Moving from Spain to another EU country: what changes?

Terms used

• Padrón — The padrón is the town hall's register of the people who live in the town.
• Baja — A baja is the removal of your name from the padrón when you leave the town.
• NIE — The NIE is the identification number Spain gives to foreigners, kept for life.
• Oficina de Extranjería — The Oficina de Extranjería is the Spanish immigration office that handles foreigners' residence documents.

Key rules

• Visa: As an EU citizen you need no visa, but you must register in the new country within its deadline.
• First 3 months: You can stay in another EU country for 3 months with just a valid ID or passport.
• NIE: Your NIE stays valid for life and you do not hand it back when you leave Spain.
• Baja from the padrón: Asking for a baja is optional, but it ends padrón-linked benefits such as local services and sometimes healthcare access.

The short version

EU free movement removes the visa, not the paperwork. Register in the new country within its deadline. In Spain, ask for a baja from the padrón if you want to leave the register.

What you do in the new country

You can stay for 3 months with just a valid ID or passport. After that, most countries expect you to register with the local authority, and they give you a registration certificate. Your right to live there comes from EU law, not from the certificate. Still, register on time, because you will need the certificate for banks, healthcare and tax.

To keep your right to stay after 3 months, you normally need one of these:

• You work or are self-employed.
• You have enough money and health insurance that covers you in full (for example if you are retired or a student).
• You are a family member of someone in one of those groups.

Typical documents are listed in the documents block below. Deadlines and offices differ by country and town, so check with the local authority before you travel. These are the usual rules:

• Germany: register your address at the local registration office within about two weeks of moving into a home.
• Netherlands: if you stay over four months, register with the municipality within five days of arrival.
• Portugal: register with the municipal council if you stay over three months. The certificate comes about 30 days after the first three months end.
• Italy: register at the municipal registry office for stays over three months. Notify the municipality within about 30 days of the three-month point.
• France: registration is optional for EU citizens. You still need social security and tax registration if you work.

After five years of lawful residence in the new country, you can get permanent residence.

What you do in Spain

The padrón. The padrón is the town hall's list of residents. There is no strict legal duty to leave it when you go. You can ask for a baja, in person or by letter with your ID. Each town hall has its own procedure, so ask yours.

Deregistering ends the benefits tied to the padrón, such as local services and sometimes healthcare access. It can also matter as evidence of where you are tax resident. If you do not renew your registration and you do not have permanent residence, the town hall can remove you after two years.

Your NIE. Leaving does not cancel your NIE. It stays with you for life and you use it again if you return.

Your registration certificate. Your EU registration certificate (the green A4 sheet) has no expiry date and you do not have to hand it back. It stops being useful once you no longer live in Spain. No formal way to cancel it is known, so ask the Oficina de Extranjería or police if you want to be sure.

Family members from outside the EU. If a family member holds a residence card as the relative of an EU citizen, it runs until its own expiry date. It lapses when the right of residence ends. For permanent residents, that includes an absence of more than two years in a row. Ask the Oficina de Extranjería or police when yours stops being valid.

Where to go next

The comparison below shows what each onward destination needs from you on the Spanish side. The timeline, documents, checklist and FAQ below cover the rest.

Onward destinations compared by what Spain-side steps they need

Keep your Spanish status until the new country has confirmed your right to live there. The main deadlines start in the new country, not in Spain.

How to read the table

EU country. Registration is the step that matters, and the clocks differ a lot. The Netherlands is the tightest at five days. Check the current rules with the local authority before you travel.

Long-term resident move. This route is for people who are not EU citizens. Each destination applies it differently, especially job-market tests. The destination may also ask for integration measures, such as language courses. If you are moving to study, expect to show proof of enrolment.

Andorra. Andorra is outside the EU, so it works like a non-EU move. Passive residence (no work) has historically needed about 400,000 euros invested in Andorran assets, of which 50,000 euros goes as a deposit with the national guarantee body (INAF). It also needs private health insurance and proof of housing. Working residence needs a job offer and employer authorisation under annual quotas. Self-employed residence needs an approved activity plan and licence. Amounts and quotas change, so ask Andorra's immigration department for current figures.

Other non-EU. Secure the visa or entry permission before cancelling your Spanish status. Spanish permits can also lapse if you are away for long periods, so keep the dates of any trips in mind while you wait.

Timeline and deadlines

• Stay in the new country with just a valid ID or passport: during the first 3 months

• Register your address in the Netherlands if you stay over four months: within 5 days of arrival

• Register your address in Germany at the local registration office: within about 2 weeks of moving into a home

• Register with the municipality in Portugal: after the first 3 months, with the certificate issued within about 30 days

• Register in other EU countries that ask for it: after the first 3 months; a country may set a deadline of at least 3 months from arrival

These deadlines were not recently confirmed and can change. Check the current rules with the authority in your new country.

Documents you need

• Valid ID or passport, needed for the stay in the new country and for registering there.

• Proof of work such as an employment contract, or proof of sufficient means if you do not work. The local registration office decides which it needs.

• Health insurance covering you in the new country, usually asked for when registering after the first 3 months.

• Proof of address in the new country, such as a rental contract.

• Your ID, to ask your Spanish town hall for a baja from the padrón if you choose to deregister.

Checklist

• Find out the registration deadline and office for your new country and town.

• Gather your ID or passport, proof of work or means, health insurance and proof of address.

• Register with the local authority in the new country within its deadline to get your registration certificate.

• Ask your Spanish town hall for a baja from the padrón, in person or by letter with your ID, if you want to deregister.

• Keep your NIE and your EU registration certificate, since you do not have to hand either back.

• Ask the Oficina de Extranjería or police if you hold a family-member residence card and want to know when it lapses.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to deregister from the padrón when I leave Spain?

No, there is no strict legal duty to deregister from the padrón when you leave Spain, but you can ask your town hall for a baja.

What happens to my NIE if I leave Spain?

Your NIE is not cancelled when you leave Spain, because it is a personal number assigned once for life. It is reused if you come back. Your EU registration certificate has no expiry and does not need to be handed back, though it is no use once you live elsewhere.

How long do I have to register in Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal or Italy?

Germany expects you to register your address within about two weeks of moving in. In the Netherlands you register with the municipality within five days of arrival if you stay over four months. Portugal and Italy ask for registration for stays over three months, with the certificate or notification following within about 30 days of that point.

Do I need to register in France as an EU citizen?

No, France has no strict mandatory registration for EU citizens, and a residence document is no longer required. Registering with the town hall or prefecture is optional.