Moving to Spain from the US: the steps in order

Moving to Spain takes more paperwork up front than most Americans expect. You can’t arrive as a tourist and sort out residency later on most routes, the main retirement visa starts at a Spanish consulate in the US, and several steps after you land have deadlines. This page puts the steps in order.

1. Decide whether you need residency at all

US citizens can spend up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area, which includes Spain, without a visa. The days are counted across all Schengen countries together, and overstaying can lead to a fine or an entry ban. The EU is also introducing a travel authorisation for visa-free visitors, so check the current entry rules before you fly.

Ninety days is enough to test an area. It isn’t enough to live in Spain, and a visitor can’t sign up for most things that need a resident card. If you want to spend more than three months at a time in the country, you need a residence visa.

2. Choose a residency route

Most Americans use one of two:

• The non-lucrative visa is for people who can live on pensions, investments or savings without working. It is the visa most retirees use. See the non-lucrative visa guide.
• The digital nomad visa is for people who work remotely for an employer or clients outside Spain. See the digital nomad visa guide.

Spain’s golden visa, which gave residency in return for buying property, ended in April 2025. Work, study and family routes also exist. The residency overview compares them.

3. Gather documents and apply

The document list is longer than for many countries. Expect to need:

• An FBI background check with an apostille.
• A medical certificate from a doctor.
• Proof of income or savings.
• Spanish private health insurance, for most routes.
• Sworn Spanish translations of documents that aren’t in Spanish.

Several of these go out of date within about three months, so the order you collect them in matters. For the non-lucrative visa you apply to the Spanish consulate that covers the state where you live. Start four to six months before you want to move.

4. After you arrive: padrón and resident card

Three things happen in your first month:

1. Register at the town hall (empadronamiento) at your Spanish address.
2. Apply for your resident card, the TIE, at the National Police. You are expected to start this within a month of arriving, and appointments in the big cities are hard to get.
3. Use your NIE, the foreigner’s identity number printed on your visa, for everything from a phone contract to a bank account.

The NIE and TIE guide explains each one.

5. Pick a place, and rent first

Where you live decides your climate, your rent and how much Spanish you need. Madrid, the Mediterranean coast, the north and the islands are very different places to live. See the best places to live in Spain and the cost of living.

Rent for six months to a year before buying. Landlords often ask newcomers without a Spanish work contract for extra guarantees, so allow time and budget for that. Americans can buy property in Spain without being residents, but purchase taxes are high enough that buying in the wrong place is an expensive mistake.

6. Move your belongings

Furniture ships by sea and typically takes several weeks door to door. People moving their main home to Spain can usually bring used household goods in without import duty or VAT, under conditions. Spain runs on 230 volts, so most large US appliances aren’t worth shipping. See international movers to Spain.

7. Bring pets

Dogs, cats and ferrets from the US need a microchip, a rabies vaccination given after the chip, and an EU health certificate endorsed by the USDA shortly before travel. There is no quarantine if the paperwork is right. See bringing a dog or cat to Spain.

8. Arrange health cover

Medicare doesn’t pay for care in Spain. The non-lucrative visa requires a private Spanish health policy with no copayments and no waiting periods, bought before you apply. Access to the public system depends on how you are resident. See healthcare in Spain.

9. Plan for tax in two countries

If you spend more than 183 days of a calendar year in Spain, you generally become a Spanish tax resident and Spain taxes your worldwide income. Spain also has a wealth tax and a foreign asset report. US citizens keep filing US returns as well. Take advice before you move, because the date you arrive and the order in which you sell assets can change the bill. See taxes in Spain.

A typical timeline

When	What to do
9 to 12 months before	Visit the areas you are considering. Check which residency route your income supports.
6 months before	Talk to an immigration lawyer and a cross-border tax adviser. Find out how your consulate takes appointments.
3 to 4 months before	Request the FBI check, apostilles and translations. Buy health insurance. Apply for the visa. Get mover quotes.
1 to 2 months before	Arrange a rental or temporary housing. Start pet paperwork.
First month in Spain	Register at the town hall. Apply for the TIE. Open a bank account.
First year	Renew the visa on time. File your first Spanish return if you became tax resident, and your US return.

Common questions

Can a US citizen just move to Spain?

No. US citizens can visit Spain and the rest of the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. To live in Spain longer than that you need a residence visa, such as the non-lucrative visa for people with passive income or the digital nomad visa for remote workers.

How much money do you need to move to Spain?

For the non-lucrative visa, one person has to show passive income or savings of roughly €29,000 a year (about $33,000), plus roughly €7,200 for each family member. The digital nomad visa asks for remote income of roughly €2,700 to €2,900 a month. Both figures are tied to official indexes and can change each year.

Can I apply for Spanish residency after I arrive?

It depends on the visa. The non-lucrative visa has to be applied for at the Spanish consulate that covers your home in the US. The digital nomad visa can be applied for at a consulate or from inside Spain while you are there legally as a visitor.

Do I need to speak Spanish to move to Spain?

You can manage in English in parts of the Costa del Sol, the Costa Blanca, the islands and central Barcelona and Madrid. Police, town hall and tax offices work in Spanish, which is one reason people hire a lawyer or an administrative agent (gestor) for the paperwork.