How to start planning your move to Spain
We’ve written a few posts about doing research before moving to Spain, and have produced a paperwork checklist for those making the move, but one question we get asked a lot is HOW and WHERE to begin with finding out all the information you need.
Moving to another country is a huge step and there’s so much information you need to find out. Of course Google is great for general questions, but sometimes you can’t find those more specific answers.
As we have ‘been there and done it’ and made the move to Spain already, we thought it would be useful to share where we found the answers to our many questions. So, if you are preparing to move, read on for our tips on how to start planning your move to Spain…
Facebook Groups
One of the best place to get quick answers to questions from people who have done it themselves, is in Facebook Groups. There are so many Expat groups on Facebook, some more useful than others, and many more local groups. One thing I would say is that for some reason many members of these groups are grumpy and rude and whatever question you ask you will undoubtedly end up with a few stupid comments. If you just ignore those you can get some valuable answers to your questions about moving to Spain.
Some of the better groups we are members of include:
Local online forums
Depending on where you live you might also be able to find a decent online forum or message board covering your chosen area. These forums usually have different sections for things like areas, schools, transport, and general information.
You won’t get answers to your questions as quickly as on Facebook, but you do have the option of searching through old posts where you will often find answers to similar questions.
If you are moving to the Ciudad Quesada/Rojales/Benijofar areas of the Costa Blanca, we have found the TalkQuesada forum quite useful.
Expat bloggers
Well you have found our blog in your search, and hopefully you’ve found some useful information here that is helping you with your research!
There are lots of other great expat blogs out there with tons of information to help guide you in your move to Spain, as well as giving you an idea of what living in Spain is really like.
Some of our favourite expat blogs include:
The Baileys in Spain – The Bailey family moved to Costa Almeria in October 2018, their blog is a detailed explanation of what happens when you get to Spain. How to apply for school, learning Spanish, buying a property, finding a church, and all those small details that turn out to be big when you’re in a brand new country and don’t speak the language yet!
The Expat Chronicle – Lauren is an American expat living in Barcelona with her husband and three children. Her blog is aimed at expats, soon-to-be expats, traveling families or just those who love the European way of life, with lots of blogs about expat living and life in Barcelona.
My Spanish Vida – Heather and her husband Mark moved permanently to the Costa Blanca in 2019, where they live with their 7 cats and have taken on a huge renovation project in the Spanish countryside. As well as blogs about holidays and trips away, Heather also blogs about places to visit on the Costa Blanca South, wellness, life in Spain, and house and garden projects.
Siesta & Sangria – Julie is an American expat who has lived in Seville for four years. Her blog covers topics like living abroad, Spanish culture, travel tips, and things to do in Spain.
Living in Spain Gov.uk
As with anything important it’s best to always seek professional advice rather than trusting ‘experts’ on Facebook. The Gov.uk site has a section about Living in Spain that contains everything you need to know about visas, residency applications, healthcare, working in Spain, and lots more.
You can also sign up for email alerts so that you get a notification any time there are new rules or information added.
British Embassy in Spain
Another good place to find official information is on the Brits in Spain Facebook page run by the British Embassy in Madrid. The page posts regular information and updates on all important aspects of living in Spain, getting residency, and any changes to laws.
Ebooks
If you search Amazon you will find lots of different ebooks about moving to Spain. We haven’t bought any of these ourselves, but some we see recommended regularly by other expats are:
Moving to Spain: From a dream to reality
How to buy Spanish property and move to Spain…safely
Talk to the experts
As with anything this important and complicated it’s always a good idea to talk to experts rather than rely on information taken from places like Facebook.
If you would like advice on applying for visas to move to Spain we’d highly recommend a chat with Bureaucracy who will guide you through the whole process via a free consultation.
We hope that some of these resources will help you in finding out all the info you need and how to start planning your move to Spain. We’ll add more resources as and when we find them.
If you have a useful resource that you think would help people moving from the UK to Spain, drop us an email with more information admin@ourspanishadventures.com
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