Moving to Andalusia Summer 2026: Our Family Relocation Checklist

We are relocating to Andalusia, Spain in summer 2026 as a family of three – leaving Mexico after five years, coming from a three-month stint in the USA and moving with the full complexity that comes with international schooling, visa applications, rental searches and the hundred other moving parts of a real family relocation. We have storage in Malaga and also in the UK and our stuff in Mexico so we will be bringing it all together top Malaga until we find our spot.

This is our live working checklist. We’ll update it as we go.

6+ months before the move

• ✅ Decide on region — we chose Andalusia over Valencia, Catalonia and the Balearics based on climate, cost, lifestyle, pace and being close to the mountains.
• ✅ Research visa route — Non-Lucrative Visa vs Digital Nomad Visa vs other routes
• ✅ Consult an immigration lawyer in Spain (essential — do not skip this)
• ✅ Start gathering required documents for Spanish visa application
• ✅ Research international schools in target areas and local schools
• ✅ Open or verify Wise account for currency transfers
• ✅ Begin researching neighbourhoods within Andalusia

The Spanish visa question — which route are we taking?

Spain introduced a Digital Nomad Visa in 2023, which has made relocation significantly more straightforward for people who work remotely for non-Spanish companies. The key requirements include proof of remote employment or self-employment income above a set threshold, health insurance and a clean criminal record certificate.

The alternative is the Non-Lucrative Visa – for people who can demonstrate sufficient passive income or savings and do not plan to work in Spain. This requires higher financial thresholds but is the right route for those who aren’t employed remotely.

A full dedicated post and guide on both visa options with current requirements and real costs is coming very soon.

3 months before the move

• ☐ Submit visa application at Spanish consulate (allow 4–8 weeks processing time)
• ☐ Book reconnaissance trip to shortlisted areas if not already done
• ☐ Secure short-term rental for first 1–3 months (do not sign a long-term lease before you’ve lived somewhere)
• ☐ Register child’s school place — applications often need to be made months in advance
• ☐ Arrange international health insurance (required for visa application and essential regardless)
• ☐ Notify UK/Mexican bank and ensure cards work internationally
• ☐ Arrange international shipping for belongings — or evaluate storage vs sell everything
• ☐ Research Spanish healthcare system (public SNS and private options)

Choosing where in Andalusia — our shortlist

Andalusia is vast. Seville, Malaga, Cadiz, Almeria, Granada, the Costa del Sol, the White Villages — all completely different experiences. Here’s how we’re thinking about it:

Seville — stunning city, incredible culture and food, hot in summer (very hot), strong expat community, excellent international schools. Top of our list for city living.

Malaga / Costa del Sol — more international, easier soft landing, strong English-speaking community, airport connectivity is excellent. Slightly less authentically Spanish than Seville but extremely liveable.

Smaller towns / pueblos blancos — beautiful, slower, genuinely Spanish, but require a car for everything and school options are more limited.

We’re keeping flexibility in our first months — starting with a short-term rental while we get a feel for the reality rather than the research.

1 month before the move

• ☐ Confirm rental accommodation and have keys arranged
• ☐ Set up Starlink or confirm broadband arrangements at rental
• ☐ Pack — seriously edit belongings, Spain has everything you need
• ☐ Final medical appointments — dentist, GP, optician, any prescriptions stocked up
• ☐ As a Registered Nutritionist: research local markets, health food stores and supplement suppliers in destination city
• ☐ Arrange travel insurance for the move journey itself
• ☐ Notify relevant UK institutions of address change

First 30 days in Spain

• ☐ Register at your local Ayuntamiento (town hall) — the Padrón Municipal registration is essential for everything that follows
• ☐ Get your NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) — your Spanish foreigner identification number, needed for almost all official transactions
• ☐ Open a Spanish bank account (Sabadell and BBVA tend to be most accessible for expats)
• ☐ Register with a local GP (Centro de Salud) if using the public health system
• ☐ Child school start and settling in
• ☐ Begin language learning in earnest — Andalusian Spanish is its own experience
• ☐ Explore the local market, find your regular shops, start building routines

We’re documenting all of this in real time

Every step of this relocation will be covered here — the visa outcome, the neighbourhood decision, the school search, the first weeks on the ground. If you’re planning something similar, follow along. The honest version is always more useful than the curated one.