Relocating to Costa Blanca — what we cover
Moving to Spain is straightforward in legal terms but full of practical micro-decisions: which Spanish bank works best for non-residents, whether your Padrón registration is needed before school enrolment, how to coordinate the NIE with consulate timelines, and what insurance is required to apply for residency. Our relocation team handles the operational side so you focus on the move itself.
We work with families relocating from the UK after Brexit, with German, Dutch, French and Russian professionals moving for lifestyle or remote work, and with North American retirees seeking long-term residency. Each profile has different documentation and tax considerations.
Residency routes and visas
The right visa or residency permit depends on your nationality, your income source and your goals:
- EU citizens — register as resident (Certificado de Registro de la UE) within 3 months of moving. We handle the appointment and paperwork.
- Non-EU retirees — Spain Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) with passive income proof.
- Remote workers — Spain Digital Nomad Visa with Beckham tax election (24% flat tax for 6 years on qualifying income).
- Investors — Golden Visa (currently undergoing reform).
We coordinate with specialised immigration lawyers in Spain and align the residency strategy with your tax residency planning from day one.
Schools and family services
Costa Blanca has a strong network of international schools across the British, German, French, Norwegian, Swedish, Dutch and Russian education systems. We support admission applications, scheduling visits, securing transport and supporting the empadronamiento required to register in public schools if that is the family's preference.
For families with special educational needs, we coordinate with educational psychologists and specialist schools and integrate the relocation timeline with the academic calendar to minimise disruption.
Healthcare and home setup
We help clients choose between public healthcare (via residency + Social Security contributions), private insurance with international cover, or hybrid models. We compare premium quotes from Sanitas, Adeslas, DKV, Asisa and Bupa and coordinate the medical underwriting if needed.
Home setup includes electricity contract (Iberdrola/Endesa), water, gas, internet (Movistar/Vodafone/Orange/MasMovil), local mobile SIM, satellite TV with home-country channels, and a Spanish driving licence exchange where applicable.
Tax residency and timing
Spanish tax residency triggers at 183 days in Spain in a calendar year. Becoming tax resident has major implications: worldwide income reporting, Spanish wealth tax (Patrimonio) on global assets above thresholds, Modelo 720 disclosure of foreign assets, and inheritance tax considerations. We coordinate with cross-border tax advisors so your move date, asset structure and elections (Beckham law) are optimised from day one.