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Moving to Spain from the UK

The general rules are on the main guide. What is specifically British about the move is that a route which used to require no paperwork at all now requires all of it — and that a lot of advice still circulating predates that change.

  • This page was last reviewed on: 8 August 2026
  • 2 min read

The 90/180 limit is the thing people get wrong

Owning a property in Spain does not extend your stay. As a visitor you have 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across the whole Schengen area. Second-home owners who bought while free movement still existed are the group most often caught out — the house is yours, the time is not.

The two routes that fit most Britons

Non-lucrative visa — €2,400/month

Pension, rental or investment income, and no work in Spain. This is the route behind most British retirement moves; see retiring in Spain.

Digital nomad visa — €2,442/month

You continue working for UK employers or clients. More than 20% Spanish-sourced income disqualifies you, and your contract must expressly permit remote work from Spain.

The document chain

  • an ACRO Police Certificate as the criminal record check;
  • an apostille from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office;
  • a sworn translation into Spanish;
  • a consular appointment, whose availability you do not control.

Because consulates apply validity windows to criminal record and medical certificates, these documents cannot be obtained far in advance and held. The planning runs backwards from the appointment.

Healthcare: where the S1 helps, and where it does not

UK state pensioners may be entitled to an S1, issued by NHS Overseas Healthcare Services and registered with the INSS in Spain, with dependants included. It is a real advantage — but it presupposes residence, so it does not satisfy the insurance requirement at the visa stage. And the convenio especial, at €60 a month under 65, needs a year of prior residence before you can use it. Both are second-year facts. Year one is private cover. The detail is in healthcare in Spain for expats.

Tax, briefly and honestly

Becoming Spanish tax resident changes where your income is assessed and can bring reporting obligations on assets left in the UK. We flag when those questions become live — see taxes in Spain for expats — and hand the substance to a cross-border specialist rather than improvising it.

Frequently asked questions

Can British citizens still move to Spain freely?

No. Free movement ended for UK nationals and British citizens now need a residence authorisation like any other non-EU national. Visa-free entry for tourism remains — 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area — but that is a visitor limit, not a right to live here.

Does the 90/180 rule apply to my Spanish holiday home?

Yes. Owning property in Spain does not extend how long you may stay as a visitor, and it does not create a right of residence. This is the single most common source of surprise among people who bought before 2021.

Which visa do most Britons use?

Retirees and people with investment income use the non-lucrative visa (€2,400/month). People still working remotely use the digital nomad visa (€2,442/month), which permits the work the non-lucrative route forbids.

What criminal record certificate does Spain want?

In practice an ACRO Police Certificate, apostilled by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and accompanied by a sworn translation into Spanish. Consulates apply their own validity windows, so timing it against your appointment matters.

Can I use an S1 for healthcare?

If you draw a UK state pension you may be entitled to one, issued by NHS Overseas Healthcare Services and registered in Spain with the INSS. Confirm entitlement with the NHS directly. Note that it does not cover the insurance your visa application requires, because the S1 presupposes you are already resident — see healthcare in Spain.

Sources for this page

This page was last reviewed on: 8 August 2026.

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