Moving to Spain from the UK in 2026: Visas, Costs, Taxes and Every Step After Brexit

Quick answer. Yes, British citizens can still move to Spain, but since Brexit you need a residence visa for any stay over 90 days in 180. In 2026 the realistic routes are the Digital Nomad Visa (remote income of about €2,850/month), the Non-Lucrative Visa (passive income of €28,800/year, no work), the Highly Qualified Professional permit (a Spanish job offer of €40,077–54,142+) and the family route if your partner is an EU citizen. Budget £3,000–7,000 for the move itself, count on becoming a Spanish tax resident after 183 days, and start 3–4 months before you want to arrive. Below: what changed, which visa fits, what it costs, taxes, healthcare and the order to do things in.

What changed for Brits: Brexit, EES and ETIAS

Until 31 December 2020 a British passport was enough to live and work anywhere in Spain. Since 1 January 2021 UK nationals are third-country nationals: tourists for up to 90 days in any 180, residents only with a visa or permit. Two more changes arrive in 2025–2026:

• EES (Entry/Exit System), in operation since October 2025: your entries and exits are registered biometrically at the border. Overstaying the 90 days is now detected automatically.
• ETIAS, expected from late 2026: a pre-travel authorisation (like the US ESTA) for short visits, around €20 and valid for three years. It is not a visa and does not allow you to live in Spain.

Brits who were legally resident in Spain before 2021 keep their rights under the Withdrawal Agreement (green certificate or TIE “Acuerdo de Retirada”). Everyone else follows the routes below.

The 90/180 rule in practice

You can spend 90 days in any rolling 180-day period in the whole Schengen Area without a visa. It is not “90 days per trip” and not “180 days a year”: count backwards 180 days from any date, and your days in Schengen must not exceed 90. Sixty days in Spain in spring plus fifty in summer is 110 — an overstay, with fines, a possible entry ban and, since EES, a record. If you want to spend more than three months at a time, you need one of the residence routes.

Which visa? The routes for British nationals in 2026

Two routes are gone: the Golden Visa (investor residence through property) ended on 3 April 2025, and there is no “retirement visa” other than the Non-Lucrative.

Digital Nomad Visa: the route most Brits use

If you work for a UK employer that lets you work remotely, or you freelance for clients outside Spain, this is usually the best fit: you can apply from Spain while on your 90 tourist days (3-year permit through the UGE, decided in 20 working days) or at the Spanish consulate in London (1-year visa). You need ≥ 3 months with your employer or clients, a degree or 3 years’ experience, private health insurance and a clean criminal record. Employees also need a certificate that the company allows remote work and, in practice, a UK A1 or a Spanish Social Security arrangement. Check whether you qualify in two minutes with our Digital Nomad Visa eligibility checker, or see the full Digital Nomad Visa service.

Non-Lucrative Visa: for retirees and passive income

The classic route for pensioners: prove €28,800 a year (pension, rental income, dividends, savings) plus €7,200 per family member, private Spanish health insurance without co-payments, and a clean record. It is applied for at the consulate in the UK and you cannot work, not even remotely for a UK company. It is renewed for two years, then two more, and leads to long-term residence after five.

Highly Qualified Professional: if a Spanish company hires you

Executives and graduates with a job offer in Spain get a fast permit through the UGE (20 working days), with the family included and the spouse allowed to work. The salary thresholds and process are in our Highly Qualified Professional visa guide.

Family member of an EU citizen

If your spouse or registered partner is Spanish or an EU national living in Spain, you apply for the family member of a Union citizen card from Spain: no income threshold beyond the family’s means, work allowed, five-year card.

What it costs to move from the UK to Spain

A realistic one-off budget for a couple is £3,000–7,000 before rent. Timewise, allow 3–4 months from deciding to arriving: documents and apostilles (4–6 weeks), consulate appointment or UGE filing (2–4 weeks), decision (20 working days from Spain; 1–3 months at the consulate).

