Spain for your kind of situation

It is for anyone thinking about, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. It covers families, retirees, remote workers, freelancers, people who need a local job, singles and young professionals, minorities and LGBTQ+ movers, and people with a health condition or disability. Job-market detail, remote-work tax and visa mechanics, school enrolment and ongoing-condition care are covered elsewhere.

Start with "Is Spain a good fit, and what dominates your situation?" It gives the overall picture and shows which of the other articles to read next.

Key rules

• Remote-work income: The digital nomad route needs income of at least 200% of the minimum wage, about 2,849 euros a month, plus extra for dependants.
• Retiree income: The non-lucrative visa needs about 28,800 euros a year for the main applicant, plus about 7,200 euros a year for each dependant.
• Tax residency: You become a Spanish tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year, or if your main activities or economic interests are based there.
• EU, EEA and Swiss citizens: You need no visa, only registration as a resident for stays over three months.
• Non-lucrative visa: It lets you live in Spain but gives no right to work.
• Public school: Public schools are free from age 3, but you pay for materials, lunch and extras.

Spain for your kind of situation: the whole process, step by step

• Decide which situation fits you and check how Spain suits it: before you start planning, months before any application

• Pick your residence route: EU citizens register as residents, non-EU citizens apply for a visa that matches how they will live or work: before you move; non-EU visas are applied for at the Spanish consulate in your country of residence

• Prove your income. The non-lucrative visa for retirees needs about 28,800 euros a year for the main applicant, and the digital nomad route needs at least 200% of the minimum wage, about 2,849 euros a month: when you prepare your visa file, before you apply

• Get private health insurance with no co-payments, a clean criminal record and, for the non-lucrative visa, a medical certificate: before you apply for the visa

• If you plan to be self-employed as a non-EU citizen, apply for the self-employment residence authorization with a business plan and funds: before you move; it is filed through the consulate

• Register as a resident and get your NIE (foreigner ID number): after you arrive; EU citizens do this for any stay over three months

• Register as an autónomo (self-employed) with the tax agency and the self-employed social security regime: usually within 30 days of starting your activity

• Apply for the impatriate tax regime if you qualify as a new arrival in qualifying work: within six months of registering with social security or starting work

• Plan for the 183-day tax residency line: you become a Spanish tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year, or if your main activities or economic interests are based there: every calendar year once you live in Spain

• If you are an autónomo, file quarterly VAT and income tax advance payments: by 20 April, 20 July, 20 October and 30 January for the fourth quarter

• File your annual income tax return: between April and 30 June each year

• If a family member has special needs, ask the school to start an assessment and check regional rules; for health care, check waiting times in your region: as soon as you know where you will live; public specialist waits average around 3 months and surgery waits around 120 days

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Registration certificate with your NIE — Is Spain a good fit, and what dominates your situation?
• Proof of passive income or savings that meets the non-lucrative visa threshold — Is Spain a good fit, and what dominates your situation?
• NIE, the foreigner ID number, which you need to register as an autónomo — Spain for freelancers (autónomos) and entrepreneurs, market and paperwork first

Income and work

• Proof of income of at least 200% of the minimum wage — Spain for a remote worker, the visa is the easy part

The home and the lease

• A work contract or other proof of remote work for at least three months — Spain for a remote worker, the visa is the easy part

Payments and receipts

• Full private health insurance with no co-payments — Is Spain a good fit, and what dominates your situation?

Guarantees

• Health insurance cover — Spain for a remote worker, the visa is the easy part

Other documents

• Clean criminal record certificate — Is Spain a good fit, and what dominates your situation?, Spain for a remote worker, the visa is the easy part
• Proof of sufficient resources — Is Spain a good fit, and what dominates your situation?
• Proof of health cover — Is Spain a good fit, and what dominates your situation?

Each article lists the other documents it asks for, where you need them.

Spain for your kind of situation: questions that cross several articles

Can I work remotely in Spain on a non-lucrative visa?

No, the non-lucrative visa gives you residence but no right to work. If you want to work remotely for foreign companies, the digital nomad route is the one built for it. Read "Spain for a remote worker, the visa is the easy part" and "Spain for a retiree, the fit questions that matter beyond the postcard".

Do I need a visa if I am an EU citizen?

No, EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need no visa, but for stays over three months you register as a resident and get a NIE, showing enough resources and health cover. You can then work remotely or set up as self-employed freely. See "Spain for a remote worker, the visa is the easy part" and "Spain for freelancers (autónomos) and entrepreneurs, market and paperwork first".

Does being a tax resident depend on my visa?

No, tax residency depends on days and ties, not on your visa type: you become a Spanish tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year, or if your main activities or economic interests are based there. Spouse and young children living in Spain can also lead to residency being presumed. Read "Spain for a retiree, the fit questions that matter beyond the postcard" and "Spain for freelancers (autónomos) and entrepreneurs, market and paperwork first".

Can retirees use the impatriate tax regime?

Generally no, foreign pension recipients do not usually qualify for the impatriate tax regime. It is aimed at new arrivals moving for qualifying work, such as an employment contract or as a digital nomad.

How much will wages and unemployment affect a move without a job offer?

The minimum wage was 1,184 euros a month in 14 payments for 2025, and pay is lowest in hospitality, agriculture, retail and domestic work. Youth unemployment is roughly double the overall rate or more. Read "Spain if you need a local job, salary and language reality first" and "Spain for singles and young professionals".