Guides for foreign owners in Spain
Property, non-resident tax, inheritance and immigration — explained and reviewed by our lawyers, so you know what to expect before you act.
24 guides
Modelo 650: the Spanish Inheritance Tax Form Explained
The Modelo 650 is the form used to declare and pay Spanish inheritance tax, and until it is settled the estate is stuck: the law keeps the inherited assets themselves liable for the tax, and in practice banks ask for proof it is paid before releasing the money. Non-resident heirs file it with the State office in Madrid, not the region, they have six months from the death, and since 2021 every non-resident, British heirs included, can opt for the regional tax reductions. Here is how it works, across the desk.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643
buying propertyThe Occupation Licence in Spain (Valencia Region): the Guide for Foreign Owners and Buyers
The occupation licence stopped being a licence in 2021: now a declaration you file, valid from day one, checked afterwards. The ten year renewal catches almost every resale; the declaration never legalises an illegal build.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643
buying propertyArras or Purchase Option? Two Very Different Contracts in Spain
Arras and a contrato de opción de compra are two different legal figures, not two versions of the same paper. Under arras you are already a buyer. Under an option you are still deciding. Here is what each one costs you if you walk away, and why only one of them can be recorded at the Land Registry.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643
buying propertyThe €1,000,000 cliff: one euro of price, €20,000 of tax
Buy a resale home on the Costa Blanca for €1,000,000 and the transfer tax is €90,000. Buy the same house for €1,000,001 and the tax is €110,000.11. One extra euro of value costs you twenty thousand euros of tax, because above a million the higher rate applies to the whole value and not just to the part above the line.
By Daniel Bertomeu Quiles · Asesor fiscal · AEDAF nº 06838 · APAFCV nº 3080
buying propertyBuying Property in Costa Blanca in 2026: The Complete Process, Explained by Local Lawyers
Most foreign buyers arrive in Spain with one dangerous assumption: that the notary plays the role their solicitor would play at home. He doesn't. The Spanish notary is impartial by law — he certifies the deal, he doesn't protect your side of it. Once you understand that, everything else in this guide makes sense.
By Daniel Bertomeu Quiles · Asesor fiscal · AEDAF nº 06838 · APAFCV nº 3080
buying propertyFront-Line Property in Spain: What the Coastal Law Actually Means
Front-line property in Spain is not automatically a concession, and the protection strip is not automatically 20 metres in urban areas. What decides your case is the deslinde, the State's demarcation of the maritime public domain. Here is what to ask for before you pay a deposit on the Costa Blanca.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643
inheritanceYour Spanish Will Can Follow Your National Law
If you are habitually resident in Spain, Spanish succession law decides who inherits, including the forced heirship rules. Regulation 650/2012 lets you designate the law of your nationality instead, but the will has to carry that choice. Here is how it works, what it does not do, why the date 17 August 2015 matters for a will you already signed, and the wrinkle British owners need to know about.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643
buying propertyOff-Plan in Spain: Law 57/1968 Is Dead, This Is What Protects Your Deposit
Law 57/1968 was repealed with effect from 1 January 2016. This is the regime that applies now: what the guarantee covers, why it only bites once the developer holds the building licence and the document has been issued in your name, and the two year lapse that can quietly turn a bank guarantee into a claim against an empty company.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643
buying propertyIs That Country House on the Costa Blanca Legal?
AFO is a figure of Andalusian planning law and it does not exist in the Valencian Community. On the Costa Blanca the route for an existing house on rustic land is minimisation of territorial impact, and one date decides most cases: 20 August 2014. Here is what to ask and which documents to demand before you pay a deposit.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643
inheritanceInheriting Spanish Property as a Non-Resident: the Complete Guide
Somebody has died, there is a house in Spain, and none of the family lives here. This is the complete process, from the death certificate to registering the property in the heirs' names, and the two questions foreign families always have tangled together: which law decides who inherits, and which rules decide the tax. Including the Supreme Court line that says treating a non-resident heir worse is discriminatory.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643
buying propertyHow to Check a Spanish Property for Hidden Charges and Debts
In Spain it is perfectly legal to sell a house with debts attached to it, and some of those debts follow the bricks rather than the seller. This is what a nota simple reveals, what it never shows, and the order in which we ask for documents before a client signs.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643
buying propertyReservation, Arras, Escritura: the Three Contracts When You Buy in Spain
Buying a house in Spain means signing a reservation contract, an arras deposit contract, usually a private purchase contract, and the notary deed. The arras is the one that can cost you tens of thousands if you sign the wrong version. Here is how the whole chain works, with real numbers.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643
sellingSelling Property in Spain: the Legal Side (Costa Blanca 2026)
Selling a house on the Costa Blanca is decided by paperwork, not by price. This is the legal side of a sale: the documents a seller needs, the debts that travel with the property, what the notary really checks, the second occupation declaration, and what happens when part of the house was built without a licence.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643
buying propertyWhat a 500,000 Euro House in Spain Really Costs You, Line by Line
What does a 500,000 euro house in the Valencia region really cost once taxes and fees are in? A tax advisor breaks it down line by line: 45,000 euros of ITP at the new 9% rate, the regulated notary and registry tariffs, and the legal fee. Plus the new-build comparison, where the same house costs 12,000 euros more in tax.
