Moving to Mallorca: Residency, NIEs, Visas and Spanish Citizenship - with Mallorca Solutions

Thinking about moving to Mallorca, working here or making the island your permanent home? This episode looks at some of the paperwork and practical realities you need to understand before making the move.

Vicki McLeod is joined by Becky Bellafont Evans and Rebecca Edwards from Mallorca Solutions to discuss NIE numbers, residency, visas, seasonal work, Spanish citizenship, private medical insurance and Mallorca's new Tarjeta Única public transport card. Listen for practical insight into getting properly organised before you relocate.

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Episode overview

Moving to Mallorca can look wonderfully simple from a distance. The reality, as anyone who has dealt with Spanish administration knows, is rather more complicated.

In this episode of the Majorca Mallorca Podcast, Vicki McLeod is joined by Becky Bellafont Evans, founder and CEO of Mallorca Solutions, and Rebecca Edwards from the team. Between them, they discuss some of the most common questions asked by people planning to live, work or settle in Mallorca.

The conversation covers the difference between an NIE number and residency, why a Social Security number matters for workers, and the challenges faced by seasonal employees trying to get their paperwork organised. Becky also talks through some of the broad options available to non-EU citizens, including the non-lucrative and digital nomad routes, while stressing that immigration options depend on individual circumstances.

There is also a candid discussion about Spanish citizenship, including the reasons some long-term residents consider applying for a Spanish passport and the reality of the application process.

Finally, the episode turns to insurance and everyday island life, including private medical cover and the Tarjeta Única, Mallorca's integrated public transport card.

The central message is straightforward: do your homework before moving. Good preparation and correct registration can make life considerably easier later.

What you will hear

• What Mallorca Solutions does
• Growing up in Mallorca with English parents
• Speaking English, Spanish and Catalan
• Why getting paperwork right at the beginning matters
• NIE numbers and what they are used for
• Social Security registration
• Seasonal workers in Mallorca
• Residency for EU citizens
• Visa options for non-EU citizens
• The non-lucrative and digital nomad routes
• Why people should prepare before moving to Spain
• Arraigo and regularisation routes
• Spanish citizenship and nationality
• Language and cultural knowledge examinations
• Private medical insurance
• The role of an independent insurance broker
• The Tarjeta Única
• Free public transport in Mallorca
• Why better public transport could help reduce time spent in traffic

About the guests

Becky Bellafont Evans is described in the transcript as the founder and CEO of Mallorca Solutions, a Mallorca-based business providing assistance with insurance and official administration.

Rebecca Edwards works with Mallorca Solutions and has lived in Mallorca since early childhood. She attended school in the Santanyí area and discusses her experience of growing up between English and Spanish cultures.

Links and resources

• Mallorca Solutions: https://www.mallorcasolutions.com/
• Spanish Ministry of Justice, nationality by residence: Official Spanish citizenship information
• Mallorca Tarjeta Única information: Official Tarjeta Única information
• TIB Mallorca: https://www.tib.org/es/inicio
• Majorca Mallorca: https://majorca-mallorca.es