We Help You Settle In — Beyond the Visa
A visa gets you into Spain. These are the services that get you actually settled — a home, a bank account, health cover, a school place, and a driving licence you can legally use.
We coordinate housing, banking, health insurance, schools, and your driving licence around your actual moving date, flagging the dependencies that catch people off guard.
Overview
Most relocation guides stop at the residence permit stamp. In practice, that's where the harder logistics start: finding a landlord willing to rent to someone without a Spanish payslip, getting private health insurance that actually satisfies visa requirements, working out whether your children's school records will transfer, and exchanging a foreign driving licence before it quietly stops being valid. None of this is complicated in isolation, but the timing between steps matters — insurance often needs to be in place before your visa is approved, and school enrollment deadlines don't wait for your paperwork.
We coordinate these services around your actual moving date rather than treating each one as a standalone task, and we flag the dependencies that catch people off guard — like needing an NIE before you can be added to certain leases, or needing proof of address before your health card can be issued.
What We Help With
Property Search & Rental
Finding a rental that will actually accept a non-resident tenant, and reviewing the contract before you sign it.
Personal Bank Account
Opening a personal account as a resident or non-resident, with FATCA and CRS paperwork handled correctly.
Health Insurance
Private cover that meets visa requirements — no copay, no deductible, no coverage caps — plus guidance on switching to public healthcare later.
Schools & Education
Matching your children to state, bilingual, or international schools, and managing enrollment and document transfer.
Driving License Exchange
Exchanging or requalifying for a Spanish driving licence before your foreign one stops being valid.
How It Fits Together
Relocation services usually follow your residence permit approval, but a few things need to happen earlier than people expect. Health insurance, for instance, is typically required documentation for the visa application itself, not something you arrange after arrival. Once you're in Spain, most of these services also depend on having your NIE number and, eventually, your TIE card in hand — we sequence appointments so you're not stuck waiting on one document to get another.
FAQ
Do I need all of these services, or can I handle some myself?
Most clients handle some parts alone — many people are comfortable searching for property themselves, for example — and bring us in for the parts with real compliance risk, like insurance that has to meet exact visa wording, or a driving licence exchange with a hard deadline. We scope engagements around what you actually need.
What should I arrange before I arrive in Spain, versus after?
Health insurance almost always needs to be arranged before your visa application, since it's part of the required documentation. Bank accounts can sometimes be started remotely with certain banks. Property, schools, and driving licence matters are generally handled once you're in the country, though school waiting lists are worth starting early if you're targeting a popular international school.
USDoes being a US citizen complicate any of these steps?
The main friction point is banking — US citizens trigger FATCA reporting obligations that add a form or two to account opening. Health insurance, property rental, and schools are generally unaffected by nationality. Driving licence exchange is the one area where US citizens face a materially different (and more involved) path than UK citizens — see our driving licence page for details.
UKIs the process different for UK citizens post-Brexit?
In some areas, yes. UK driving licences can still be exchanged for a Spanish one under a bilateral agreement, which isn't available to US licence holders. UK state pensioners may also qualify for public healthcare via the S1 form rather than needing private insurance long-term. Property rental and banking follow largely the same process as for any non-EU national.
How far in advance should we start school enrollment?
For international or bilingual private schools, six to twelve months ahead is realistic given waiting lists at popular schools. Spanish state schools work differently — placement is tied to your registered address (zona escolar), so enrollment typically happens closer to your actual move once you have a fixed address.
Can you help with all five services as a package, or only individually?
Both. Many clients bundle these as part of a broader relocation package alongside visa support; others come to us for a single service, like just the driving licence exchange or just health insurance. Tell us where you are in the process and we'll scope accordingly.
Ready to settle in, not just move in?
Tell us your timeline and household situation, and we'll map out which of these services you need first.
Book a Free Consultation