v256.0 · relocation checklist · GB → ES · verified 2026-04
United Kingdom to Spain — relocation checklist
15-step ordered checklist covering visa, banking, healthcare, housing, taxes, schooling, shipping, and pets. Written for the UK retiree, remote worker, or HNW seeking Beckham Law + Mediterranean lifestyle post-Brexit.
From
To
Total cost
£6,000-22,000 — visa, deposits, shipping
Timeline
16-22 weeks pre-arrival, 6-10 weeks post-arrival
Typical profile for this pair
UK retiree, remote worker, or HNW seeking Beckham Law + Mediterranean lifestyle post-Brexit
Step-by-step checklist (15 steps)
Pre-departure (18-22 weeks out)
- Choose visa post-Brexit — Non-Lucrative Visa (passive income €28K+/year), Digital Nomad Visa (€2,646+/mo from remote work), Golden Visa (€500K real estate or €1M fund), Highly Qualified Professional
Pre-departure (14-18 weeks out)
- NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero) application via Spanish Consulate London or police in Spain
Pre-departure (12-16 weeks out)
- Visa appointment at Spanish Consulate London — book via TLScontact; 60-90 day processing
Pre-departure (10-12 weeks out)
- Spanish bank account — La Caixa, BBVA, Santander, Sabadell all offer non-resident accounts with NIE + passport
Pre-departure (8-10 weeks out)
- UK ACRO Police Certificate + Apostille; health insurance €30,000+ coverage for visa application
Pre-departure (6-8 weeks out)
- Spanish translations (sworn translator, traductor jurado) of UK documents — ~£50-100 per doc
Pre-departure (4-6 weeks out)
- Housing — Idealista, Fotocasa, Habitaclia; Madrid/Barcelona 1BR €1,000-2,500/month; Málaga/Valencia lower
Pre-departure (2-4 weeks out)
- Ship — UK→Spain road/sea freight (Anglo-Pickfords, AGS Movers) 7-14 days, £2,500-7,000
Pre-departure (1-2 weeks out)
- Pet — UK pet passport invalid post-Brexit; AHC required per trip, vet visit £100-300
Arrival (Week 1-2)
- Empadronamiento (padrón) at Ayuntamiento — register local address; required for Tarjeta Sanitaria
Arrival (Week 2-4)
- TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) appointment at Oficina de Extranjería — biometrics; card mailed 4-6 weeks
Arrival (Week 4-6)
- Seguridad Social registration if employed; Tarjeta Sanitaria for SNS access
Arrival (Month 2)
- Beckham Law registration if eligible (24% flat tax for 6 years; must not have been Spanish-resident in past 5 years)
Arrival (Month 3-6)
- UK SA106 + SA109; Spanish IRPF (Modelo 100) due April-June; Modelo 720 foreign-asset declaration
Ongoing
- Permanent residence after 5 years; Spanish citizenship after 10 years residence (or 2 years for Sephardic Jews, Latin Americans, Philippines)
Cost breakdown
| Non-Lucrative / Digital Nomad visa | £72 + €17 TIE fee |
| NIE | EUR 10 |
| Sworn translations (traductor jurado) | £50-100 per doc |
| ACRO + Apostille | £55-90 + £30 |
| Health insurance (1 year minimum) | £500-1,800 |
| First month rent + 2-month deposit (Madrid 1BR) | €3,000-7,500 |
| Shipping (UK→ES) | £2,500-7,000 |
| Pet AHC + travel | £300-1,500 |
⚠ Gotchas + watch-outs
- Post-Brexit — UK pet passports no longer valid; AHC required per trip
- Beckham Law: must not have been Spanish-resident in past 5 years (raised from 10 in 2023)
- Regional variation — Catalonia 50% top rate vs Madrid 45.5% (Beckham doesn't cover Spanish-source passive)
- Modelo 720 foreign-asset declaration (penalty regime tightened post EU Court ruling 2022)
- Wealth tax replaced by Temporary Solidarity Tax on Large Fortunes (1.7-3.5% above €3M)
- UK-Spain DTAA prevents double taxation
- NIE/TIE appointments often booked 2-6 weeks in advance
Official sources
- Spain Consulate UK — https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/londres/
- Spain Immigration — https://www.inclusion.gob.es/extranjeros/
- HMRC Non-residence — https://www.gov.uk/tax-foreign-income/non-resident
See also: United Kingdom profile · Spain profile · all relocation checklists · Spain digital nomad visa · Spain tax residency · Spain healthcare
Last verified 2026-04. Immigration, tax, and banking rules change frequently — verify with official sources before acting.