Moving to Spain from Italy: Complete Residency Guide

What Italian citizens need to know about establishing residence in Spain. From EU rights to practical considerations.

Why Italians Choose Spain

The Mediterranean connection between Italy and Spain runs deeper than geography. Shared cultural values around family, food, and the rhythm of daily life make Spain feel familiar rather than foreign. Italians don’t just adapt to Spanish life. They recognize it.

Economic factors drive many decisions. Housing costs in Milan and Rome have pushed professionals toward cities where salaries stretch further. Barcelona offers comparable urban sophistication at lower living costs. Valencia provides Mediterranean lifestyle without northern Italian prices.

Remote work transformed possibilities for Italian professionals. Spanish coworking spaces fill with Italians serving clients across Europe while enjoying lower living costs and better weather. The time zone stays identical, making client relationships seamless.

Language acquisition happens remarkably fast. Italian speakers typically achieve conversational Spanish within months, not years. The grammatical structures align, vocabulary overlaps substantially, and the sounds feel natural to Italian ears.

EU Citizen Rights in Spain

Italian citizens benefit from EU freedom of movement provisions. This means the right to reside, work, study, and retire in Spain without visa restrictions. But “no visa required” doesn’t mean “no paperwork.”

Short Stays (Under 90 Days)

No registration is required for stays under three months. A valid Italian passport or carta d’identità suffices. You can work, seek employment, or simply explore during this period without notifying Spanish authorities.

Long-Term Residence (Over 90 Days)

Stays exceeding 90 days require formal registration. EU citizens must apply for the Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión. Commonly called the green NIE card or EU residence certificate.

This process involves proving self-sufficiency through employment, self-employment, sufficient resources as a retiree, or enrollment as a student. Spain wants confirmation you won’t become dependent on social assistance.

The Registration Process

Step 1: Obtain Your NIE

The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is your Spanish tax identification number. You need it for virtually everything. Opening bank accounts, signing rental contracts, connecting utilities, registering a vehicle. Without an NIE, administrative life in Spain stops.

Step 2: Empadronamiento

This municipal registration confirms your address. You need it for public healthcare access, school enrollment, and many other services. It requires a rental contract or property deed plus your passport.

Step 3: EU Registration Certificate

Issued by the Oficina de Extranjeros or local police station, this document confirms your right of residence. You need to prove employment, self-employment, sufficient resources with health insurance, or student enrollment.

Employment Considerations

Italian citizens can work in Spain immediately. No work permit required. However, understanding both employment systems helps navigate the transition effectively.

Employee Status

Your employer registers you with Spanish Social Security. Spanish payslips deduct social contributions similarly to Italian contributi previdenziali, though rates and categories differ. Spanish contracts tend to be more detailed about responsibilities and schedules.

Self-Employment

Self-employed status in Spain (autónomo) involves a fixed monthly Social Security fee regardless of income. This differs from the Italian model where contributions vary with earnings. The reduced rate for new autónomos helps during the initial phase.

Remote Work for Italian Employers

Working from Spain for an Italian company raises questions about tax residence, which social security system applies, and employment structure. The answers depend on duration, employer arrangements, and personal circumstances.

Tax Implications

Tax residency doesn’t automatically equal immigration registration. Spain considers you a tax resident if you spend more than 183 days per year there, if your center of economic interests lies in Spain, or if your spouse and minor children reside there.

Double Taxation Treaty

The Italy-Spain treaty prevents being taxed twice on the same income. However, planning matters. Pension income, Italian rental income, capital gains, and inheritances all require careful analysis to optimize tax position.

Foreign Asset Reporting

Spanish tax residents must report worldwide assets. The Modelo 720 requires information about foreign bank accounts, investments, and property exceeding certain thresholds. Penalties for non-compliance have been reduced but reporting obligations remain.

Healthcare

Italian citizens have multiple pathways to healthcare coverage in Spain. Spanish social security provides access to the public health system for workers, retirees, and their dependents.

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC/TEAM) covers visitors temporarily, but doesn’t replace proper health registration for residents. Retirees can transfer their healthcare entitlements from Italy using the S1 form.

Private insurance supplements the public system for those preferring more choice or shorter wait times for certain specialties.

We Handle Everything

EU citizenship eliminates visa requirements, but Spanish registration presents its own challenges. Appointments at the Oficina de Extranjeros book out weeks in advance. Documentation requirements vary between provinces. Translations and apostilles add complications.

At Legal Fournier, we manage your move from Italy to Spain end-to-end. NIE registration, empadronamiento, Social Security enrollment, healthcare transfer, coordinated tax planning across both systems. We don’t just advise. We execute.

Spanish bureaucracy moves slowly and inconsistently. Requirements change. Appointments book weeks ahead. Trying to navigate this alone while also settling into a new country burns time and energy you can’t afford to waste. Our clients arrive ready to live. Not ready to fight paperwork.

This guide provides general information. Immigration and tax rules change regularly. For personalized planning, contact our team.