New members of the Spain forum, introduce yourselves here - 2026

@Julien

Hello all, just a quick introduction as a newbie on the forum. Still in the UK but plan is to move to Spain this year, most likely end of summer/early autumn. My other half is a Spanish national. Initially was looking at Asturias where her family are, but now thinking we have had enough rain (and family...) and probably heading to Valencia/Murcia ish area. Plan is to rent for a year or two explore where we want yo live and then buy. Any tips/help welcome and greatly appreciated.

Hello/hola! I am currently still in the United States, awaiting my visa. I intend to arrive Bilbao in mid-March to become a resident and enjoy life hiking, socializing, dancing, dining, having fun.

Hello mailbag000,

Welcome to Expat.com 😀

I assume you already have things arranged for your move, but I would still recommend reading our guide > Living in Spain: the ultimate expat guide

If you would like to discuss any topic, feel free to start a new thread on the Spain forum.

Cheers,

Cheryl

Expat.com team

Hi,

Starting a new chapter in Madrid, after 25 years in London,  looking forward to getting know a new city!

Hi there!

I can share my experience regarding Tenerife and Mallorca, don't hesitate to ask.

I'm interested in Valencia, Malaga, Barcelona, generally Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol. Any inforamtion could be nice.

Muchas Cracias)

Hello 👋🏽 Hola, 😊

I am a British woman, living in Switzerland for the past 16 years. I am taking an early retirement and will leave at the end of the year. I am planning to live between Switzerland and Spain. This winter has been really hard for me. I would like to live in Spain during the colder months and in Switzerland during the summer when it gets too warm. I would love to rent an apartment long-term so I don't have to keep moving around. I visited Denia, Alicante couple of times and really liked it. I also have some friends there. Ideally, I would like to live around the area but not necessarily in Denia itself.

@Julien

Hi

I guess I should have posted here before making a thread. Sorry!

I'm from Kerry, in Ireland, but I've lived in Spain for 26 years. 20 in Madrid and now I live in Guadalajara. I've lived in a few other countries as well but only for relatively short periods. I've lived here longer than I lived in Ireland so I'm not sure what I am anymore!

@Julien

Hi All,

I've been living in Spain, Costa del Sol, for 15 years. Currently in Estepona. I work for Fluent Finance Abroad, a Spanish mortgage specialist since 2006. There's a lot of noise around moving to Spain, I'm here for any questions or to give any help I can.

Hi everyone! My name is Coco and I am moving to Madrid at the end of March. I'm very excited to live in Spain, and in such a beautiful, vibrant city full of art! I fell in love with Madrid last year because it's very friendly and accessible. My brother (who is in a wheelchair) will join me in July. I have two dogs and a cat that are making the journey with me. I work for an international software company called Tiugo, so I will have a Digital Nomad Visa (in process right now).

I'm still looking for a good temporary place to stay for the first six weeks or so until I get my TIE card and can rent an apartment long-term.

I'm definitely looking for new friends to hang out with. I love the food, art museums, and history museums. I'm a big nerd so anything nerdy I will probably say yes to LOL.

Great to meet everyone, and I'm so excited to be in Madrid soon!!

@itscocopo

Hello and welcome on board !

Thank you for taking the time to introduce yourself to members.

Have you checked on https://www.idealista.com/ ?

You may also create a "looking for" advert in the Housing in Madrid section of expat.com to reach more members.

All the best

Bhavna

​"Hola a todos! We are a couple in our 50s currently living in Miami ,Florida. USA and planning our retirement to Andalusia for 2028

​Our main goal is simple: to enjoy life! We love the culture and the climate, but we’re starting to look into the nitty-gritty:

​Location: We’re torn between the Costa del Sol (for the community) and places like Almeria

​Lifestyle: We want to stay active, eat well, and enjoy life

​Timeline: We have a 2-year window to get our ducks in a row.

​If anyone has made a similar move in their 50s, we’d love to hear your 'top tip' for the transition. Excited to be part of this community!"

​"Hola a todos! We are a couple in our 50s currently living in Miami ,Florida. USA and planning our retirement to Andalusia for 2028​Our main goal is simple: to enjoy life! We love the culture and the climate, but we’re starting to look into the nitty-gritty:​Location: We’re torn between the Costa del Sol (for the community) and places like Almeria​Lifestyle: We want to stay active, eat well, and enjoy life​Timeline: We have a 2-year window to get our ducks in a row.​If anyone has made a similar move in their 50s, we’d love to hear your 'top tip' for the transition. Excited to be part of this community!" - @Expat1971

Welcome,

If you have any particular questions, please start a new thread with them.

SimCityAt

Expat Team

Hi everyone,

My name is Philippe, I’m French and currently based in France.

I recently joined this forum because I may soon move to Spain. I’m currently shortlisted for a position in Madrid, so there is a good chance I might relocate in the near future.

Spain is not completely new to me. I actually lived there for a few years when I was a teenager, which is one of the reasons why the idea of moving back feels very exciting.

At the moment I’m mainly trying to gather practical information about settling in Madrid. In particular I’m interested in understanding how easy or difficult it is to rent an apartment when you are just starting a new job, especially during the probation period. I’m also trying to better understand the administrative steps for settling in Spain as a French citizen.

Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance and happy to be here!

@Bhavna

Thank you so much for your kind welcome!

I have been checking out Idealista, that's great advice also thank you.

If I can't find an apartment there, I will definitely make a listing on the Looking For posts.

Have a wonderful day! And yes, I can't wait to move to Madrid. It's a beautiful and wonderful city!

Hola, Hello!

Jose Living in Tarragona,

@Julien

Hi,

My name is Amanda, me and my husband are planning to move from South Carolina USA to Valencia City area in September-October 2026.

We are reviewing the Non Lucrative Visa application process, and the  Health Insurance with Sanitas.

Both applications require a home address in Valencia. We do not plan to rent in Valencia until we get the NLV; Then, Do we have to find a friend to use his address?

What have others do in this situation?

@amlgonzalez

You generally need a temporary address in Valencia for the NLV application, but it does not have to be a permanent rental. Using a friend’s address is a common option, as is an Airbnb, hotel, or a temporary, furnished, mid-term rental. You do not need to have a long-term lease secured before applying.

Some applicants have successfully used their intended city ("Valencia") or a solicitor's office address if they are managing your application.

Hi everyone,

I’m from Los Angeles and new to the forum, so I wanted to introduce myself and say hello.

I have some friends going to Madrid this upcoming May, and I’m hoping it would be okay to ask a few questions in the forum as I learn more.

Glad to be here, and nice to meet you all.

Hi everyone,

I’m from Los Angeles and new to the forum, so I wanted to introduce myself and say hello.

I have some friends going to Madrid this upcoming May, and I’m hoping it would be okay to ask a few questions in the forum as I learn more.

Glad to be here, and nice to meet you all.