Your guide to retirement in Spain
Spain is one of the most popular countries in Europe to retire to. It’s loved for its great weather, quality of life, lively foreign communities, good social life for the elderly and great healthcare.
If you're considering retiring to Spain or you're already here and and still have some unanswered questions about health, pensions and subsidies, then this guide will help.
Visas to retire to Spain
If you're from an EU country, you won't need a visa to move to Spain, but you will need to register and get your EU green residency certificate. You will also have to show you have enough money to support yourself through your pension and possibly provide private healthcare insurance.
If you're not an EU citizen, you will need a visa to retire to Spain. One of the most popular visas for pensioners is the non-lucrative visa. It gives you authorisation to live in Spain if you can financially support yourself and you're not actively working but as with everything there are pros and cons with the non-lucrative visa.
For more information on how to actually get a non-lucrative visa visit our page that tells you everything you need to know about the application process.
Where you are from plays a role
If you aim to retire in Spain the process can be different depending ion where you are from. If you are from the US, there are certain factors you need to consider before making the move and for those hoping to retire to Spain from the UK see our article on the six main things Brits need to consider before retiring in Spain?
Photo by Matt Bennett on Unsplash
Where to retire in Spain
Once you've sorted out the legalities of being able to stay here, you need to decide which region would be best. Each region in Spain is very different - weather, culture, cuisine and language vary greatly form north to south.
Many retirees choose the southern region of Andalusia and the southeastern region of Valencia due to their great weather and large populations of other foreign pensioners. Some well-known towns in Spain are favoured by foreign retirees but Spaniards also have their own favourite towns and cities to retire to.
If you're from the US, you may also want to find more information on where other Americans are choosing to retire to and why.
And if you're trying to decide between two of the most popular spots in Spain - our article on whether the Costa del Sol is better than the Costa Blanca will help you make your decision.
Pros and Cons of non lucrative visa in Spain. Photo: Jose Francisco Fernandez Saura / Pexels
Health
Health becomes more and more important as you get older and if you move to Spain, you'll want to make sure you have adequate health cover, whether that's through private health insurance or through the public system.
If you need private healthcare as part of your visa requirements, then we've got more information on some of the best insurers for foreigners in Spain.
If you've already been living in Spain for a year, you also have the opportunity to change from private health care to public by getting what's known as the convenio especial. For more information read our guide on the convenio especial and the pros and cons involved.
Those retiring to Spain from the UK can also apply for an S1 form, which means they will be able to get access to the public health system even if they're not paying social security here.
And in planning for the future, it's important to know if you can move into a Spanish care home as a foreigner if necessary.
Transferring and receiving pensions from abroad
If you're planning on retiring to Spain, it's important to know how you will receive your pension, whether you will continue receiving it from abroad or if you want to transfer it to Spain. Both of these have implications on payments, taxes and currency.
If you're British, read our guide all about SIPP and QROPS pension plans - what they are and how you can use them when living in Spain.
If you're from Ireland, you can get more information in our guide on what you need to know about receiving your Irish pension in Spain.
Spanish pensions
For those who worked in Spain and want to continue into their retirement years, they may be eligible for a Spanish pension.
But eligibility for a Spanish pension will depend on how many years you have worked in Spain and but there are ways you can claim a Spanish pension even if you're never worked or not worked a lot here.
Spain recently made several amendments to its retirement age and pensions law, so it's important to stay on top of it all and familiarise yourself with the key changes.
To keep receiving your Spanish pension you may need to get what's called a 'fe de vida' certificate to prove you're still alive to keep getting payments.
If you're self-employed in Spain, you'll need to know how you can calculate your pension and what the best private pension plans are if you want to top up your pot and are worried about how much you'll get. Its also possible to get a better pension with these handy tips for the self-employed.
Finally we have a useful guide on how to work in Spain and get a pension at the same time.
Benefits and subsidies for pensioners
There are several benefits and subsidies you can claim as a pensioner in Spain, which you may be able to receive to help with certain payments.
It's also worth noting that Spain also offers cheap holidays to pensioners through its Imserso scheme.
By Esme Fox
Originally from the UK, Esme grew up in various countries around the world. She decided to settle in Spain in 2014 and has lived in both Granada and Barcelona. She is a regular contributor to The Local Spain.