Settling in
The empadronamiento on the Costa Blanca: registering with your town hall
Free, often same-day, and essential for healthcare, school and residency: how to register on your town's padrón, from Alicante to Dénia, and the traps to avoid.
Becoming a resident on the Costa Blanca: the green certificate, from NIE to residency
Mandatory beyond three months: the EU certificate (EX-18, €12 fee) is applied for at the counters of Alicante province, with means or activity to prove. The step by step.
The SIP card on the Costa Blanca: accessing public healthcare, step by step
Empadronamiento, an open entitlement (work, S1, convenio especial) then an application at your town's health centre: the full route to the SIP card, from Dénia to Torrevieja.
British, international or Spanish school on the Costa Blanca: how to choose
The densest international and British school offering in Spain, free state schools with Valencian immersion, the concertado and the French Lycée: the comparison to help you choose, from Dénia to Alicante.
Moving to the Costa Blanca in 2026: your first 90 days
Empadronamiento, NIE, green certificate, bank, SIP, housing and school, in the right order: the full roadmap for your first 90 days, linked to our eight detailed guides.
Opening a Spanish bank account: the express guide
High-street bank or neobank, what to bring, the real fees and the traps to dodge: everything you need to land a Spanish IBAN without the headache.