Deciding the move together

It is for anyone considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain with a partner or children. You will learn how to decide together, what to agree in writing before you leave, and how to cope if one of you has to go first.

Start with "How to decide together whether to move your family to Spain". It sets out a fair order of conversations. From there, pick the page that matches where you are:

• "When one of you wants Spain and the other does not" covers a lopsided decision.
• "Weighing each family member's priorities for a move to Spain" makes everyone's needs visible.
• "Agreeing deal-breakers and review points before you move" covers non-negotiables and check-ins.
• "What happens when one partner goes to Spain first" and "Coping while your family lives in two countries" cover a staggered move.

Key rules

• Parental consent: When both parents have joint parental authority, both must consent to moving a child abroad, and without that consent you need court authorisation.
• Written agreement: A written relocation agreement between partners is generally not enforceable in Spain on where to live or whether to stay, so treat it as evidence of intent.
• Review points: Schedule reviews at 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after arriving, and check the agreed deal-breakers at each one.
• Order: Think alone first, then share, list constraints, compare options, agree decision rules and write the plan down.
• Deal-breakers: Agree who decides and each partner's deal-breakers before you accept any job or sign anything.
• Conditions: A reluctant partner can set written conditions instead of a yes/no veto.

Deciding the move together: the whole process, step by step

• Run the joint decision conversations and weigh each person's priorities: Before anything is signed or booked. Start with How to decide together whether to move your family to Spain, then Weighing each family member's priorities for a move to Spain.

• If one of you is reluctant, agree conditions and a time-limited trial: Before accepting a job or giving notice. A one-year trial works best with success criteria for each partner and a return fund. See When one of you wants Spain and the other does not.

• Start Spanish lessons: As early as you can. Reaching B1 usually takes 300 to 450 guided hours, roughly 1.5 to 2 years at 5 hours a week.

• Plan the staggered arrival: residence, registration and family reunification: Before the first person travels. A non-EU first arrival registers at the town hall and applies for the foreigner's identity card (TIE) within 1 month of arrival if staying over 6 months. Family reunification usually needs 1 year of legal residence first, unless the visa route allows applying together. Family of EU/EEA citizens apply within 3 months of arrival.

• Check tax residence if some of the family stays abroad: In the first year. You become tax resident in Spain after more than 183 days in a calendar year, or if your main economic interests are there.

• Apply for school places: The main application window is usually March to May for a September start, with enrolment in June to July. Children arriving mid-year apply through the regional education authority. Dates vary by region.

• Check your lease exit before signing: Before signing a Spanish rental. After 6 months you can leave with 30 days' written notice, though the contract may require compensation if it says so.

• Hold your 3-month review: 3 months after arriving: settling in and admin done. Check the deal-breakers.

• Hold your 6-month review: 6 months after arriving, which is often the low point. Check finances, work, school and wellbeing against the deal-breakers.

• Hold your 12-month review and make the final decision: 12 months after arriving, after a full school and seasonal cycle. Normal difficulty eases by then; symptoms that persist or worsen, or broken deal-breakers, call for a rethink.

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Passport for each child — Weighing each family member's priorities for a move to Spain
• Padrón registration from the town hall — What happens when one partner goes to Spain first
• Foreigner's identity card — What happens when one partner goes to Spain first

The home and the lease

• Proof of address — Weighing each family member's priorities for a move to Spain

Other documents

• Previous school records — Weighing each family member's priorities for a move to Spain
• Certificado de registro — What happens when one partner goes to Spain first
• Proof of means and health cover for relatives of an EU/EEA citizen — What happens when one partner goes to Spain first

Deciding the move together: questions that cross several articles

How long does it take to learn enough Spanish to cope with school and work?

Reaching B1 Spanish usually takes 300 to 450 guided hours, roughly 1.5 to 2 years at 5 hours a week. Intensive study can cut that to 3 to 6 months. Read Weighing each family member's priorities for a move to Spain, then plan lessons alongside Agreeing deal-breakers and review points before you move.

Will my children be taught in Spanish in every region?

No, in Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia, the Balearic Islands, the Valencian Community and parts of Navarre a local language is a main or shared language of instruction. Newly arrived pupils usually get temporary language support, but rules differ by region. Read Weighing each family member's priorities for a move to Spain before choosing where to live.

When should we apply for school places if we move in stages?

For a September start, the main public school application window is usually March to May, so it can shape when the first partner or the children arrive.

What does Spain's minimum wage mean for a family budget?

The minimum wage was 1,184 euros a month in 14 payments for 2025, and it is revised each year. Use the current figure when you test whether one income can support the household.

How much will flights home cost us during a split-household period?

Flights from Madrid or Barcelona take about 2h20 to 2h40 to London and 7h30 to 9h30 direct to the US East Coast. Fares are much higher in summer and holidays. Read Coping while your family lives in two countries and budget visits into your return fund.

Which Spanish cities are cheapest for a family-sized rental?

Barcelona, Madrid and Palma are the most expensive, and Málaga and Valencia are also high. Seville, Zaragoza, Alicante and smaller inland cities are generally cheaper. Read Weighing each family member's priorities for a move to Spain to compare housing against other priorities.