Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
Does anyone know how a UK citizen with a permanent residence in France can move to Spain? Does he need to apply for the non lucrative visa from France?
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
Planning your move to Spain?
Get the free step-by-step roadmap used by 10,000+ expats — covering visas, budget, housing, and the mistakes to avoid.
Start the Moving to Spain Hub →“Yes, apply at your nearest Spanish consulate in France, we’ve just done this our consulate was Paris as we lived in Normandy, the consulate really helped us I was constantly emailing them!”
“Yes, you apply from your country of residence so France for the Spanish Non-lucrative visa if you are a resident in France.”
“If you are a resident of another EU country and moving within the block is it necessary to apply for a visa? I’m under the assumption that you can move freely within the block.” – “Move freely yes; settle no. There are tax implications and rules for citizenship that are different.”
Conclusion
According to the members of Spainguru’s Facebook group, a UK citizen with permanent residence in France generally needs to apply for a Spanish Visa (Specifically a non-lucrative visa was suggested) through the nearest Spanish consulate in their country of residence to move and live in Spain.
Need an immigration lawyer?
Spainguru's vetted lawyers have helped 10,000+ expats with NLV, Digital Nomad, Student, and Golden Visa applications.
See Vetted Lawyers →There are other visas that could be applied from within Spain, such is the case of Golden Visa or Digital Nomad Visa, or Student Visa, after entering Spain as a tourist.
While free movement within the EU is possible, settling in another EU country involves specific procedures and understanding local regulations, including tax and citizenship rules.
Get your free step-by-step Spain move plan
10 emails over 2 weeks covering visas, budget, housing & the mistakes to avoid.
Join 10,000+ expats who used this roadmap.
100% free · No credit card · Unsubscribe anytime
