From Dream to Reality: Our Move to Spain šŖšø
How We Turned a Long-Held Dream Into Reality and What It Took to Get There
Hi folks,
A bit of an update from me.
This year has seen me achieve something really special. I finally moved to Spain with my partner. Itās something Iāve been dreaming about since I first did the Camino across Spain way back in 2019. It was during that trip that I really fell in love ā not just with Spain, but with Europe more broadly. Ever since, Iāve been trying to get back to Europe as often as I could.
Where the dream started in 2019 - El Camino de Santiago
After I retired, Iād sometimes visit three or four times a year just to hike and explore different regions. Before even applying for the visa, I think Iād visited Spain 17 or 18 times ā and Iām still absolutely besotted with the place.
Deciding to Make the Move
It was after meeting up with some friends in Valencia at the end of 2024 that we really made the decision to push hard for the Spanish visa. And push hard we did. As soon as we got back to Panama, we started gathering the necessary paperwork, joining the usual expat Facebook groups, and scraping the Spanish government web pages for as much information as we could get our hands on.
During this process, we decided to reach out to an immigration advisor who suggested we apply for the non-lucrative visa (NLV) ā essentially Spainās retirement visa.
Visa Prep: A Tree-Killing Paper Chase
What followed was a fairly hectic period of gathering documents. We had to request leases from Australia and Panama, and print so many financial statements and passport page copies (yes, every single page) that I think we singlehandedly took out about 14 trees.
We finally had everything in order and booked the appointment. Despite all the stress weād anticipated, the embassy staff in Panama City were fantastic. Our case officer was polite and asked for the documents exactly as they had been described on the Spanish government website ā a drastic contrast to the Mexican immigration experience (which Iāve written about here).
We were also expecting to hand over our passports ā something serial travellers like us were a bit hesitant about. But again, the staff were brilliant. They allowed us to keep our passports until the visas were approved, at which point theyād need them for stamping. That was a huge relief, as it meant we could still travel during the waiting period (which they told us could take up to three months).
Weād already planned to spend some time in Colombia to beat the heat and pass the time ā so everything was lining up nicely.
Embassy Steps and Slippery Snake Shit
After finalising the paperwork and paying the visa processing fees, we walked out of the embassy and hugged each other on the steps, a little bit relieved that the process had officially begun. I remember turning to my partner and saying, āWell that whole thing went slicker than snake shitā ā which is not something Iāve ever said about a bureaucratic process in Central or South America.
The Call That Changed Everything
Then, just 23 days later ā during a nutritionist appointment ā my phone rang. It was a lovely woman from the embassy telling me that our visas had been approved and that we just needed to bring in our passports.
In hindsight, three bags is too much. Two bags is all I needed to move countries.
I was literally jumping up and down in the nutritionistās office looking like a complete imbecile. My partner saw me and asked, āAre you okay? Whatās happened?ā When I told her, she burst into tears. This had been her dream too. Sheād studied her masterās in Europe, and now we were finally going to live here.
Living in Valencia: Our New Home
Fast forward a few months, and weāve now been living in Valencia for just over two weeks (as of time of writing). And wow. This place is everything we hoped it would be. A beautiful, walkable city with fantastic weather, great cafĆ©s and shops, and a world-class public transport system. Just a joy to be in.
Fast, efficient and clean. Good public transport's a game-changer!
The park here ā the Turia ā is my favourite thing. I go there as often as I can. Weāre lucky to live in a neighbourhood right next to it, so strolling through it in the evenings has become a regular ritual. Itās genuinely magical.
Challenges and Gratitude
There are still some challenges ahead: finding a more permanent apartment, setting up bank accounts, sorting documents, and getting our ID cards. But honestly, Iām just so happy that these are the problems I get to solve ā and in a place like this.
Sometimes I have to remind myself: I live in Spain now. I donāt have to leave. I donāt have to worry about overstaying my visa. This is home. This is my new base. And I couldnāt be happier.
Whatās Next?
I know many of you will have questions:
What about taxes?
Are you going to work again?
How long are you staying in Spain?
Will you spend time in Panama still?
When are you coming to Australia next? š
All great questions ā and Iāll be covering them in an upcoming post where Iāll dive into our overall plan, my work situation, tax strategy, and other bits and bobs.
But for now ā thanks for checking in. Iām honestly walking on air to be here. Iām just loving the freedom of doing what I want, where I want, with the people I want. In that sense, I feel truly wealthy.
Cheers
Andy
Valencia, Spainā¦..home š”š
The Turia at night is alive and bustling
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