Removals to Spain.
The most travelled British moving route in Europe, which means the procedures at the far end are well worn. It also means the delays are predictable — and almost all of them are paperwork rather than transport.
Start with the NIE, genuinely
Before dates, before volume, before you ask anyone for a price. Spain is stricter than France about who may import household goods under relief, and the gate is your NIE together with evidence of residence — usually the padrón registration or a residence card — plus the property documents.
We prepare the export side and work with a Spanish agent on the import entry. We cannot obtain your NIE. If you take one thing from this page, make it that.
The journey
Across the Channel, then south through France on the western corridor past Bordeaux, over the Pyrenees, and into Spain. Which crossing depends on where you are going — the Mediterranean side for Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante and Málaga; the Atlantic side for the Basque country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia.
It is a long run and almost always groupage, sharing a vehicle with other consignments going the same way.
Arrival day in Spain
Two recurring problems, both entirely manageable when known about.
Old-town streets. The historic centre of almost any Andalucian town has streets a rigid lorry cannot physically enter. The last leg becomes a smaller van and a longer carry.
Hillside drives. Urbanizaciones frequently have a steep private approach with nowhere to turn a large vehicle. Same solution, same need to know beforehand.
Living with what arrives
Worth a moment before you decide what comes. Spanish apartments and villas are laid out differently — kitchen appliance gaps are a different size, wardrobes are often built in rather than freestanding, and the sheer amount of soft furnishing that makes sense in a British winter rarely makes sense on the Costa Blanca.
We are not going to tell you what to keep. We will point out that shipping something across a continent and then not using it is the most expensive form of indecision.
What we need to quote it
Destination town, permanent move or second property, approximate volume, access at both ends, and how firm the dates are. See moving to Europe for how groupage compares with a dedicated vehicle, and Portugal which shares most of this route.
Moving to Spain — questions
What is the one thing to do first?
Apply for your NIE. Spain will not release household goods under relief without a foreigner identification number and evidence of residence, and obtaining it is entirely your side of the job. More Spanish moves are delayed by that document than by anything to do with transport.
Do the islands work differently?
Yes. The Balearics and Canaries both need a sea leg after the mainland run, so they are scheduled rather than continuous. The Canaries also sit outside the EU customs union, which changes the paperwork again. Tell us the island at the start.
Can a lorry reach our house?
In an old-town street, often not. Andalucian casco antiguo streets and hillside urbanizaciones both defeat full-size vehicles regularly, so the last stretch is a smaller van and more carrying. Photographs of the approach and the door settle it in advance.
Should we bring everything?
Probably not, and this is worth an evening of thought. Spanish kitchens are fitted to different dimensions so a British fridge-freezer may not fit the gap, and heavy winter furnishings tend to get shipped and never used. We will move whatever you want — it is simply worth deciding what earns the space.
Does our load change vehicles?
On groupage, yes — the UK collection leg and the international run are different vehicles, with an inventory check at each handover. A dedicated service stays on one vehicle throughout.
Moving to Spain?
Both addresses, roughly what is going, and when you are hoping to move. We will take it from there, and there is no pressure at the end of it.