Your new life in the Canary Islands starts here

Yes — but the process is significantly more involved than before. As a non-EU national you must apply for residency within 90 days of arrival, demonstrate proof of income (pension, employment or sufficient savings), and arrange private health insurance unless you qualify for the S1 form. Your UK driving licence is only valid for 6 months and must be exchanged. Use our Relocation Wizard above to see your full personalised checklist.

The NIE (Numero de Identidad de Extranjero) is your Spanish tax identification number — without it you cannot open a bank account, sign a lease, buy a car, or connect utilities. Apply at a Policia Nacional office in the Canary Islands, or at a Spanish consulate in your home country before you travel. Bring your passport, completed EX-15 form, proof of reason for application, and a passport photo. Cost is around €10-12. Processing ranges from same-day to 2 weeks.

If you spend more than 183 days per year in Spain, you are legally a Spanish tax resident and must declare your worldwide income to the Spanish tax authority (Agencia Tributaria). The good news: the Canary Islands have their own lower tax rates than mainland Spain, and Spain has double taxation treaties with the UK, USA, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, preventing you from being taxed twice. Get a local gestor or tax specialist before you arrive.

It depends on your lifestyle and priorities. Tenerife and Gran Canaria have the largest expat communities, best infrastructure, and most international schools. Fuerteventura is loved for beaches, a relaxed pace, and lower property prices. Lanzarote offers unique volcanic scenery and a quieter, more authentic feel. La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro are for those seeking real island life away from tourism — beautiful but with fewer English-speaking services. Visit each island for at least a week before committing.

Yes. EU nationals travel with the standard EU pet passport — microchip, up-to-date rabies vaccination, and that's essentially it. UK nationals (post-Brexit) need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an approved vet within 10 days of travel, plus a valid rabies vaccination administered at least 21 days before travel. Once in Spain, register your pet with a local vet to get a Spanish pet passport for future travel within the EU.

For residency applications you generally need to show proof of sufficient income — typically around €700-900 per month per person (similar to Spanish minimum wage). For practical costs: budget €2,000-4,000 for initial setup (first month rent, deposit, admin fees, NIE application, gestor fees). Ongoing monthly costs for a couple living comfortably typically run €1,800-2,800 depending on lifestyle and island. This is considerably lower than equivalent living costs in the UK.

In tourist and expat-heavy areas (southern Tenerife, Playa del Ingles in Gran Canaria, Corralejo in Fuerteventura) you can get by comfortably in English. However, for healthcare appointments, official paperwork, dealing with landlords and local trades, and genuinely integrating into community life, conversational Spanish makes an enormous difference. Most expats recommend at least committing to basics before you arrive.