Retiring from US

@bocheball unfortunately we don’t have the luxury of keeping a place here in the States…and there are timing issues for tax implications

@Mbershod

Look into the differences in taxation in Andalucia versus other regions - they have more favorable taxation.

Yes we are focusing on the Andalusia region but Spain taxes you on capital gains from $1

The timing of selling a property here makes a huge difference

@Mbershod

  The timing of all the paperwork is very precise.  For example, your FBI background check must be no more than six months old at the time of your NLV appointment, so you can't just go out and get things done WAY in advance.

As for the appointment, you MUST use the consulate in your geographic region and show proof that you live there.  You are in Florida, so you will use the Miami consulate.

Here is the actual page from BLS (the company that does the actual NLV processing): https://usa.blsspainvisa.com/miami/nati … idence.php

We are doing the same thing in 2026 and we have a schedule built for the entire year of what needs to get accomplished in each month.  Good luck to you in this endeavor!

@Mbershod

There are companies now that specialize in transferring your pets in a way that is less stressful for the pet. I'd look into those.

@Mbershod We moved to Alicante in October after 5 years discussing & planning our move. We brought primarily things that have sentimental value like our art collection (fairly minimal) plus our good cookware, my husband's 2 bicycles and some extra clothes. It took 3 months and 2 weeks to arrive so keep that in mind. We got rid of probably 90% of our stuff before we came over. Shipping that we did bring was pretty expensive.

@TimmyB_

Thanks…We are now committed here in the States for 2 yrs since we had to lease a car.  In addition my partner is in the process of trying to get her Italian citizenship which might help in the overall process.

@njtaylor2001 Yes planning….bery overwhelming when you’ve collected so much stuff over the years, plus having a pet doesn’t make it any easier.  We have 2 yrs to do your plan since we just committed to a 2 yr lease on a car.

@Mbershod

We are watching this thread closely. We are a gay couple both in our early 60's also from S. Florida planning our third trip to Spain with hopes of relocating there this year or next. Good luck! 

Hi everyone! My name is Alessandra. Reading through this thread brought back so many memories of when my family and I moved to Barcelona in 2020. At the time, we had a 1-year-old, and navigating such a big move was both exciting and overwhelming. I remember the questions, the planning, and all those "what ifs" that kept me awake at night. Now, a few years later, with two kids and 15 years of experience in international logistics under my belt, I’ve learned so much about relocating – from finding the right place to live, to understanding how things work here in Spain. While I’m not a real estate agent, I know how daunting it can be to find a home, and I’ve helped others bridge the gap with agencies or tackle some of the trickier aspects of the process. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or have specific questions, feel free to reach out. I’d be happy to share what I’ve learned and support you in this exciting (but sometimes crazy!) chapter. Moving countries is a big step, but it can also be an amazing adventure. Wishing you all the best as you plan your move – you've got this!

Thank you!  Alessandra. We are an older couple with no children.  I can't imagine taking on this process with small ones. Kudos to you! 

Our current topics of interest, since we are at the beginning, in addition to housing, include  banking and accessing our money, and how to best maintain a US address if one is really needed.

I know about virtual addresses and also wondering if they are the way to go. 

Maintaining a US physical address, even a studio, is expensive.

Some other folks on this forum have been generous with information and helpful.

@Mbershod

Where in south Florida are you?  My husband and I are in Ft Lauderdale and have a very similar goal for the same reasons.  We spent the month of November in Torremolinos, cool, quiet and beautiful.   We explored much of the costa del sol while we were there by train, bus and rented car.  We feel as if we have barely have a handle on the vibe so decided to rent another Airbnb for the entire months of March and April to find a spot to settle in.   If you want to meet up here in Florida, we can go over what we have found and compare notes.  Luckily for us we are EU citizens, thanks to our Irish grandparents, and we are renting here in Florida which makes things much easier for us but still many hurdles to cross before we decide to move full time.  Our plan is to spend a year minimum starting this fall, maybe four years if we can manage it.

@rdruby699

Sent you a DM

Hola! It's not East like you asked but have you heard of Zahara de los Atunes? It's west of Gibraltar so it is on the ocean and windy much of the time. We live in Marbella and drive to Zahara often. It is a hippy beach town with an incredible food scene. If you are here May 13-18 you can attend the tuna festival Rute de la Atunes. They have huge sandy beaches and a very laid back lifestyle. Jerez de Frontera, Vejer de la Frontera, Cadiz and Seville are all very close. We would live there but I prefer less wind and warmer waters. It's really just what is important to you. Have fun searching.