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.

After moving to Spain your first tax declarations are due the year after you become tax resident in Spain.  The tax year in Spain runs with the calendar year, 1st January to 31st December and the basic rule is that you become tax resident when you’ve spent 183 days in the year in Spain.

Your tax obligations arise for the fiscal year in which you become resident in Spain, not from the date you got your residency.

Here we provide a useful summary and information of the first tax declarations for anyone who doing their Tax in Spain for the first time.

Holidays Office Closure

As part of our commitment to delivering the best possible service year-round and good work-life balance for our staff, we have holidays office closure for two periods.  This allows our team to take well-deserved annual leave during key holiday times, provides time to focus on important back office administration without distraction, and also to carry out staff training.  The first period is the summer closure in August, and the second is the Christmas / New Year holiday period.

Summer Office Closure: 11th – 25th August

Each summer, we close for two weeks to enable all staff to take a holiday during a time when the impact on our customers and services is minimal. In Spain, activity naturally slows down during August, and Spanish Consulates in the UK prioritise student visa applications, meaning non-lucrative visa processing – our main area of service – is typically paused.

While our offices will be closed to customers during thess period, staff holidays are planned so that there will always be team members not on holiday who continue working behind the scenes. They will be focused on ongoing administration and managing existing cases to ensure continuity and care throughout the closure.

Christmas & New Year Office Closure: 25th December – 7th January

We close over the Christmas and New Year period to allow all team members to enjoy a minimum of one week’s holiday during this special time of year. Family is important, and this break helps our team rest, recharge and spend quality time with loved ones.

As with our summer closure, a small number of staff will remain available to manage essential service operations and monitor ongoing cases.

You can be confident that your service will continue smoothly, during these periods. 

We appreciate your understanding and support in helping us maintain a healthy work-life balance for our team, which ultimately benefits the quality of service we deliver to you.

If you have any urgent queries we encourage you to contact us in advance of the closures.

Aside form these closures, here is a reminder of the remaining public (national) holidays in the UK and Spain.

UK Bank Holidays

• 25th August Monday Summer bank holiday
• 25th December Thursday Christmas Day
• 26 December Friday Boxing Day
• 1 January Thursday New Year’s Day

Spain National Holidays

• 15th August – Friday – La Asunción de la Virgen (Day of the Asumption of the Virgin Mary)
• 13th October – Monday – La Fiesta Nacional de España (Hispanic Day) moved from Sunday 12th
• 1st November – Saturday – El día de Todos los Santos (All Saints Day)
• 6th December – Saturday – El día de la constitución (Constitution Day)
• 8th December – Monday – El día de la Inmaculada Concepción (Day of the Imaculate Conception)
• 25th December – Thursday – El día de Navidad (Christmas Day)

Our UK office observes UK bank holidays and our offices in Spain are closed for all national holidays.  Regional and local public holidays may also affect Spain office opening.

(Note that the Spanish consulates and BLS Spain Visa Centres observe BOTH UK and Spain public holidays.)

— The Lifestyle Services Team

Our telephone numbers are being ported to a new provider, a process which we have been advised may take a few weeks.

While the porting is in process, the numbers will ring, but will NOT connect to our phone system so we will NOT recieve the call and therefore will NOT be able to answer it.

The affected numbers 03300010777 and 01212888555.  These are replaced during this time by 03450655562.

If you have been trying to reach us on either of these numbers and have not been able to, we do apologise.

If you’re planning on making a permanent move from the UK to Spain, one practical (and often emotional) decision is whether to bring your UK car with you. While some assume it’s easier to sell their vehicle and buy a Spanish car on arrival, the reality is that in many cases, bringing your UK car when moving from the UK to Spain can save you money, offer better value, and simplify your move.

Here we cover the pros and cons of bringing your UK car when relocating to Spain, outlining when it’s financially worthwhile, and highlighting situations where it may not be the best option.

When and Why Bringing Your UK Car to Spain Is Often Worth It

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?

Portugal has ended its Golden Visa residency program for property investors. This announcement came just a week after Ireland terminated of its ‘Golden Visa’ Immigrant Investor Program.

Both countries introduced Golden Visas in 2012, as did Spain, as they struggled to recover from the global financial crisis. The aim was to prevent banking collapse by bringing foreign money into their real estate markets.