BREXIT AND COSTA BLANCA SOUTH

Published: 18 February 2026
Updated: 18 February 2026
Author: Citrine PR Department

HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED FOR BRITISH CITIZENS

For decades the Costa Blanca South, especially, the Alicante Province including Guardamar and Ciudad Quesada was often jokingly described as “the 53rd county of England.” British pubs outnumbered tapas bars in some urbanisations, estate agents advertised in pounds sterling, and winter flights from the UK arrived like clockwork every week. Then Brexit happened.

On 31 January 2020 the United Kingdom left the European Union, and on 1 January 2021 the transition period ended. Overnight, British citizens stopped being EU citizens and became “third country nationals” under Spanish and EU law. The change has had a profound and visible impact on the Costa Blanca South. Not only have the rules for visiting and living here altered, but the entire structure of residency, property buying, winter tourism, and retirement migration has shifted.

This article explains:
• how passport and travel rules have changed
• the visas now required
• what happened to British migration numbers
• and why the Costa Blanca is still attracting Britons despite Brexit

Before Brexit: Free Movement and the British Coastal Migration

Prior to 2021, British citizens had freedom of movement across the EU.

In practical terms this meant:

No visa required
No 90-day limits
Ability to live permanently without immigration permission
Ability to work freely
Simple residency registration

The Costa Blanca South grew around this reality. Spain has long been one of the most popular destinations for British migrants. By 2016 there were around 296,600 British citizens resident in Spain (Source: Office for National Statistics) and many more part time residents. The Valencian Community where Alicante province lies became the second most popular region in Spain for British residents. The reason is obvious, cheap property, winter sun, low living costs and easy air travel, but Brexit ended the legal framework that made this migration effortless. The Biggest Immediate Change: Passport & Travel Rules

The 90/180 Day Rule

After Brexit, British visitors became non-EU tourists.
This triggered the Schengen short-stay rule:

UK citizens may only stay in Spain for 90 days within any 180-day period.

This single rule reshaped the Costa Blanca.

Before Brexit:

People stayed 6 months each winter
Many “semi-retired” residents lived half the year in Spain

After Brexit:

Winter migration became legally impossible without residency
Long-stay holidaymakers disappeared almost overnight

Spain itself has acknowledged this created problems for British long stay visitors.

Passport Validity

British passports now must:

be issued within the last 10 years
have at least 3 months validity after departure

Additionally, new EU border systems are arriving:

biometric entry-exit recording
ETIAS online pre-travel authorisation.

For regular Costa Blanca visitors golf tourists, caravan winterers and snowbirds travel suddenly became much more bureaucratic.

Residency: From Registration to Immigration

Before Brexit, a British citizen moving to Spain simply registered locally and obtained an EU green certificate. Today you must apply under Spain’s immigration system exactly the same as all other non EU Countries.

Existing residents were protected through the Withdrawal Agreement and had to exchange their EU registration for a TIE card (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) proving legal residence.

This administrative process explains why suddenly thousands of Britons began appearing at town halls and police stations across Alicante in 2020–2022.

The New Visa Routes for British Citizens

Brexit did not stop British migration to Spain, it simply changed how people move.

Today, British nationals commonly use one of several visas.

1. Non-Lucrative Visa (Retirement Visa)

This is now the most common route for retirees.

Requirements:

Proof of savings and income
Private health insurance
No employment in Spain

It essentially replaced the old “retire and just live here” system.

2. Work Visa

For those employed by a Spanish company.

This route is less common on the Costa Blanca because many British residents are retirees.

3. Digital Nomad Visa (introduced 2023)

Spain created this specifically to attract remote workers.

Applicants must:

work remotely for a foreign employer
earn approx. €2,763/month
hold private healthcare

The visa allows residence for up to three years and offers tax incentives. This has started to bring a younger British population into areas previously dominated by retirees.

