Can I just move to Spain from the Netherlands without a visa?

Yes — as an EU citizen you have full free movement. You still need to register locally within 3 months and get an EU citizen TIE/green certificate.

Do I keep my Dutch zorgverzekering when I move?

No — once your S1 is active in Spain, you cancel your Dutch basic insurance. The S1 makes Spain your healthcare country; the Netherlands reimburses Spain.

Will I pay tax on my AOW in Spain?

Yes — AOW is taxable in Spain under the double-tax treaty. The Netherlands stops withholding once you submit the woonplaatsverklaring (residency declaration) issued by the Spanish tax office.

Has the 2025 tax treaty hurt Dutch retirees?

Only those planning to draw large lump sums from their pension in the first 5 years after moving — those may now be taxed in the Netherlands. Regular monthly pension income is unchanged.

Where are the biggest Dutch communities?

Alfaz del Pi and Albir, hands down — followed by Calpe and the smaller villages around Dénia.

By nationality

Retiring from the Netherlands to the Costa Blanca

Nederlanders have been retiring to the Costa Blanca for 40 years — and Alfaz del Pi, Albir and Calpe are the closest thing to Holland-by-the-sea. Here is how AOW, healthcare and the renegotiated 2025 tax treaty actually work in practice.

Last updated 1 June 2026

Free movement — and what it doesn't cover

As EU citizens, Dutch retirees can move to Spain with no visa required. You simply arrive, register at the town hall (empadronamiento), then at the Foreigners' Office for the Certificado de Registro (the green A4 certificate or the EU-citizen TIE card).

Free movement covers residency, not healthcare or tax. Both still require active registration in Spain.

Healthcare — the S1 from SVB

If you draw AOW or another Dutch state benefit, you qualify for an S1 from the SVB (Sociale Verzekeringsbank). The S1 gives you full Spanish public healthcare with the costs reimbursed by the Netherlands.

Once in Spain, register the S1 at the INSS, get your SIP card from your local centro de salud and you're done. Many Dutch retirees keep a small DKV or Sanitas top-up policy for English/Dutch-speaking GPs and faster specialist appointments.

Cancel your Dutch zorgverzekering

Once your S1 is active in Spain, you are no longer entitled to (or required to pay for) Dutch basic health insurance. Notify your zorgverzekeraar in writing — they will refund pro-rata from your registration date.

Pensions — the renegotiated 2025 treaty

The Netherlands–Spain double-tax treaty was renegotiated in 2024 and entered into force in 2025. The key change: large lump-sum withdrawals from Dutch pension pots may now be taxed in the Netherlands at source, rather than Spain, when they exceed a defined threshold and the recipient has been resident in Spain for fewer than 5 years.

Pension type	Taxed in
AOW (state pension)	Spain
Werknemerspensioen / bedrijfspensioen (private)	Spain — but lump sums may be NL under 2025 treaty
Lijfrente (annuity from box 1 deductions)	Spain
Ambtenarenpensioen (civil service)	Netherlands
ABP (depends on segment)	Mixed — take individual advice

Box 3 — what happens after you leave

Once you stop being Dutch tax resident, you exit the Dutch Box 3 system (the deemed-return wealth tax). Spanish wealth tax (Patrimonio) is its loose equivalent but works very differently — actual asset valuations, regional thresholds, and significantly higher exemption levels in the Valencian Community than in Catalonia or the Balearics.

Where the Dutch live

✦Alfaz del Pi & Albir — the heart of Dutch-Belgian retirement, with Nederlands-speaking GPs, dentists, restaurants, the Dutch shop, and the Dutch school
✦Calpe — long-established Dutch community, easy access to Benidorm hospitals
✦Jávea, Moraira, Dénia — quieter Dutch presence with bigger plots and coves
✦El Vergel & Els Poblets — newer Dutch favourites for value and quiet

Practical Dutch-speaking services on the coast

✦Dutch shops: Hollands Glorie (Albir), De Kaaskar (Calpe)
✦Dutch-language GP and dental practices in Albir and Alfaz
✦Vereniging Dutch-speaking expats VBNCB (Vereniging Belgisch-Nederlandse Costa Blanca)
✦Dutch radio: Radio Marina Baixa and online Dutch coast stations
✦Dutch newspapers and post via Yes! Holland Express

Best places to retire

Albir, Alfaz, Calpe and the Dutch hubs.

Healthcare

How S1 plugs into SNS.

How foreign pensions are taxed

Full treatment of AOW and private pensions.

Wealth tax

Valencia thresholds vs Dutch Box 3.

Retiring from Belgium

The Belgian sister guide.

Cost of living

Netherlands vs Costa Blanca budgets.