Moving From the United States to Spain, Step by Step
Washington's page gives about US$32,000 plus US$8,000, so about US$40,000.
Picture a couple named Rupert and Cecily, both 66, who live near Houston. A friend in Massachusetts moved to Spain last year and sent them her list. Rupert read it and said, "Her visa was good for 90 days. The Houston page says 365." Both can be true, because each Spanish consulate sets some details for the states it serves. Her list fits Boston. Theirs would be for Houston.
They put the steps in order, with a column for who handles each one and a column for what to ask. They are following the non-working residence visa, which does not allow work of any kind, including remote work.
| Step | Who handles it | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Find your consulate | The consulate for your state, shown on the Spanish foreign ministry site | "Do you take my file, or does an outside visa centre?" |
| 2. Money proof | Your bank, pension office and a sworn translator | "Which papers, and how recent?" The test for 2026 is €28,800 a year plus €7,200 for a spouse |
| 3. Police record | The Federal Bureau of Investigation, then an apostille (a stamp that certifies the signature) | "Is the 6-month limit counted from issue? Which countries do you want listed?" |
| 4. Medical certificate and insurance | A physician, and an insurer authorized in Spain | "Is there a template? Does the policy need no co-payment, no deductible and no cap?" |
| 5. Apply and wait | You, in person, at the consulate or its visa centre | "What is the fee today? How long is the decision?" |
| 6. Arrive | The national police, for the foreigner identity card, within 1 month | "How many days is my visa valid? When is my appointment?" |
| 7. Town hall registration | Your town hall | "Which papers? When does it need renewing?" |
| 8. Health, licence, pets, belongings | Your regional health office, the traffic agency, a vet and the US Department of Agriculture, the tax agency | "What changed this year?" |
Cecily adds the figures. The two of them need €28,800 plus €7,200, which is €36,000 a year. Houston states about US$33,400 plus US$8,330, so about US$41,730. Washington's page gives about US$32,000 plus US$8,000, so about US$40,000. The gap comes from the exchange rate on the day each page was written.
"That is why we ask Houston, not Washington," Cecily says.
The fees show the same pattern. Washington lists US$140 for the visa and US$13 for the permit, from January 2026. Houston lists US$153 in total. Both are revised every quarter. The decision takes about 3 months on the consulate's page and may take up to 3 more.
In the evening they read about step 8. A US driving licence is not on Spain's exchange list, as of June 2026. A pet needs a new health certificate that began on 1 October 2026. The public health scheme, €60 under 65 and €157 from 65 on, is for people with no other cover and comes only after one year of residence.
Last, Rupert reads about a ruling, as reported, of Spain's Supreme Court. It annulled parts of the 2024 immigration regulation, and the decision was published on 22 September 2026. They have not seen the ruling itself, and they do not know whether each consulate has changed its forms. "So the list is a draft," he says.
You could…
- Find the consulate for your state, and read its page rather than a friend's or a blog's.
- Ask that consulate whether the September 2026 court ruling changes any form or renewal step.
- Ask a lawyer who works with Americans moving to Spain to look at your money proof before you pay for translations.
Which step looks hardest from where you sit, and which consulate covers your state? Write it below, so the next reader in your state has a place to start.
Figures are estimates for planning, based on public data. Rules change, so each figure shows the year it applies to; ask the official office before you act.
Sources: Spanish consulates in Washington, Houston, Boston and other cities, visa pages; Spanish government gazette, Royal Decree 1155/2024; Spanish national police fee and identity card pages; Spanish traffic agency exchange list (June 2026); United States Department of Agriculture pet travel page; Spanish tax agency page on moving belongings; a report of the court ruling that we could not check against the gazette.
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