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Sandtons

🇺🇸 Built for Americans

MOVE TO SPAIN

Every step. One team.

OVER 30 YEARS IN SPAIN

IRS-AWARE

500+ Amercians

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One Platform - One Team

One Platform - One Team

Most people helping you move to Spain know one part of the picture. Your visa advisor knows visas. Your lawyer knows contracts. Your mortgage broker knows mortgages. Nobody is looking at the whole board.

For Americans specifically, that matters more than for almost anyone else moving to Spain. You are the only nationality on this list filing taxes in two countries simultaneously, navigating a visa system built for EU logic with a US passport, and trying to time a six-month Beckham Law window from six thousand miles away. Generic relocation advice does not hold up against that. Sandtons was built IRS-aware from day one, not adapted for Americans as an afterthought.

Family icon

Family

Family moving to Spain

Say you are moving with kids under twelve. You need a visa, Digital Nomad or Non-Lucrative, whichever fits your income. You need health insurance that satisfies the consulate before they will even look at your application. And you need to know, before you sign a lease, whether the school you want has a place available eighteen months from now.

Normally that is three different specialists at three different companies, none of whom have spoken to each other, all of whom need the same background story repeated from scratch.

At Sandtons, it is one team. Your visa advisor, your insurance advisor and your schools advisor are coordinated because they work for the same platform - not because you had to chase them into a room together. That is true whichever pieces you need. Visa and property. Tax and schools. Insurance and money transfer. You are never assembling this yourself from strangers.

Solo digital nomad icon

Solo Digital Nomad

Digital nomad working remotely in Spain

Say you are a freelance developer with no dependents, ready to make the move on your own. You need a Digital Nomad Visa, which means proving your income, your remote-work contracts and your tax residency status all line up before you apply. You need a plan for how that income gets taxed in Spain, since freelance and remote income are treated differently under the Beckham Law than a standard salary. And you need somewhere to actually live that fits a single professional's budget, not a family home you don't need.

Normally that means a visa lawyer who has never seen your tax situation, a tax advisor who has never seen your visa paperwork, and a rental search you are running alone on forums in a language you don't speak.

At Sandtons, your visa advisor and your tax advisor work from the same file, so the income structure that gets you approved is the same one that keeps your tax bill down - and the neighbourhoods we point you toward already match the lifestyle and budget you told us about on day one.

Retiree and second home investor icon

Retiree
Second Home Investor

Retiree couple relaxing on the beach in Spain

Say you're retiring with your spouse, drawing a pension and a couple of investment accounts - or maybe you're not retiring at all, just moving significant savings into a second home while you keep working back home. Either way, you need three things done right: the correct route, whether that's a Non-Lucrative Visa or simply the right paperwork as a non-resident buyer; a clear picture of how your pension, investments or rental income will be taxed as a Spanish resident, before you commit to a property, not after; and your money moved into euros without losing thousands to a bad exchange rate.

Normally that's a visa consultant who doesn't know tax, a tax advisor who's never priced an FX transfer, and a bank quietly taking 4% off the top.

At Sandtons, the same team plans your tax exposure and structures how your money gets to Spain - so the number you budgeted is the number that arrives.

Why it’s Different For Americans

Moving to Spain, is not the same as Moving in the US

1

You File Taxes
in Two Countries

US citizens are taxed on worldwide income regardless of where they live. Spain’s Beckham Law can reduce your Spanish tax to a flat 24% -but only if structured correctly and in time. Most Americans don’t know this until after they’ve moved.  

Tax Made Simple →

2

The Visa You Choose
Shapes Everything Else

Non-Lucrative and Digital Nomad visas come with different income requirements, work rights and timelines. Getting this wrong costs months. Sandtons assesses your full situation before recommending a route.  

Visa Made Simple →

3

Property Does Not
Grant Residency

Buying a home in Spain does not, on its own, give you the right to live there,that property-to-residency route no longer exists for new applicants. Your visa and your property decision are separate questions, and they need to be planned together, not assumed to solve each other.  

Property Made Simple →

One Team

No Cherry Picking

NO DIRECTORIES

  • No List of Lawyers
  • No List of Mortgage Brokers
  • No List of Tax Advisors
  • No Links to Portals

......and wishing you the best of luck.

Most platforms hand you a directory and wish you luck. A list of lawyers. A list of mortgage brokers. Pick one, hope they're good, hope they talk to each other. You're doing the vetting and the coordinating yourself, on a system you don't know, in a country you've never lived in.

Sandtons doesn't work that way. There is no cherry-picking. Every service is delivered through Sandtons' own vetted network - chosen because they're the right expert for that service, not because they paid to be listed. One team, run by someone who knows you, knows the US market you're leaving, and knows this market you're moving into.

Every Phase. One Team. Zero Gaps

The expensive mistakes happen when the visa person, the tax advisor and the property agent are not talking to each other. Ours always are.

01

PLAN & RELOCATE

- Visa route — DNV vs NLV income thresholds

- IRS and cross-border tax planning

- FBI background check and documentation

02

ACQUIRE

- Property search matched to visa type

- 70% LTV non-resident mortgage

- Legal due diligence, NIE, notary

03

SETTLE IN

- Health insurance for visa compliance

- American school options

- Banking, currency, utilities

A Full Service Suite

Locations

Map of Spain

Where you live matters as much as the decision to move. Coastal Life, City Life, Authentic Interior Spain, Island Life — four lifestyles, ten provinces, mapped all the way down to the neighbourhood.

