1. Identify your residence route
Check the legal basis for each family member to live in Spain, including any work rights, application deadlines and insurance requirements. Rules depend on nationality and circumstances.
A residence permit from another EU country does not automatically authorise permanent relocation to Spain. NIE is an identification number, not a residence permit.
2. Gather documents and arrange a power of attorney
Check passport validity. Collect relevant birth, marriage, divorce, name-change, education and parental-authority documents. Your chosen procedure may also require financial evidence. Keep originals and digital copies, and check names and dates.
Do not obtain criminal-record or civil-status certificates many months before an application without checking the permitted age of the document. Obtain them near the application date, allowing time for authentication and translation.
Consider appointing a trusted person to request and collect documents after you leave. Confirm with the issuing authority and a notary that representation is permitted and that the power of attorney contains the necessary powers.
3. Apostilles and sworn translations
Check each document and procedure for apostille or consular legalisation requirements. Where required, arranging this in the issuing country before departure is usually convenient.
There is no blanket rule requiring an apostille on everything. Certain public documents exchanged between EU countries are exempt; educational documents also have country-specific exemptions. Passports, medical records and private certificates are not automatically subject to apostille requirements.
For official applications, arrange a Spanish sworn translation — traducción jurada — by an authorised translator. If authentication is needed, translate the document and its apostille afterwards. Confirm the accepted language and translation format: some procedures accept other official forms or multilingual documents.
Use the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs registry to find a traductor/intérprete jurado for your language and agree the format, price and deadline before ordering.
Official sworn translator registry · Spanish Foreign Ministry ↗
4. Budget for your housing arrangement
Separate one-off moving costs from monthly living costs. Renting and owning require different budgets.
Renters should include temporary accommodation, rent, deposit, any contractual guarantees, moving costs, utilities and internet. Check what each payment is for and what is refundable before paying.
Owners should budget for transaction costs separately, then IBI, community fees, insurance, maintenance, repairs and utilities. Also allow for food, transport, healthcare, school activities, paperwork and a contingency reserve.
Be especially careful with remote rentals. Use a verified agent and check the property, the owner or representative’s authority, and the contract. Photos and pressure to reserve immediately are insufficient grounds for transferring money. Professional checks also matter when buying.
5. Try everyday life before buying
Avoid rushing to sell everything at home and buy immediately in Spain. Consider renting first to see whether the country suits your everyday life.
Explore towns and neighbourhoods. Check school and work journeys, healthcare, transport, shops, noise, parking and comfort across seasons rather than judging only a holiday stay.
Some people move gradually, others relocate in one go. Costa Blanca’s international surroundings can be a useful starting point, but Spain has many other appealing regions. Your first home need not be your final choice.
6. Prepare medical records and coverage
Bring records of chronic conditions, surgery, key tests, allergies, vaccinations and prescriptions. Keep digital copies. Record active ingredients, doses and schedules, not only medicine brand names.
Check medicine transport rules, prescription requirements and continuity of treatment with your clinician. Do not change treatment independently.
Establish how you will access care from arrival. Travel insurance, residence-related private insurance and public healthcare serve different purposes. Padrón registration alone is not proof of healthcare entitlement.
Compare specific policies: copayments, waiting periods, hospital care, exclusions, pre-existing conditions, nearby providers and renewal terms. For immigration applications, confirm your procedure’s requirements and request a coverage certificate.
7. Prepare children’s documents
For completed education, bring the qualification and transcript. For ongoing studies, obtain a school certificate showing the grade and study dates, plus marks and report cards. Course information may also help.
Keep completed basic, vocational and sports qualifications. For recognition of official qualifications, check authentication and official translation requirements in advance. These depend on the issuing country, document status and procedure; a private sports certificate is not equivalent to an official diploma.
Spain’s Education Ministry does not require convalidation of prior studies for direct entry into Primary Education or ESO. An apostille on every report card should therefore not be presented as a universal admission requirement. Recognition of completed qualifications follows separate rules.
If relocating with one parent, prepare the other parent’s consent and passport copy where required. Check travel consent and permission for residence abroad separately. Requirements depend on departure and transit countries, nationality, carrier and family circumstances.
Bring relevant custody, guardianship, sole-parental-authority or death documents. Divorce alone does not establish sole parental authority. Confirm authentication and translation requirements.