Moving to a foreign country is always a big decision to take. In this section you can find useful information about how to go along with your plans if you are planning to move to Spain.

Where to Live and type of Property
The first decision you have to take is where in Spain you will like to settle down. We can recommend to spend a longer period in the area before you make your final decision.
There are many factors that might help you take the decision about the location like knowledge from previous vacations or you might have friends or relatives in the area. It is also a good idea to think about whether you can find a job in that area, if you like the area all year around and other factors which will normally influence your choice of living in your home country.

The second choice you have to take is in what type of property you want to live in. If you are looking to buy or rent a property in Spain you can find all the information and help needed on this web site. In our guide about buying a property in Spain you can find information about legal and fiscal matters and about finding the right property. Our team of experienced property consultants will be happy to help you with finding the right property to purchase throughout Spain. You can also request our free e-guide about buying a property in Spain by filling in this short form in our Held & Advice section.

Moving and What to Bring
When you have decided upon where to live and have found the right property you have to decide how to move and what to bring. If you want to move with all your belongings the easiest way is to contract a specialist in long distance moving. Before you ship your belongings to Spain you have to make sure that you have a place to store it. Many properties in Spain are sold fully furnished and if you are planning to rent most properties will be rented fully or semi furnished. If you don't have room for all your things in your new home you can always rent a storage relatively cheap.

When moving to Spain from another EU country there are not many restrictions to what you can bring into the country. All your personal belongings such as your pets and furniture can be moved to Spain without any special declaration.
It is important to bring all your personal documents (passport, birth certificate, marriage certificates, medical history etc.) and it can be recommended to make copies of each and store it in a safe place. If you want to bring your car, van or other vehicles to Spain you are only allowed to use a vehicle for 2 months before you are supposed to register it in Spain (if you are a Spanish resident otherwise 6 months).

Paper Work
As soon as you have arrived to Spain we can recommend to get your papers in order. Although you are coming from another E.U. country you still need a living permit to stay in Spain more than 183 days per year and if you are planning to work you also need a work permit. If you are not planning to work in Spain you can easily live without the permits for a while although you will need the NIE number (personal ID) for all official papers (for medical visits, when registering a car or buying a property, etc.). To get the necessary application forms you need to go to the National Police (Policia Nacional) where you also have to return the forms.
To apply for the living permit, apart from filling in the application form, you need to bring passport photos, your original passport including copies, rental contract or title deeds and they will normally ask for proof that you can support yourself (either by showing an income or a certificate from a bank with proof of savings).
To get a working permit you need first of all to have a work contract for minimum 6 months. The work permit number will be the same as the ID number (NIE) but you will still have to make a separate registration to get the permit, which is needed amongst other things to be able to register with the social security.
To get the work permit you will need (apart from the work contract) to fill in the application form and bring your full documentation (the same as when applying for the living permission) to the national police station.