Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
UK national with EU citizenship (permanent right of residence) moving from Italy to Spain. Does anyone know the finance requirement. For non-EC, it`s 28, 800 euros. What is it for EU citizens simply changing residence of one EU country to another?
And what about health insurance. I have free cover in Italy as I have the tessera sanitaria. But in Spain, would I need to pay for private cover?
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These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
“If you hold long-term Italian residency this is what you apply for in Spain. Your citizenship is determined by your passport. Italy may have granted you long-term residency status there but that doesn’t change your status in the rest of the EU.
Link to official procedure: Autorización de residencia de larga duración del extranjero titular de una autorización de residencia de larga duración- UE concedida en otro estado miembro de la Unión Europea (HI 48)“
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Explore Cities →“You don’t lose EU citizenship by moving out of Italy. Your citizenship is determined by your passport.”
“You are not an EU citizen and you lost EU citizenship on the 31st December 2020.”
“The process for my moving to Spain as an existing EU citizen/resident is different from that of a UK/other non-EU national who would have to undergo a more complex process whereby a type of visa is issued.”
“See a lawyer and ask if the residency type I linked is something you’re eligible for. If it is, great. If not, you’ll need a visa like any other non EU citizen would.”
“You have the right to reside in Italy for life. But Spain is a different country and if you changed countries you’d effectively lose your Brexit rights. And be treated as a UK national wishing to reside in Spain.”
“Upon gaining residency elsewhere you lose your WA rights.”
“Moving from one EU Member State entails meeting certain requirements of the new host country. The process is slightly easier as it doesn’t require a visa, merely a registration of residence.”
“Some permanent residencies in one EU state are transferable to another EU state. You just have to see which type you have.”
“Unless the residence you have is an EU Long Term Residence that can be exchanged in Spain, the rights obtained in Italy as a citizen of the United Kingdom are not transferable between countries of the European Union.”
Conclusion
The conversation highlights the complexities faced by UK nationals residing in EU countries post-Brexit when considering a move to another EU state. While EU long-term residency may offer some mobility within the EU, it does not equate to EU citizenship and does not provide automatic rights to move and reside freely across all EU states.
UK nationals must navigate each country’s specific residency requirements, and may need to secure private health insurance and meet financial requirements similar to those imposed on other non-EU nationals.
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