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Spain immigration questions and answers
Question library

Spain immigration answers, grouped by situation

Use this index to find practical answers on visas, documents, US consulates, family routes, tax residence and the first steps after arriving in Spain.

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High-intent questions

The pages clients most often need before booking a consultation.

Non-lucrative visa

Retirement and passive-income questions

💶

Income requirements (2026)

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🇺🇸

US citizens: step-by-step

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🧾

How to prove your income

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🏦

401(k) & IRA as proof of income

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💱

USD-EUR currency risk for retirees

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💸

Moving dollars to euros

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🏦

Fintech vs traditional bank

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🏦

US banking, FATCA & FBAR

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📄

Required documents

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🩺

Medical certificate for the visa

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🏥

Health insurance for the visa

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Insurance policy checklist

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📸

Passport photo requirements

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📝

Fill the national visa form

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🗂️

EX-01 & 790 fee forms

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🏠

Buying property and the visa

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💻

Can I work remotely?

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🎓

Can I study on the visa?

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🔁

Renewing the visa

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🛬

After visa approval

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🏅

Path to permanent residency

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🧮

Tax implications

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🗽

Do I still file US taxes in Spain?

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🤝

US-Spain tax treaty for retirees

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💰

How is US retirement income taxed in Spain?

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🏦

Is a Roth IRA taxed in Spain?

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🔁

Backdoor & mega-backdoor Roth before moving to Spain

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🎓

529 college plans after moving to Spain

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🏛️

US public pensions & the Social Security Fairness Act in Spain

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🎖️

US military retirement & VA disability when you move to Spain

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📅

Required minimum distributions in Spain

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🎗️

Are IRA charitable gifts (QCDs) taxed in Spain?

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📈

Are US annuities taxed in Spain?

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🏥

Is a Health Savings Account taxed in Spain?

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🔢

In what order should US retirees draw their accounts?

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🧾

Modelo 720 for US retirees

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🏛️

Wealth tax for US retirees on the non-lucrative visa

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🏠

Selling your US home after becoming a Spanish resident

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🗺️

Cutting US state tax residency before moving to Spain

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🌉

California tax residency when moving to Spain

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🗽

New York tax residency when moving to Spain

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🏘️

Renting your US home after becoming a Spanish resident

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📈

US brokerage accounts after moving to Spain

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📊

PFIC, US funds & ETFs for Spanish residents

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🏥

Padrón and health card after arrival

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🏛️

US estate tax vs Spanish inheritance tax

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🎁

Spanish gift tax on lifetime gifts to family

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📜

Spanish inheritance process for American heirs

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✍️

Do I need a Spanish will? (Brussels IV choice of law)

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📜

US living trusts and the non-lucrative visa

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🖋️

Do US retirees need a Spanish power of attorney? (incapacity)

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🇺🇸

Social Security + investment income

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🩺

Medicare doesn't cover you in Spain

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⚠️

Why visas get refused — and how to avoid it

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⚖️

Visa denied? Appeal or reapply

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🧭

Best regions in Spain for US retirees

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🌅

Where to retire on the Costa del Sol

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💶

Cost of living for American retirees

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📊

First-year budget for US retirees moving to Spain

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🏡

Rent first or buy before applying?

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📆

How much time must you spend in Spain?

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⏱️

How long does the non-lucrative visa take?

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💵

Timeline & costs from the USA

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🗓️

Document validity calendar

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📅

Getting a visa appointment (BLS, US)

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💬

Consular interview questions

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⚖️

Lawyer or gestor vs doing it yourself

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🔎

Visa receipt & tracking after filing

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🛂

Visa collection & first entry

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🐾

Bringing pets from the USA

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📦

Shipping belongings from the USA

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🚗

Driving licence for US retirees

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Early retirees under 60

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🧍

Single retirees

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👫

Retired couples

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🧭

Apply alone or as a couple?

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📈

Dividend investors

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🏘️

Property-income retirees

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Applying from the US

Spanish consulate guides

Each guide points to the consulate context for that jurisdiction and the issues applicants should prepare for.

🗽

New York

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🌴

Los Angeles

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🏖️

Miami

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🌉

San Francisco

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🌆

Chicago

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🤠

Houston

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🏛️

Washington, D.C.