Taxes: what happens to your UK income and pension

• You become a Spanish tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year, or your main economic interests or family are here. From then on Spain taxes your worldwide income.
• Progressive IRPF in Spain runs from about 19% to 45–54% depending on the region. If you relocate for work (DNV or HQP), check the Beckham Law: a flat 24% on employment income up to €600,000 for six years, provided you were not a Spanish tax resident in the previous five. Our Beckham Law calculator compares both regimes for your salary and region; the option must be exercised within six months of registering with Social Security.
• UK pensions: under the UK–Spain double tax treaty, private and state pensions are generally taxed only in Spain once you are resident; UK government-service pensions remain taxed in the UK. Withdrawing a pension lump sum before or after moving changes the tax significantly — plan the timing.
• ISAs are not tax-free in Spain, and selling your UK home after becoming Spanish resident can create a Spanish capital-gains liability. Sell or restructure before you move if the numbers matter.
• Wealth tax and the assets declaration (Modelo 720) apply above certain thresholds to worldwide assets, with regional exemptions.

Healthcare

• Non-Lucrative and Digital Nomad applicants must hold private Spanish health insurance with full coverage and no co-payments.
• UK State Pensioners can register their S1 form in Spain and access the public health system at the UK’s expense.
• Employees (HQP) and self-employed pay into Spanish Social Security and are covered by the public system from day one.
• The GHIC/EHIC only covers short visits, not residence.

Practical steps once you have the visa

1. NIE: your foreigner identification number, obtained with the visa or on arrival.
2. TIE card: fingerprint appointment at the National Police within 30 days of arrival; the physical card takes 3–6 weeks.
3. Padrón: register at the town hall — needed for healthcare, schools and most paperwork.
4. Bank account: Spanish banks open accounts with passport, NIE and proof of address.
5. Driving licence: UK licences can be exchanged for Spanish ones without a test (agreement in force since 2023), but you must apply within six months of becoming resident.
6. Social Security number if you will work or pay contributions.
7. Pets and cars: pet passport rules apply; importing a UK car means Spanish registration, ITV inspection and taxes — often not worth it.

Common mistakes

• Arriving on the 90 tourist days and “sorting it out later” on a route that must be applied for from the UK (Non-Lucrative).
• Ordering documents in the wrong sequence: criminal records and apostilles expire in 3–6 months.
• Assuming remote work is allowed on a Non-Lucrative Visa. It is not.
• Not checking the Beckham Law before arriving; the deadline is short and the difference over six years can reach six figures.
• Selling the UK home after becoming Spanish tax resident.
• Letting the UK driving licence exchange window (6 months) pass.

How long it takes and the path to permanent residence

Quick Questions Answered

Can I move to Spain from the UK without a visa?

No. Since 2021 you can only stay 90 days in 180 without a visa. Living in Spain requires a residence visa or permit: Digital Nomad, Non-Lucrative, work or family routes.

How much money do I need to move to Spain from the UK?

For the visa: about €2,850/month of remote income (Digital Nomad) or €28,800/year of passive income (Non-Lucrative), plus private health insurance. For the move itself: £3,000–7,000 before rent, more with removals.

Can I work remotely for a UK company from Spain?

Yes, with the Digital Nomad Visa. You become a Spanish tax resident and may need to arrange Social Security (UK A1 certificate or Spanish contributions). It is not allowed on a Non-Lucrative Visa.

Can I visit the UK while resident in Spain?

Yes, freely. As a British citizen you can enter the UK at any time; just do not spend so long there that you lose Spanish residence (more than six months outside Spain in a year can break it).

Do I need private health insurance?

For Non-Lucrative and Digital Nomad visas, yes: full coverage, no co-payments, from a Spanish insurer. State pensioners can use the S1 instead. Employees are covered by Social Security.

What if I overstay the 90-day limit?

A fine, possible expulsion and an entry ban to the whole Schengen Area; since EES the overstay is recorded automatically. Apply for a residence route before day 90.

Can I keep my UK bank account and pension?

Yes. Some UK banks close accounts of non-residents, so check yours; pensions can be paid to Spain and are taxed under the double tax treaty rules above.

Is it easy to move to Spain from the UK?

Administratively it is manageable if you pick the right route and prepare the documents in order; most refusals come from missing or expired paperwork, not from the criteria themselves.

Next steps

Tell us your situation — how you earn your income, whether you move alone or with family, and when — and we will tell you which route applies, what it costs and the order to do things in. Spain Global Hub coordinates the immigration and tax side so that your visa, your taxes and your family’s residence are decided once, properly.

Request a private evaluation

Official sources

• Spanish Consulate in London: visas
• Law 14/2013 (Digital Nomad, HQP and entrepreneur permits) – BOE
• UK Government: Living in Spain
• EU: Entry/Exit System and ETIAS