Moving from the United Kingdom
Moving to Spain, from the UK
Since Brexit, the move most Brits assumed was paperwork-free starts with a visa. An ACRO certificate, an FCDO apostille, sworn translations, and a consulate decided by your postcode — we know what each one asks for, and we prepare the file so it isn't sent back.
Our service fee covers case management, document review, and included sworn translations only — apostille, government and consular fees are separate and paid directly by the client to the relevant authority or provider.
Which Route Fits You?
| Non-Lucrative Visa | Digital Nomad Visa | Student Visa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made for | Living on savings, pensions or passive income | Remote work for employers or clients outside Spain | Study, research or training at a Spanish institution |
| Financial bar | €2,400/month or €28,800/year, +€600 per family member | €2,849/month in remote income (~200% of minimum wage) | €600/month (100% IPREM), ~€7,200/year |
| Working in Spain | Not in the first year | Yes — remotely, up to 20% for Spanish clients | Part-time up to 30 hours a week |
| Family | Joins on the same application | Joins on the same application | Family visas possible for longer programmes |
| Leads to | Renewals → long-term residence → citizenship | Renewals → long-term residence → citizenship | Work permits from inside Spain; counts differently toward citizenship |
Non-Lucrative Visa
Live in Spain on savings or passive income
You can support yourself from savings, pensions or passive income — around €2,400 a month (roughly £2,000, depending on the rate) or €28,800 in savings, plus €600 a month per family member. The route most British retirees take.
The NLV from the UK →Digital Nomad Visa
Keep your remote job, change the view
You'll keep working remotely for employers or clients outside Spain. UK applicants usually evidence income with contracts, invoices and HMRC self-assessment records.
The DNV from the UK →Student Visa
Study in Spain — often the first step to staying
You've been accepted to study, research or train at a Spanish institution — including language programmes of sufficient hours.
The Student from the UK →The Other Routes
Highly Skilled Worker Visa
A qualifying job offer from a company in Spain — the employer's side and yours prepared together.
Learn more →Long-Term Residence
After five years of legal residence — the permanent status every visa above builds toward.
Learn more →Spanish Citizenship
The passport at the end of the road — after ten years for most, two for some nationalities.
Learn more →Renewals
NLV and DNV renewals handled from inside Spain, before the clock on your current permit runs out.
Learn more →The Post-Brexit Reality
The rule that changed everything for Brits in Spain — and the way past it.
Since Brexit, a British passport buys 90 days in any rolling 180 across the whole Schengen area — winters on the Costa included. A residence visa is the way past the limit, and it is applied for from the UK, before you move. The good news: the file is entirely knowable — ACRO certificate, FCDO apostilles, sworn translations, your consulate's habits — and preparing it right the first time is exactly what we do.
- Pick your route
NLV for retirees and savers, DNV for remote workers, student for study — the two-minute eligibility check tells you which fits.
- Build the file
ACRO certificate timed right, FCDO apostilles, GRO certificates ordered fresh, sworn translations — sequenced so nothing expires.
- Your consulate appointment
London, Manchester or Edinburgh, decided by your postcode — booked and prepared to that consulate's habits.
- Decision & move
Visa in your passport, and the after-landing part — TIE, padrón, bank — already mapped.
Already spending part of the year in Spain? The 90/180 clock keeps running while you prepare — our free Schengen calculator shows exactly how many days you have left.
What's Different Applying From the UK
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You need a visa at all now
Since Brexit, British citizens get 90 days in any 180 in the Schengen area and no more. Staying past a permitted 90 days while "sorting the paperwork from Spain" is the trap that closes hardest — the visa is applied for from the UK, before you move.
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Your criminal record is the ACRO certificate — not a DBS check
Spain wants the ACRO Police Certificate, legalised with an apostille from the FCDO Legalisation Office. A DBS check is not a substitute, and the apostille has to be on the ACRO certificate itself.
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The sworn translation must include the apostille
Every word of the certificate and of the apostille. Documents being in English doesn't help — Spain wants sworn Spanish translations, and they are included in our service fee.
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Certificates are ordered fresh
Birth and marriage certificates from the GRO (or NRS in Scotland, GRONI in Northern Ireland), recently issued, then apostilled by the FCDO before translation.
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Your consulate is decided by where you live
Three Spanish consulates split the UK between them, each with its own appointment system and habits. The table below shows the map.
By Consulate
The three Spanish consulates in the UK and who files where. Your case manager confirms the current requirements for yours before anything is filed.
| Consulate | Covers | Appointment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | London, the south of England | Via BLS | The busiest of the three — appointment lead times need planning |
| Manchester | Northern England, the Midlands, Wales | Via consulate | Smaller queue, strict on document freshness |
| Edinburgh | Scotland, Northern Ireland | Via consulate | Smallest jurisdiction, typically the calmest process |
Consulates change their requirements without notice. Treat this as orientation, not a checklist: the checklist your case manager builds is for your consulate, your visa and your household.
The Parts Either Side of the Visa
Apostilles on UK documents
ACRO certificates, birth and marriage certificates, diplomas — legalised by the FCDO before Spain will look at them. We identify exactly which of your documents need one.
UK apostille service →UK tax questions
The UK–Spain double taxation treaty, what happens to your pension, ISAs that stop being tax-free the day you become Spanish tax resident — worth understanding before you land.
Tax advice →After you arrive
Your TIE card, registering with your town hall, health insurance and a Spanish bank account — the part that starts the day you land.
TIE & residency →Spain Still Feels Close
Two and a half hours from home
Málaga, Alicante, Madrid, Barcelona — flights from every UK airport, all day, often for less than a train to London. Family stays reachable; you just live somewhere warmer.
Why Spain →The largest British community abroad in Europe
Hundreds of thousands of Brits already live in Spain, from the Costas to the cities. Whatever you're setting up — school, GP, golf club — someone from home has done it before you.
Life-in-Spain guides →300 days of sun, NHS-free healthcare
Southern Spain gets more sunshine in winter than Britain gets in summer, and private health cover — required for the visa — typically costs less than a UK gym-and-heating winter.
Health insurance in Spain →Manage Your Entire Visa Journey in One Place
Manage documents, track progress, communicate with your case manager, and stay organised throughout your application process.
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Application Progress Tracking
See exactly where you are in the process, what's been completed, and what actions may be required next.
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Secure Document Uploads
Upload and store your application documents securely in one central location.
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Personalised Task List
Receive a checklist tailored to your visa type and application stage.
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Direct Communication
Stay connected with your case manager and receive important updates through your dashboard.
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Everything in One Place
Keep your documents, messages, tasks, and application progress organised in a single platform.
What our clients say
Real people, real results
Over 10,000 clients have used our platform to move to Spain. Read their stories — from first eligibility check to visa approval — all managed through the dashboard.
Ready to Start Your Journey to Spain?
Create your free account to check your eligibility, upload documents at your own pace, and track every step of your application — with a dedicated case manager beside you the whole way.
Success rate based on eligible applications.
Carlos is an AI assistant. For critical decisions, always verify with an official source or speak to an advisor.