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Boston

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🌊

San Juan, Puerto Rico

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Moving to Spain

Country-specific relocation guides

🇺🇸

From the USA

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🇬🇧

From the UK after Brexit

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🇨🇦

From Canada

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🇦🇺

From Australia

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🇮🇳

From India

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🇿🇦

From South Africa

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🇦🇪

From the UAE and Gulf

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First steps

NIE, TIE, documents and daily setup

🪪

TIE vs NIE

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🔢

How to get a NIE

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🇺🇸

Get a NIE from the USA

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🏘️

Empadronamiento

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📜

Apostille and sworn translation

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✍️

Power of attorney from the USA

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🕵️

FBI background check & apostille

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🩺

Medical certificate for visas

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🚗

Exchange your driving licence

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🏦

Opening a bank account

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💳

Open a bank account remotely by poder

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🏥

Private health insurance

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How long residency takes

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🛂

Citizenship by residency

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After arrival in Spain

Your first months as a new resident

What to do once you land: the order of steps, the TIE card process, healthcare registration and the annual tax calendar.

🗓️

First 90 days: arrival checklist

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🖐️

TIE card: cita previa & fingerprints

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✈️

Leaving Spain before your TIE is ready

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🏥

Healthcare registration for new residents

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🏥

Padrón and health card after arrival

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🩺

Convenio especial: pay into public healthcare

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📅

Spanish tax calendar for new residents

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💶

Direct debits (domiciliaciones) set-up

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🔁

Year-two non-lucrative renewal

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🔐

Digital certificate & Cl@ve set-up

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Family

Marriage, partners and family residency

👨‍👩‍👧

Bring your family

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🇪🇺

Spouse of an EU citizen

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💍

Marriage-based residency

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💒

Getting married in Spain

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🤝

Pareja de hecho

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⚖️

Matrimonial property regime

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🧾

Married-couple taxation

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💔

Divorce and residency

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👶

Children born in Spain

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Tax and work

Other common questions

📅

The 183-day tax residency rule

Read →
🗽

Do American retirees still file US taxes?

Read →
💰

How is US retirement income taxed in Spain?

Read →
🏦

Is a Roth IRA taxed in Spain?

Read →
🔁

Backdoor & mega-backdoor Roth before moving to Spain

Read →
🎓

529 college plans after moving to Spain

Read →
🏛️

US public pensions & the Social Security Fairness Act in Spain

Read →
🎖️

US military retirement & VA disability when you move to Spain

Read →
📅

Required minimum distributions in Spain

Read →
🎗️

Are IRA charitable gifts (QCDs) taxed in Spain?

Read →
📈

Are US annuities taxed in Spain?

Read →
🏥

Is a Health Savings Account taxed in Spain?

Read →
🔢

In what order should US retirees draw their accounts?

Read →
💱

USD-EUR currency risk for retirees

Read →
💸

Moving dollars to euros

Read →
🏦

Fintech vs traditional bank

Read →
🧾

Modelo 720 for US retirees

Read →
🏛️

Wealth tax for US retirees on the non-lucrative visa

Read →
🏠

Selling your US home after becoming a Spanish resident

Read →
🗺️

Cutting US state tax residency before moving to Spain

Read →
🌉

California tax residency when moving to Spain

Read →
🗽

New York tax residency when moving to Spain

Read →
🏘️

Renting your US home after becoming a Spanish resident

Read →
📈

US brokerage accounts after moving to Spain

Read →
📊

PFIC, US funds & ETFs for Spanish residents

Read →
🏛️

US estate tax vs Spanish inheritance tax

Read →
🎁

Spanish gift tax on lifetime gifts to family

Read →
📜

Spanish inheritance process for American heirs

Read →
✍️

Do I need a Spanish will? (Brussels IV choice of law)

Read →
📜

US living trusts and the non-lucrative visa

Read →
🖋️

Do US retirees need a Spanish power of attorney? (incapacity)

Read →
💻

Digital nomad income requirements

Read →
🧾

Crypto reporting & Modelo 721

Read →
🪙

Token compensation under Beckham

Read →
🧩

Web3 founder structure under Beckham

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⏱️

Founder exit timing under Beckham

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🧾

Sell before moving to Spain?

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🧮

Earn-outs & deferred consideration under Beckham

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🛡️

Warranty claims after a founder sale

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🤝

Non-compete & consulting pay under Beckham

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👔

Director or consultant after selling?

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🏅

Golden Visa ended: alternatives

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🧰

Social Security and autonomo registration

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Need an answer for your exact facts?

The Q&A library is general information. A private consultation lets us map the right route, documents and timing to your situation.

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