Moving to Spain from Australia: Your Complete Residency Guide
Everything Australian citizens need to know about relocating to Spain. Visa pathways, tax implications, and practical steps for your European adventure.
Key Facts for Australian Citizens
- Visa Required: Yes (90-day tourist visa-free, residence visa needed for longer stays)
- Most Common Visas: Digital Nomad, Non-Lucrative, Work, Student, Family Reunification
- Processing Time: 1-3 months at consulate
- Spanish Consulates: Sydney, Melbourne (Canberra Embassy for diplomatic)
- Citizenship Timeline: 10 years of legal residence
- Tax Treaty: Yes (in force)
- Dual Citizenship: Australia allows dual citizenship
Traditional work visas require Spanish employer sponsorship. Companies must demonstrate EU candidates couldnt fill the position. This limits availability, though tech companies and multinationals occasionally sponsor Australians for specialized roles.
Tax Planning for Australians
Australia and Spain both tax residents on worldwide income, making proper planning essential. The bilateral tax treaty prevents double taxation, but the interaction between systems requires careful navigation.
Spanish Tax Residency
Spain considers you tax resident if you spend 183+ days yearly there, or if your center of economic interests is Spanish. Once resident, Spain can tax all income. Including Australian rental properties, share portfolios, and superannuation payments.
Beckham Law Benefits
Digital nomad visa holders and certain transferred employees can elect the Beckham Law regime for six years:
- Flat 24% tax rate on Spanish-source income up to €600,000
- Foreign income potentially exempt from Spanish taxation
- Foreign assets excluded from wealth tax calculations
- Requirement: no Spanish tax residency in prior 5 years
For Australians earning from Australian clients, Beckham Law can substantially reduce tax burden. Your Australian-source income stays outside Spanish taxation; only Spanish income faces the 24% rate.
Australian Tax Considerations
Australia taxes based on residency, and ceasing Australian tax residency has significant implications. Capital gains on Australian assets, superannuation access rules, and Medicare levy arrangements all change.
Superannuation creates particular complexity. You generally cannot access super until preservation age (60+ for most). Becoming a non-resident doesnt trigger access. Meanwhile, Spain may want to tax super growth even though you cant withdraw it. These interactions require professional planning.
Spanish Consulates in Australia
Visa applications must be submitted in person at the consulate covering your Australian residence:
- Sydney Consulate General: Level 21, 233 Castlereagh Street. Handles NSW, Queensland, ACT
- Melbourne Consulate General: Level 12, 190 Queen Street. Covers Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania
- Canberra Embassy: 15 Arkana Street, Yarralumla. Primarily diplomatic functions
Western Australians and Northern Territory residents face the longest travel to consulates. Typically Sydney or Melbourne. Some arrange consulate visits alongside other east coast travel. Appointment wait times vary from 2-6 weeks depending on season.
Required Documents
Standard Requirements (All Visa Types)
- Valid Australian passport with 1+ year validity
- Completed national visa application form
- Recent photographs meeting specifications
- Private health insurance covering Spain (no limits, no co-pays)
- Australian Federal Police check (takes 2-4 weeks)
- Proof of accommodation in Spain
- Financial documentation (bank statements, income letters)
Apostilles and Translations
Australian public documents need apostilles from DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade). Common documents requiring apostille:
- Birth certificate (state registry)
- Criminal record certificate (AFP)
- Marriage certificate if applicable
- University degrees
All English documents require sworn translation into Spanish (traducción jurada). Plan for translation costs and timing. Quality sworn translators may need 1-2 weeks for complex documents.
Healthcare in Spain
Australians accustomed to Medicare find Spanish healthcare comparable or better in many categories, with faster access to specialists and procedures.
Public System
Once employed or self-employed in Spain and contributing to social security, you receive a Tarjeta Sanitaria granting full public system access. General practitioners, specialists, hospitals, emergency care, and prescriptions (with co-pays) are covered. No Medicare levy. Coverage comes through social security contributions.
Non-lucrative visa holders without work authorization must maintain private insurance and cannot access public healthcare initially.
Private Options
Many Australians maintain private insurance for faster specialist access and English-speaking doctors. Spanish private coverage costs €70-150 monthly. Substantially less than Australian private health premiums. Networks are extensive, and international clinics in Barcelona and Madrid offer seamless English-language care.
Path to Citizenship
Australians face the standard 10-year residency requirement for Spanish citizenship. No accelerated path exists. However, children born in Spain to Australian parents can acquire citizenship after 1 year of residence.
Citizenship Requirements
- 10 years continuous legal residence
- DELE A2 Spanish exam: Demonstrates basic Spanish proficiency
- CCSE civics exam: 25 questions about Spanish history and government
- Clean criminal record
- Proof of integration: Tax records, municipal registration, stable address
Dual Citizenship
Spain requires naturalizing citizens to renounce previous nationality, with exceptions only for Iberoamerican countries and a few others. Australia doesnt fall under these exceptions. However, Australia permits dual citizenship and doesnt recognize renunciations made under foreign requirements.
Many Australian-born Spanish citizens maintain both passports in practice, though Spain officially considers them solely Spanish. Travel between countries using whichever passport suits each entry point.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I handle the distance for visa applications?
Visa applications require in-person consulate visits in Sydney or Melbourne. Many Australians combine visa appointments with other east coast travel. Some fly specifically for appointments. Factor this into planning. Working with professionals who prepare documents thoroughly minimizes the chance of rejection requiring additional trips.
What happens to my superannuation?
Superannuation remains in Australia and continues growing within the super system. You generally cannot access it until preservation age regardless of residency. Spain may want to tax annual growth as income. Unlike Australias concessional treatment. These complexities require professional planning before departure.
Can I keep my Australian drivers license?
Australian licenses work for 6 months after establishing Spanish residency. After that, you must exchange for a Spanish license. Which requires passing theory and practical driving tests. The tests are conducted in Spanish. Many Australians find the practical test challenging given different road conventions.
How does the time difference affect remote work?
Spain is 8-10 hours behind Australian east coast times (depending on daylight saving). This makes Spanish afternoons overlap with Australian early mornings. Workable for calls that arent too early. Asian markets align better: Singapore morning calls land at Spanish late afternoon. US time zones work well, with significant overlap for east and west coast clients.
What about Medicare?
Medicare doesnt cover you abroad except in countries with reciprocal agreements. And Spains reciprocal agreement only covers emergency care, not routine health needs. Once you establish Spanish residency, youll rely on Spanish healthcare (public or private). Most Australians cancel Medicare enrollment after establishing Spanish coverage, though some maintain it for visits home.
Where do most Australians live in Spain?
Barcelona attracts the most Australian professionals. The beach-city lifestyle resonates with Australian sensibilities. Madrid follows for those preferring a larger capital environment. Valencia draws digital workers seeking lower costs than Barcelona. Mallorca and the Balearics attract those wanting island lifestyle with EU accessibility.
We Handle the Distance
Moving from Australia to Spain involves more logistical complexity than most international relocations. The distance, document requirements, consulate visits, and cross-hemispheric tax planning create layers of administrative burden.
At Legal Fournier, we manage everything. Visa documentation prepared correctly the first time. Critical when a rejection means another flight to Sydney. Tax planning coordinated across Australian and Spanish systems. NIE registration, empadronamiento, social security enrollment, and practical settlement support once you land. Weve help Australian clients navigate this transition.
The distance to Spain is long. The paperwork doesnt have to feel that way.
This guide provides general information about moving from Australia to Spain. Immigration rules and tax regulations change regularly. For planning tailored to your specific situation, contact our team for a comprehensive consultation.