Moving to Spain involves more than booking a flight. There's the visa and residency route, health insurance, NIE, TIE, padrón registration, banking, housing, driving documents, schools, pets, dental cover, home insurance, funeral insurance and tax residency. This 20-step moving to Spain checklist walks expats through every major decision — from the UK, USA, Canada, Ireland or the EU — with clear English-language guidance and the insurance products you typically need along the way.
This 20-step checklist covers visas, residency, insurance, banking, housing, schools, pets, driving, tax and emergency setup. Sanitas — part of the Bupa group — sits at the centre of the insurance side of your move, with health, dental, pet, home, car and funeral cover plans suited to expats from the UK, USA, Canada, Ireland and the EU. Whether you're applying for an NLV, DNV, student visa or registering as an EU citizen, this page is built to walk you through every decision step by step.
Quick start
Before we walk through all 20 steps, here's a quick three-phase overview of what to sort and when.
By origin
Where you're moving from changes the route. Visa requirements, healthcare entitlements and driving licence rules all depend on nationality. Here's the high-level picture for the four most common origin countries.
Post-Brexit, UK citizens are non-EU and most routes go through the Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) or Digital Nomad Visa (DNV). Private health insurance is required for both. UK retirees with a UK state pension may later access the S1 form for public healthcare reimbursement, but private cover is essential during the visa process.
NLV Health Insurance →Americans typically use the NLV for retirement or savings-based relocation, or the DNV for remote work. Coming from the US healthcare system, private health insurance in Spain often feels remarkably affordable — and Sanitas plans give immediate private access while you settle in.
NLV Health Insurance →Canadians follow a similar route to Americans — usually the NLV or DNV. Like the US, private health insurance is required for the visa and gives faster access to private hospitals and specialists than waiting for public registration.
DNV Health Insurance →Irish citizens are EU citizens — no visa needed. You register through the Certificado de Registro (Green Certificate) if staying more than 3 months. Healthcare access depends on whether you're working, retired (S1) or economically inactive — private cover often fills the gap.
EU Residency Health Insurance →By person
Different people need different insurance setups. Find the profile that fits closest to your situation.
Private health insurance for the visa, home insurance, funeral and repatriation cover for peace of mind.
Visa health insurance plus essentials for working remotely from Spain.
Sanitas International Students for the student visa, plus dental for routine care.
No visa, but private cover often fills public healthcare gaps. Plus home, car and funeral planning.
Family-wide cover across health, dental, home, car and pet.
Pet insurance is a small monthly cost that can save thousands at the vet.
Home insurance is essential, and our partner legal team can help with wills and inheritance in Spain.
Before you book the move, confirm your visa or residency route. Non-EU citizens (UK, USA, Canada, Australia, etc.) may need a Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV), Digital Nomad Visa (DNV), student visa, work permit or family reunification route. EU/EEA/Swiss citizens don't need a visa, but should register for the Certificado de Registro (Green Certificate) if staying more than 3 months.
Your visa route determines everything else — the documents you need, the health insurance you must buy, the timeline, and whether you can work, study or live off savings.
Health insurance is one of the most important parts of moving to Spain. Some visa and residency routes require private health insurance — without it, you cannot get residency approved. Sanitas is the leading private health insurer in Spain and offers expat-friendly plans for visa applicants, EU citizens, families and students.
Private health insurance is typically needed if you are:
Different people need different Sanitas plans. The right plan depends on your visa route, age, family situation, region and budget.
The most common Sanitas routes for expats moving to Spain:
Three documents come up constantly — make sure you understand which one applies to you:
NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) — a tax/admin identification number for any foreigner with Spanish dealings. Required for property, banking, tax, contracts and utilities. Doesn't itself prove residency.
TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) — the physical residence card for non-EU residents (including post-Brexit UK nationals). Issued after the visa is approved and you've travelled to Spain.
EU Registration Certificate (Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión) — the equivalent for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens staying more than 3 months. A green A4 paper or credit-card-sized green certificate. Not a TIE.
The empadronamiento is registration at your local town hall (ayuntamiento). It records that you live at a specific Spanish address. The certificate is called the volante or certificado de empadronamiento.
The padrón is required or useful for:
A Spanish bank account makes life much easier — direct debits for utilities, rent, taxes and insurance all run through it. Some banks let you open a non-resident account with just a passport while you wait for your NIE; others require the NIE first.
When choosing a bank, check:
Most expats rent first for at least 6-12 months. It's the safest way to confirm the region, town and neighbourhood actually suit you before committing hundreds of thousands of euros to a property.