By Daniel Bertomeu Quiles · Asesor fiscal · AEDAF nº 06838 · APAFCV nº 3080
digital certificateHow to Get Your Spanish Digital Certificate as a Foreigner (Full Guide)
The Spanish digital certificate is the key that lets you file taxes, handle immigration paperwork and request official documents online. Daniel walks through the exact FNMT process he uses for clients every week, step by step, including the appointment, the documents and the backup copy almost everyone forgets.
By Daniel Bertomeu Quiles · Asesor fiscal · AEDAF nº 06838 · APAFCV nº 3080
inheritanceDo I Need a Spanish Will? What Foreign Property Owners Should Know
No law forces you to make a Spanish will, but without one your heirs face a slower, more expensive succession across two legal systems. Daniel Bertomeu explains what a Spanish will covers, how EU Regulation 650/2012 lets you choose your national law, and how the Valencian 99% inheritance tax relief works for non-residents.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643
buying propertyBuying a House in Spain? Start With These First Steps
Buying a house in Spain does not start with viewings. It starts with four things: your NIE, a Spanish bank account, a power of attorney if you live abroad, and a budget that includes the taxes. Here is the first-steps checklist, in order.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643
nie residencyHow to Get Your NIE in Alicante and Valencia (Without Losing Your Mind)
The NIE is your Spanish ID number as a foreigner, and you need it before you buy property, open a bank account or pay any tax in Spain. Daniel explains how to book the appointment yourself in Alicante or Valencia, what to bring, and the two ways to get a NIE without setting foot in Spain.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643
buying propertyProperty Transfer Tax in Valencia Just Dropped to 9%: What It Means for You
The property transfer tax (ITP) in Alicante, Valencia and Castellon dropped from 10% to 9% for purchases completed from 1 June 2026. Above 1,000,000 euros the rate stays at 11%, and the date that decides your rate is the deed, not the deposit contract.
By Daniel Bertomeu Quiles · Asesor fiscal · AEDAF nº 06838 · APAFCV nº 3080
buying propertyThe Two Spanish Property Tax Mistakes I Keep Seeing Foreign Owners Make
Spending less than 183 days in Spain does not automatically make you a non-resident: without a tax residency certificate, Spain can count your absences as time in Spain. And when you buy, transfer tax is charged on the valor de referencia if it is higher than your price. Daniel Bertomeu explains both mistakes and how to avoid them.
By Daniel Bertomeu Quiles · Asesor fiscal · AEDAF nº 06838 · APAFCV nº 3080
buying propertyWhy Foreign Buyers Keep Choosing Alicante (a View From the Ground)
Since June 2026, buying a resale home in the Valencia region is taxed at 9 percent instead of 10. Daniel Bertomeu explains the three tax changes that have made Alicante one of Spain's most attractive regions for foreign buyers: cheaper purchases, a 99 percent inheritance relief and a friendlier wealth tax.
By Daniel Bertomeu Quiles · Asesor fiscal · AEDAF nº 06838 · APAFCV nº 3080
buying propertyWhy Is Moraira So Expensive? An Honest Local Answer
Moraira is one of the most expensive towns on the Costa Blanca, and it is not an accident. Daniel Bertomeu, a tax advisor who grew up in the town, breaks down the 2026 price data area by area and explains the three reasons behind the numbers.
By Daniel Bertomeu Quiles · Asesor fiscal · AEDAF nº 06838 · APAFCV nº 3080
buying propertyBuying Property in Moraira in 2026: What a Local Lawyer Actually Tells Clients
The short, honest version of buying in Moraira in 2026: what a foreign buyer actually needs to know, the one habit that saves you money, the local Ley de Costas trap, and the taxes that changed this year.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643
tourist licenceTourist Rental Licence in Valencia and Alicante (2026 Guide)
2026 changed a lot for tourist rentals: the Supreme Court killed the national NRUA and Valencia city brought in the toughest caps in Spain.: the Supreme Court killed the national NRUA and Valencia city brought in the toughest caps in Spain. This is what is actually real now for non-residents in Valencia and Alicante, from the 10-day rule to the tax that comes with it.
By Juan Antonio Bertomeu Vallés · Abogado · ICALI nº 4643