Moving to Valencia in 2026: your first 90 days

Valencia is decided. Now the admin — and in Spain, doing things in the right order pays off. Here's the 90-day roadmap.

First: your status decides everything

As a non-EU national since Brexit, you need a residence permit before arriving: digital nomad visa (income ~€2,849/month, 80% from outside Spain), non-lucrative visa, or work/study. Note: the property golden visa was scrapped in 2025, and you can no longer switch from the non-lucrative visa to the nomad visa from inside Spain.

Weeks 1–2: the empadronamiento

Register your address at the town hall — free, passport is enough. It unlocks almost everything (bank, TIE, health card, school) and speeds up your NIE appointment.

Weeks 2–4: NIE & TIE

The NIE is by appointment only (cita previa: pick Valencia, then Policía–NIE) — book early. As a non-EU national you then have 30 days from entry to start your TIE card (fee €16.03); since the EU EES (April 2026) your entry date is logged automatically.

Bank, health & housing

Open a Spanish bank account (NIE + proof of address; neobanks are quick). Get your SIP health card after ~3 months of padrón — keep private insurance meanwhile (often required for your visa). For housing, expect deposits; many start with a short furnished let, then sign a long lease.

Rules and amounts change — always check official sources first.

Sources officielles

• Cita previa / NIE
• Ajuntament de València
• Policía Nacional — TIE
• Sanitat — carte SIP
• Visa télétravail / nomade