Retiring in the province of Castellón: papers by passport

01European retirees (EU, EEA, Swiss)

Moving needs no visa. Once three months have passed, registration as a resident gives you the green certificate, on form EX-18. As a person living on your own means, you show two things: enough income for you and your family, and health cover. The cover can be public, through the S1 form issued by the country that pays your pension, or a private policy with full cover in Spain.

02Retirees with other passports

For non-EU retirees, the standard path is the non-lucrative residence visa (residencia no lucrativa), requested at a Spanish consulate before you move. The consulate looks at your regular income or savings, your private health insurance, your criminal record and a medical certificate. This residence does not allow work. After arrival, the toma de huellas follows, for your TIE card.

03British retirees since Brexit

Since Brexit, UK citizens are non-EU citizens in Spain. Those who lived here legally before the end of 2020 fall under the Withdrawal Agreement; their TIE card states it. Spain advises those who still have the old green certificate to exchange it for that card.

Britons who settle now follow the non-EU rules, often the non-lucrative visa. Without residence, a stay in your Spanish home falls under the short-stay limit for visitors.

04Health care and the SIP card

Once you are registered with public cover, the Comunitat Valenciana gives you its health card, the tarjeta SIP, at your local health centre. Bring your padrón certificate: the health centre is chosen by your address.

05Part of the year here

If you keep your main home abroad and spend only part of the year in the province, you may need a NIE for the flat and nothing more. Living here most of the year is different: residence, and also tax questions that a tax adviser should look at.