Buying property in Spain involves NIE, Spanish bank account, lawyer (highly recommended), notary, land registry, property transfer tax or VAT, and ongoing annual taxes. It's a longer process than renting and harder to undo if you change your mind.
Temporary accommodation — Airbnb, serviced apartments or short-term lets — gives you flexibility while you find the right long-term home. Many expats stay 4-8 weeks short-term before signing a long lease or making an offer.
Home insurance is important whether you buy, rent or own a holiday home. If you have a Spanish mortgage, the lender will require buildings cover. If you rent, contents and public liability protect you against accidents and theft. If you own outright, all three matter.
Common types of home cover in Spain:
Driving in Spain works differently depending on where your licence is from.
EU/EEA licences are valid — you must register them with the DGT after 2 years of residency. UK licences post-Brexit have no exchange agreement in most cases, so UK residents typically have to take the Spanish driving test. US, Canadian, Australian licences depend on bilateral agreements — check DGT for current status.
Car insurance is mandatory in Spain — at minimum third-party (seguro a terceros). Most expats add fully comprehensive (todo riesgo) for newer cars. You'll need car insurance the moment you register the vehicle in your name.
Travel cover comes up in three ways when you move to Spain — for the journey itself, for trips back home, and for visitors coming to see you. Many expats keep a small travel policy ticking over for these scenarios.
Think of travel cover as a complement to your main Spanish insurance — useful for short trips, but not your long-term healthcare solution.
Public adult dental care in Spain is limited — most adults pay privately or use dental insurance. Many families set up dental cover early in the move.
Sanitas offers two main dental plans: Sanitas Dental Milenium from €12.20/month (54 included services), and Sanitas Dental Premium from €19.90/month (72 included services). Both include up to 40% reduced prices on more complex treatments.
Dental insurance can help with:
Moving with pets needs planning months in advance. The basics: microchip, current rabies vaccination (typically at least 21 days before travel), and a pet passport or EU Animal Health Certificate. From the UK post-Brexit, you'll need an Animal Health Certificate rather than the old EU pet passport.
Once your pet is in Spain, sort out:
Sanitas Salud Mascotas reimburses 80% of eligible vet costs up to €2,500/year, with free choice of veterinarian. Cover across Spain, with emergency cover in the EU subject to policy terms.
Seguro de decesos (funeral insurance) is one of the most common insurance products in Spain. It's service-based rather than reimbursement — covering the funeral service itself (cremation or burial), funeral home and transport, paperwork, family assistance and, optionally, repatriation of the body to your country of origin.
This is especially relevant for retirees, couples, and families with relatives abroad. Spanish funeral admin is complex, and being clear about cremation vs burial preferences — and whether repatriation matters — saves your family a difficult set of decisions during a stressful time.
If you own Spanish property, have Spanish bank accounts, or live in Spain long-term, having a Spanish will can make probate much faster and cheaper for your family. The EU Succession Regulation lets you elect the law of your nationality (e.g. English law for British nationals), but the practical paperwork still needs to work in Spain.
Things to think about:
Spain has the 183-day rule — if you spend more than 183 days a year in Spain, you're likely considered a Spanish tax resident. Other tests include where your main economic interests are, and where your family lives.
Taxes and obligations to consider:
Once you have a property — rented or owned — you'll need to set up the basic services.
Many utilities require a Spanish bank account for direct debit and your NIE on the contract. English-speaking utility brokers exist for expats who want help with setup.
Healthcare access in Spain typically comes from one or more of: private health insurance, public healthcare via Social Security (if working), S1 form (UK/EU state pension), Convenio Especial (paid public access for economically inactive residents), student insurance, or a mix of public and private.
Local resources to identify in your area:
If you're moving with children, research schools early — popular schools fill up months in advance and Spanish school timing varies by region.
Three main school types: Colegio público (state, Spanish-language), colegio concertado (state-funded private/religious, semi-subsidised), and colegio privado / international school (full fees, often English-language or bilingual).
Things to check:
Save these in your phone before you need them — and keep a printed copy in your Spain admin folder.
Also save and have written down:
Keep both a digital folder (secure cloud) and a paper folder (a binder at home) with everything in one place. You'll be asked for these documents far more often than you expect.
Insurance overview
Here's a single-page summary of the insurance products you may need when moving to Spain — by product and by situation.
Want the printable version? Download our Moving to Spain Checklist and keep track of your insurance, visa, paperwork, banking, housing and healthcare steps.
Tell us a little about your move and we'll help you compare Sanitas plans for health, dental, pet, home or funeral cover — clearly, in English, no pressure.
The 14 most common questions expats ask before moving to Spain — visas, insurance, NIE/TIE, schools, pets and more.