4. Golden Visa (Investment Route)

Previously available through €500,000 property investment (currently being phased out/limited in policy reforms).

5. Family Reunification Partner Residency

Common where one spouse has EU citizenship.

What Actually Happened to British Numbers?

A common myth is that “The British left Spain after Brexit.”
The data shows something more complex.

Below is a simplified timeline based on Spanish statistics and migration data.

Year	Approx British residents in Spain
2013	~316,000 (peak)
2016	296,600
2019	359,471 (migration ministry data)
2020	300,640
2021	313,975
2021 (alt register)	407,628
2024	272,402
2025	266,462

Important interpretation:

Brexit did not cause a collapse.
It caused administrative correction.

Many Britons were previously unregistered. After Brexit they had to formalise residency to avoid becoming illegal residents. Researchers note that post Brexit increases partly reflected people registering who were already living in Spain.

Overall, the UK-born population in Spain today is similar to pre-Brexit levels.

The Real Local Impact on the Costa Blanca South

The effects are very visible locally.

1. Winter Tourism Declined

The classic “six-month winter resident” practically vanished because of the 90-day rule.

This hurt:

caravan parks
golf urbanisations
long-stay rentals

2. More Permanent Residents

People who once stayed part-time now apply for residency.

Result:

increased TIE registrations
more padrón registrations
higher municipal population figures

3. A Younger British Demographic

The digital nomad visa is bringing:

remote workers
families with school-age children
entrepreneurs

Costa Blanca South is gradually shifting from a retirement area to a mixed international community.

4. Property Market Changes

Brexit initially froze purchases in 2020–2021, but buyers returned once visa routes became clear.
Many British buyers now purchase property after securing residency the opposite of pre-Brexit behaviour.

Why Britons Are Still Moving to Spain

Despite bureaucracy, the attraction remains strong.

Key reasons:

lower living costs
healthcare access (with residency)
climate
lifestyle

Even after leaving the EU, the number of UK nationals living in Spain rose between 2019 and 2021. In simple terms, Brexit didn’t stop migration, it filtered it, with the casual seasonal resident declined, but with the committed resident increased.

Conclusion

Brexit fundamentally changed British life on the Costa Blanca South, and Spain generally, not by ending the relationship, but by formalising it. Many more British Citizens are now making the permanent move and calling Spain home. Whilst there are still many people looking for their holiday home, the numbers of buyers looking for their permanent home are increasing year on year. Before 2021, Spain was easy, but after 2021, Spain became an immigration process for British Citizens.

The biggest changes:

passports now checked
90-day limit for visitors
visas required for long stays
residency cards mandatory

Yet the statistics reveal something important:

British Citizens have not abandoned Spain, instead, the Costa Blanca is evolving. The old expat retirement coast is slowly becoming a permanent international community, one where people now move with paperwork, planning and legal residency rather than simply a one way flight ticket and a suitcase. Spain still remains one of the most popular places for British buyers of holiday homes, understandably given the fantastic year round climate, wonderful beaches and lower cost of living.

Citrine Client Services

Citrine Real Estate is not just a real estate business selling property, we pride ourselves on offering a full range of services to our clients. This is includes but is not limited to many of the things you will need when buying a property here in Spain or making Spain your permanent home. We can help with the following services:

NIE Numbers
Residency
Visas for third country nationals
Driving Licences
Town Hall visits
Padron registrations
Car Registraions
Introductions to Abogados (Solicitors)
Introductions to Accountants

In this case, we can assist you with the Visas required and the process required to immigrate and make your new home.

Tel: +34 966 877 235

WhatsApp: +34 966 877 235
Web: CitrineRealEstate.com
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Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the content of this article is up to date and correct, it is possible that some information has been updated or changed. The information within this article has been compiled from many different sources and should therefore be verified before reliance on the content. This article may also contain opinions of the author, which are exactly that, they are opinions. The information in this article is provided by Citrine Real Estate for “interest only” and to provide some useful information for interested readers.