Spanish wills for foreigners with assets in Spain
We help foreign nationals with property or other interests in Spain review how to organise their succession and what documentation may be appropriate.
Why review your succession planning?
Owning assets in more than one country can complicate a future estate. Proper planning can make it easier to identify your wishes and the documentation that will be required.
International coordination
Family circumstances, residence, nationality and any existing wills should be reviewed before signing new succession documents in Spain.
When a Spanish will may be worth considering
Foreign owners of property or other assets in Spain often review their succession planning so that their wishes, existing wills and Spanish assets are coordinated. A Spanish will is not automatically the right answer in every case, but reviewing the position in advance can make the future administration of the estate clearer for heirs and advisers.
What should be reviewed before signing
The analysis should take into account nationality, habitual residence, family circumstances, assets located in Spain and abroad and any wills already signed in another country. Existing documents should not be replaced or contradicted without first understanding how the different instruments interact. Where appropriate, the wording can then be prepared for signing before a Spanish notary.
Property owners and non-residents
Succession planning is especially relevant for non-residents who own a home on the Costa Blanca. The will should be considered together with the practical steps that heirs may later face, including documentation, property ownership and tax formalities. You may also wish to review our guidance on inheritance in Spain for non-residents and selling Spanish property as a non-resident.
Keeping succession documents up to date
A will should be reviewed when important circumstances change, for example after a change of residence, marriage or divorce, a significant property transaction or a change in family circumstances. DOMUS Consulting can help review the Spanish documentation and coordinate the practical steps with the professionals involved.
Official information
For general information on cross-border succession within the European context, see the Spanish public administration information on successions.
The information on this page is general. Each situation should be reviewed individually before taking action or making a decision.