Moving to Spain from the UK: what the process looks like now

Since the end of the Brexit transition period in 2021, British citizens have been treated as non-EU nationals when moving to Spain — meaning a visa, proof of income, and a residence card are all part of the process in a way they never used to be. Several years on, the practical picture has settled considerably, and some things have genuinely changed for the better since those early post-Brexit years. This guide sets out what actually applies today, rather than what changed at the time.

Do UK citizens need a visa to move to Spain?

This remains the single biggest practical difference from the pre-Brexit era: British citizens now need a visa to live in Spain, or even to stay for more than 90 days in any 180-day period. Which visa depends entirely on your situation — retiring, working remotely, taking up local employment, or studying. Our overview of visas for British citizens covers the main routes in detail. Applications are made through the Spanish Consulate in the UK, and processing can take several months, so it is worth starting well ahead of any planned move date.

Income requirements for UK citizens moving to Spain

For non-working visas such as the Non-Lucrative Visa, applicants must prove an annual income or savings of at least €28,800 for a single applicant, plus €7,200 for each additional dependent — a considerably higher bar than the minimum required of EU citizens. This figure is tied to Spain's IPREM index and has remained stable for several years. Our guide to income requirements for moving to Spain from the UK breaks down exactly how this is calculated, including for couples and families.

If you plan to work rather than rely on passive income, the requirements are different again — a job offer, self-employment, or remote work for a non-Spanish employer each follow their own route, with their own financial thresholds.

Health insurance requirements for UK citizens in Spain

Most visa applications require proof of private health insurance from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, offering cover equivalent to the Spanish public system, with no co-payments or excessive exclusions. British citizens receiving a UK State Pension are a partial exception: the NHS continues to cover their healthcare needs once resident in Spain, via a form obtained from the Department for Work and Pensions before applying — though private cover is still generally required to satisfy the visa application itself. Anyone planning to work in Spain will normally access the public healthcare system through Social Security contributions once employed, but will still need insurance in place to get the visa approved in the first place.

Getting a TIE: Spain's residence card for UK citizens

Once resident in Spain, you must apply for a TIE: what it is, who needs it, and how to get it — a biometric residence card required of all non-EU nationals — within 30 days of arrival.

UK driving licences in Spain: what's changed

This is one area where the picture has genuinely improved. In the immediate aftermath of Brexit, British driving licences could no longer be directly exchanged for a Spanish one, and UK nationals faced having to sit the full Spanish driving test — theory and practical — to keep driving legally after their first six months of residence.

That changed with a bilateral agreement signed between the UK and Spain in March 2023, now fully in force. UK driving licences — issued by the DVLA, DVA, or in Gibraltar — can be directly exchanged for a Spanish one without retaking any test, provided the licence was issued before becoming a Spanish resident. You do still need to pass a short medical/psychotechnical assessment at a recognised test centre, and the exchange must be completed within six months of becoming a resident — miss that window, and the direct exchange route closes, leaving the full Spanish test as the only remaining option. If you plan to drive in Spain, book your appointment as soon as your TIE comes through rather than leaving it until later.

NIE, padrón, and tax registration: steps that haven't changed

Several steps apply to anyone relocating to Spain permanently, EU or non-EU, and were never affected by Brexit:

• Obtaining an NIE (foreigners' identification number), required for essentially every official transaction in Spain
• Registering on the local population census (the padrón) in your town
• Registering with the Spanish tax authorities, even where no tax is ultimately due

 If the difference between these terms is still unclear, our guide to residencia, padrón, NIE, and TIE explains how they all fit together.

An alternative route: Irish citizenship

British citizens with a parent or grandparent eligible for Irish citizenship may want to look into claiming it. Irish nationality is compatible with British nationality — there is no need to renounce UK citizenship to hold both — and since Ireland remains an EU member state, an Irish passport restores the same freedom of movement British citizens had in Spain before 2021. This is a genuinely useful option for anyone who qualifies, and worth investigating early given how much it simplifies the entire process.

Is any of this likely to get easier?

Spain's national and regional governments have been vocal about wanting an easier relationship with UK arrivals than current EU-wide immigration rules allow — pushing, among other things, for exemptions to the 90-day rule for holiday-home owners and more flexible terms for British seasonal workers. Any further easing depends on negotiation at EU level, and there is no fixed timeline for it. In the meantime, the process outlined above reflects the current, stable position — considerably more established and better understood than in the uncertain early years immediately after Brexit. Our full range of guides on moving to Spain covers everything else you'll need along the way.