Cash and cards to carry for your first weeks in Spain

Key rules

• Cash declaration: You must declare cash and similar bearer instruments of 10,000 euros or more when entering or leaving Spain.
• Penalty: Failing to declare can lead to fines and seizure of the money.
• Card limits: Ask your home bank about withdrawal limits and foreign fees before you travel.
• Backup: Bring a second card from a different bank in case one is lost or blocked.

Check the declaration form and any recent change with Spanish customs, and confirm card limits, foreign fees and account documents with your banks.

The cash rule: declare 10,000 euros or more

You must declare cash and similar bearer instruments of 10,000 euros or more when entering or leaving Spain. Below that amount, you have nothing to declare.

The rule covers more than banknotes. It includes coins in any currency and bearer instruments such as cheques. It can also reach gold and prepaid cards. If you add up everything you carry, including what a travelling partner carries for you, and the total reaches the limit, declare it.

Not declaring can lead to fines and seizure of the money. Spain also asks for a declaration on some movements inside the EU and inside Spain, so keep this in mind if you travel on from another country.

The form and the exact procedure are set by Spanish customs. Ask them, or check their official site, before you travel, so you have the right form ready.

Don't plan on carrying everything in cash

Large amounts of cash are a hassle. They attract questions and are risky to lose. A safer plan is to split your money:

• A card from home for daily spending, groceries and transport. Tell your bank you are travelling.
• A second card, ideally from a different bank, kept separately in case one is lost or blocked.
• A small amount of cash, well under the declaration limit, for places that don't take cards.
• Bank transfers from your home account for larger costs such as a first rent payment, if the landlord accepts them.

Before you leave, ask your home bank about your daily withdrawal limit and what it charges for foreign payments and cash machine withdrawals. These differ a lot between banks, and a low limit can leave you short in the first days.

What your first weeks need to cover

Work out a figure before you travel. Think through these categories:

• Temporary accommodation until you sign a lease
• The first month's rent and the fianza (a deposit) if the landlord asks for them up front
• Food and local transport
• A local SIM card or phone plan
• Paperwork fees and any copies or translations you need
• A cushion for surprises

Opening a Spanish account

Once you are in Spain, opening a local account removes most of these problems. What banks ask for varies by bank and by your status, so ask the bank you plan to use which documents it wants for a resident account. Until it is open, rely on your cards and a modest amount of cash.