Explore Locations →

Property

Modern villa with pool

Built on how you'll live in it, not just where it is. Golf Homes, Branded Residencies, new builds, fincas in the countryside - each with its own dedicated page.

Explore Property →

Spain Guide

Valencia plaza fountain

Blogs, in-depth guides, videos and real market data, everything you need to make an informed decision, kept current, in one library.

Explore Spain Guide →

Real moves. Real people.

Visas, Homes, Schools, Lives. Stories from families who’ve already made Spain home.

We had a wonderful experience with Brian and Sobie. They took a lot of time with us as we were over seas and were unclear on the process to purchase a home. We found a wonderful apartment and were able to purchase it very quickly
Konyn
USA
Brian is like an oracle; his market and overall property knowledge is amazing. He gave us so much of his time, can’t thank him enough for dealing with everything. He sorted out our residency, found us our new home. We’d never bought overseas before, Sandtons made it easy. Highly recommend.
Oram
UK
Working with Brian was a fantastic experience from start to finish. His local expertise and clear, honest communication gave me total confidence throughout my property purchase in Estepona. the entire team exceeded expectations..professional, patient, and a real pleasure to work with. I highly recommend them
Christos
Greece

Ready when you are.

Three ways in. Pick the path that fits today: Quiz, Strategy Call, or Move Guide.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can Americans legally move to Spain?
Yes. Americans can move to Spain legally under several visa routes. The most common are the Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) for retirees and those with passive income, and the Digital Nomad Visa for remote workers. Each has different income thresholds, documentation requirements and timelines. Most Americans apply from their nearest Spanish consulate in the US.
What is the easiest visa for Americans to move to Spain?
There is no single easiest visa – it depends entirely on your situation. The Non-Lucrative Visa is the most commonly used route for retirees and those with savings or passive income. The Digital Nomad Visa is the fastest-growing route for remote workers. The Sandtons Visa Eligibility Quiz takes twelve questions to identify the right route for your specific circumstances.
How much money do I need to move to Spain from the US?
It depends on your visa route and lifestyle. For a Non-Lucrative Visa, Spain currently requires proof of approximately €2,400 per month in passive income (or an equivalent lump sum). For a Digital Nomad Visa, the threshold is 200% of Spain’s minimum wage, currently around €2,849 per month. Beyond visa requirements, a comfortable monthly budget for a couple in most Spanish cities ranges from €2,500 to €4,500.
Do I still have to file US taxes if I move to Spain?
Yes. The US taxes its citizens on worldwide income regardless of where they live. However, the US-Spain tax treaty and the Foreign Tax Credit prevent most Americans from paying full tax in both countries simultaneously. Many new residents also qualify for Spain’s Beckham Law, a flat 24% tax rate on Spanish income for up to six years. Getting this structured correctly at the start saves thousands.
How long does it take to move to Spain from the US?
From the decision to move to landing with residency, most Americans should plan for 6 to 12 months. The visa application alone typically takes 3 to 6 months depending on your consulate and documentation. Property purchase adds additional time if you are buying. The most common mistake is underestimating the document-gathering phase, particularly FBI background checks and apostille processing.
Can I buy property in Spain before I have a visa?
Yes, you can buy property in Spain freely, with or without a visa, and you do not need residency to do so. You will need an NIE number (Número de Identificación de Extranjero) to complete the transaction. Owning property does not, by itself, give you the right to live in Spain, that has to come through a separate visa route. Your property decision and your visa decision need to be planned together, not assumed to solve each other.
What is the Sandtons Spain Plan and how does it work?
The Spain Plan is Sandtons’ end-to-end advisory approach for Americans moving to Spain. It begins with a free strategy call and either the Visa Eligibility Quiz or Cost of Living Calculator to establish your starting position. From there, Sandtons advises across visas, tax planning, property, mortgages, schools and daily life – either through one-off services or a monthly support plan, coordinated by one team.

VISA MADE SIMPLE

Start with the Basics

Discover which Spanish visa suits your situation.

Visa Made Simple

Moving to Spain isn't about luck it's about matching you income source to the right visa.

It’s easier to get residency in Spain than you think!

Find Your Visa to Living in Spain in 2 Minutes

Unlock your Mediterranean dream with our quick, personalized quiz to discover the perfect Spanish residency path for you.

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COST OF LIVING MADE SIMPLE

Start with the Basics

Don’t just guess. Know the real cost of electricity, private schools, and the ‘Menu del Dia’.

Download School's Guide

Cost of Living Made Simple

You have heard the headlines: “Spain is cheap”. But cheap is relative . The real story is…

Calculate Your "Spanish Lifestyle" Upgrade

See exactly how far your US income will
go in Madrid, Valencia, or the Coast

YOUR SANDTONS GLOBAL HUB IS COMING

We’re building a dedicated Sandtons Hub for people buying property and moving to
Spain from around the world .
Join the early-access list and we’ll let you know when it launches.

YOUR SANDTONS EU HUB IS COMING

We’re building a dedicated Sandtons Hub for people buying property and moving to
Spain from Europe .
Join the early-access list and we’ll let you know when it launches.

YOUR SANDTONS UK HUB IS COMING

We’re building a dedicated Sandtons Hub for people buying property and moving to
Spain from the UK .
Join the early-access list and we’ll let you know when it launches.

Thanks for your interest in the Hub. We’re building this now and will let you know the moment it’s live. In the meantime, everything you need is already on our US site — browse our services. Or ask Jasmine, our AI assistant — she knows almost everything, and if she doesn’t, she’ll make sure we follow up with you personally.