Law, (Ley 14/2013, de 27 de septiembre, de apoyo a los emprendedores y su internacionalización), that brought it into being.  As of 3rd April 2025, the ‘Golden Visa’ is no longer available to new applicants.  Existing holders of the visa / residency and their family members can carry on renewing their residency, for as long as they continue to qualify under the rules as they were.  New applications by family members of existing holders are also possible.

Non-Lucrative Visa

UPDATE

In November Congress approved a bill that included text to scrap the ‘Golden Visa’ and end this residency scheme as soon as January 2025. On December 2nd, the Senate vetoed the bill sending it back to Congress delaying the ending of the Golden Visa for property purchases in Spain for several months.  The legislation has now been passed and will come into effect 3rd April 2025.

It will be possible to apply for a ‘Golden Visa up to that date, and anyone who has been granted residency under the scheme will be able to continue renewing in the future.

Background to the End of the Spain’s Golden Visa

The end of the Spanish Golden Visa for UK British Nationals and other non-EU citizens, has been on the cards since Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s announcement in April 2024.

The Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa offers residency to British nationals who have the financial means to support themselves without working.  The Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa scheme is therefore ideal if you are retired, or have passive income, for example income from rental properties or other investments.  The Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa is intended for full-time residency in Spain, i.e. 6 months or more per year.

What does the Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa Offer UK British Nationals?

The EU travel rules for non-EU family members of EU citizens are different to the general rules for other nationals of non-EU countries.

If you are a citizen of an EU country living in or or travelling to another EU country, your family can join you, including core family members who are not EU citizens.

Non-EU core family members include spouse, children, dependent descendants, dependent parents or dependent grandparents. It also applies to non-EU registered partners, however only if the country they are travelling to considers registered partnerships as equivalent to marriage.