Order of commitments and cost of undoing

It is for anyone considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. After reading it, you will know which steps to take first and last, and how to keep your options open while you make progress.

Start with "In what order should you commit to moving to Spain?". It puts the visa, lease, shipping, home sale and job change in sequence, and the other pages build on that order.

Key rules

• Fianza: The landlord must require one month's rent as fianza on a residential lease, and any extra guarantee is capped at two months' rent.
• Visa-free stay: If you do not need a visa, you can stay up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area.
• Visa entry window: Once a long-stay visa is granted, you must enter Spain within its entry window, normally three months from issue, and it cannot be extended.
• Leaving a lease early: On a standard residential lease you may leave after the first 6 months by giving the landlord 30 days' written notice, though the contract can require an indemnity.
• TIE after arrival: After you enter Spain on a long-stay visa, you must apply for the foreigner ID card (TIE) within one month.
• Resigning: Resign only after your visa or route approval is in writing and your last day is agreed, because voluntary resignation generally gives no unemployment benefit and cannot be reversed.

Order of commitments and cost of undoing: the whole process, step by step

From first booking to settled in Spain

• Book only flexible flights and cancellable stays: Before you apply, and until the visa is approved

• Gather criminal record and medical certificates, with apostille and sworn translation where needed: Issued within the last 3 months before you file

• File the visa application; withdraw in writing if you change your mind: Before the consulate decides

• Wait for the decision without resigning or giving up your home: Usually one to three months, often several weeks to a few months in practice

• Resign from your job once approval is in writing and your last day is agreed: After the visa is approved and collected

• Sign a lease, keeping in mind how to leave it: After approval; you may leave after the first 6 months with 30 days' written notice

• Enter Spain on the visa: Within three months of issue

• Apply for your foreigner ID card (TIE) and give fingerprints: Within one month of arrival

• Register at your town hall (empadronamiento) and start filing Spanish taxes: After you arrive

• Check your tax residence: You are generally a Spanish tax resident after more than 183 days in a calendar year, or if your main economic base is in Spain

• Keep your permit by limiting time outside Spain: Absences of more than 6 months in a year can block renewal

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Passport — Which Spanish formalities commit you, and which are safe early?
• NIE (número de identidad de extranjero) — Which Spanish formalities commit you, and which are safe early?
• Your padrón registration — Which Spanish formalities commit you, and which are safe early?

The home and the lease

• Proof of address abroad — Which Spanish formalities commit you, and which are safe early?

Translations and legal papers

• Sworn translation into Spanish of any of these documents not issued in Spanish — What you can safely book before your visa is approved

Other documents

• Criminal record certificate — What you can safely book before your visa is approved
• Proof of where you will live — What you can safely book before your visa is approved

Order of commitments and cost of undoing: questions that cross several articles

Do I get my money back if I withdraw my visa application?

Usually you do not get consular fees back if you withdraw or are refused, because the fee pays for processing. You can withdraw in writing before a decision, and outsourced provider fees are also non-refundable. Read "What it costs to undo each step of a move to Spain" next.

Which bookings can I cancel for free before my visa is approved?

Flexible airfares and accommodation with free cancellation are the usual choices, and consulates generally do not require a paid ticket when you apply. Check the cancellation deadline and whether you get cash or a voucher. Read "What you can safely book before your visa is approved" and "Keeping the way back open while you make progress".

Is a rental reservation deposit refundable, and how does it differ from arras?

A rental señal is refundable or not depending on the wording you sign. If it is described as arras penitenciales, you lose it if you withdraw, and the other side returns double if they withdraw. Get a written receipt stating the purpose, and read "Reservation deposits (señal) and when you lose them".

Is storing my belongings in Spain cheaper than shipping them?

Storage is worthwhile only for a few months, after which buying replacements may cost less. Shared shipments cost far less than a dedicated container. Get several quotes, and read "Keeping the way back open while you make progress" and "What it costs to undo each step of a move to Spain".

How long do I have to enter Spain once my visa is approved?

You must enter Spain within three months of issue, and then apply for your TIE within one month of arrival. So avoid fixing your lease start or job end date until you know the entry window. Read "In what order should you commit to moving to Spain?" next.