What You Need to Know When You’re Moving to Alicante

Relocating to Alicante

About the City

Located on the south-eastern coast of Spain on the Costa Blanca, Alicante is the capital city of the Alicante Province, and the comarca of Alacantí, which means it is the administrative capital of the region. The city is home to over 400,000 people, and when considered along with the outlying areas and other towns like Elche, it is the eighth largest urban area in Spain. Although the majority of its population is Spanish, Alicante has long been a city of expatriates, and today you will find foreigners from the United Kingdom, Argentina, Ecuador, Morocco, Romania, Algeria, and Colombia living in the city. The two official languages of Alicante are Spanish and Valencian, a form of Catalan, but due to its large expatriate community, many people speak fluent English. As English is taught in schools, many young people will also be fluent. Most road signs and official documents will appear in both Spanish and Valencian.

The Climate in Alicante

Alicante has a semi-arid climate, which is characterized by extremely hot and dry summers, and mild winters, with little rain falling all year round. In fact, expatriates moving to Alicante can expect to experience only 37 rainy days every year, however, when it does rain, it is often torrential and can sometimes lead to floods. In the summer months, the temperature can reach as high as 38.4°C (101.1°F), but average temperatures tend to stay between 21.2°C (70°F) and 30.8°C (87°F). In the winter, the temperature drops to between 6.3°C (43°F) and 17.0°C (63°F), with January usually the coldest month. However, due to the stabilizing influence of the sea, the temperature is often consistent on a day to day basis.

Visas for Spain

In Spain, residence visas and permits are packaged with work permits, so there is no need to make two applications. EU/EEA nationals do not need a permit to enter Spain; if they wish to stay for longer than 90 days though, they must register as a citizen with the Hacienda (the Spanish revenue service) and Seguridad Social (Spanish social security), but this is merely a formality. Non-EU citizens may need a visa to enter the country (depending on their nationality), and will need a work permit to stay in Alicante for longer than 90 days. You may also be eligible to apply for a non-working residence permit, but these are often only issued to the partners of working expatriates.