Residency Requirements for Living in Spain

Taking a look at the new residency requirements for Brits and EU citizens wanting to live in Spain

Having the ability to call Spain home is a dream come true for many people from all over the world.  With its historic sites, balmy Mediterranean regions and incredible landscapes, this country is a huge draw for expatriates and would be expatriates and in this article we will explore the residency requirements for living in Spain.

The appeal of Spain is after all especially strong for Britons.  With more than 75,000 British retirees claiming their UK state pensions from Spanish addresses already, there is no denying the attraction of living in Spain.

If soaking up the Barcelona sun or taking in the sights of Madrid or Valencia as a resident appeal to you, there are things you need to know first.  The rules of the road for living in Spain have changed a bit in recent months.  Although it’s still rather simple to take up residence in the country, the paperwork required for European Union citizens has changed.

While it was true only a few years back that European Union residents only needed valid passports to live in Spain, the regulations changed in 2007.  As of March 2007, EU citizens have a few extra hurdles to jump before they can officially call Spain home.

Although residence cards have not been and are still not required for EU citizens, those who plan to stay in Spain for 90 days or more are required to obtain a registration certificate. 

These are available at Foreigner’s Office locations within Spain’s larger cities and must be applied for in person.  The certificate includes such information as name, address, identity number, date of registration and nationality.  It does not serve as an official form of identification and is not required to be on your person at all times.  A valid photographic ID such as a passport or driving licence should however be carried at all times while living in Spain.

The rules on flights into the country have also been beefed up a bit.  Even EU citizens are required to supply details of birth date, passport number and nationality to their airlines prior to flying.  This change is an EU-wide effort to boost security.

The reasons for all these residency requirement and travel type changes are many.  Most centre on threats of homegrown and foreign terrorism with the incidents that Spain has encountered having been highly publicized - most especially the 2004 train attacks. 

Despite the global threats of terrorist activity, the British government doesn’t have any specific warnings about travel to Spain – it is generally considered to be a safe country.  Other than the typical reports of pick pocketing in the main tourism locations, Brits living in Spain never report serious problems with crime and when you consider that this is with an estimated 17 million British national visits to Spain a year, that’s not much to worry about!

Living in Spain is a dream come true for people from all over the world.  The sights, sounds and local joy for life are unlike anything else you will experience anywhere else in the world! 

To truly enjoy Spain as your new home country we strongly suggest you take time to read up on all the different areas that you can settle in, understand the regulations and take the time to carefully explore all your options.  Spain is considered an expatriates’ paradise by many, but it pays to follow the rules of the road while living there.