Part-year living in Spain

It is for anyone considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. By the end, you will know whether part-year living gives you what you want, what two bases cost and when it should become a full move.

Start with "Full move or splitting your time between Spain and home". It compares the main part-year patterns and helps you decide whether you need a full move at all. From there, go to the article that matches your question: whether a few weeks or months a year is enough, what a family with school-age children can sustain, what running two bases really costs, or when to make the step to a full move.

Legal day limits, tax residency, health access and the mechanics of renting or buying are covered in other topics.

Key rules

• Compulsory schooling: School is compulsory in Spain from age 6 to 16 for children living there, so a term-time split is hard to sustain.
• Property tax: The owner pays the yearly property tax (IBI) in full even if the home is used only part of the year.
• Visa-free limit: Non-EU visitors without a permit can stay up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period, counted across Spain and the other Schengen countries together.
• Ireland and Cyprus: Time in Ireland and Cyprus does not count towards the 90 days.
• Second base test: Count your realistic days in Spain each year before deciding a second base is worth it.
• Padrón: If you live most of the year elsewhere, you are generally not obliged to register.

Part-year living in Spain: the whole process, step by step

• Choose your pattern: winter, summer or rotating blocks, or a full move (read: Full move or splitting your time between Spain and home): before you commit to a home or a visa

• Check how many days you can stay: non-EU visitors without a permit get up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period: before each trip

• Keep your days in Spain under 183 in a calendar year to avoid tax residency: every calendar year

• If you have school-age children, check the school year, which runs from early to mid September to the second half of June (read: Which part-year patterns can a family with school-age children sustain?): before you choose your dates

• Budget the costs of running two bases: yearly property tax, waste fee and home insurance (read: What running two bases, Spain and home, really costs): before you buy or keep a second home, then every year

• Decide whether to step up to a full move and pick a residence route (read: When should part-year living become a full move to Spain?): when your stays keep running close to the day limits

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Passport — Is a light seasonal pattern enough to feel at home?
• NIE (foreigner identification number), needed for a bank account, utilities — Is a light seasonal pattern enough to feel at home?
• A registration certificate and NIE — When should part-year living become a full move to Spain?
• Padrón registration certificate — Is a light seasonal pattern enough to feel at home?
• A tax residence certificate from the other country — When should part-year living become a full move to Spain?

Guarantees

• Private health insurance — Is a light seasonal pattern enough to feel at home?

Other documents

• The administrator's certificate from your community of owners — What running two bases, Spain and home, really costs
• The most recent community accounts — What running two bases, Spain and home, really costs
• Proof of work — When should part-year living become a full move to Spain?

Part-year living in Spain: questions that cross several articles

How do the 90-day and 183-day limits fit together?

The 90-day visa rule and the 183-day tax test are two separate limits, and you must meet both. The 90 days in any 180 applies to non-EU visitors without a permit, while the 183 days in a calendar year decides tax residency. Read Full move or splitting your time between Spain and home, then When should part-year living become a full move to Spain?.

Can my children attend a Spanish school for only part of the year?

Generally no, because a school place is meant for a child who attends the whole year. Schooling is compulsory from age 6 to 16 for children living in Spain, and some schools allow temporary enrolment case by case. See Which part-year patterns can a family with school-age children sustain?.

Do I still pay property tax if my Spanish home is empty most of the year?

Yes, you pay the full yearly property tax (IBI) even if you use the home only part of the year. See What running two bases, Spain and home, really costs.

Which everyday tasks are harder without being a registered resident?

Most formal tasks, such as opening a bank account, signing utility contracts or buying a car, need an NIE, the foreigner identification number. Public healthcare and school places also need residency or registration. Read When should part-year living become a full move to Spain? for the next step.