The almanac
Retiring by the Mar Menor: which paper first
A house in San Javier or Los Alcázares, a pension from home and a long list of forms. Here is the sequence that saves you a second trip.
The decision usually comes first and the paperwork second: a winter visit, a house with a terrace within walking distance of the water, and the thought that this could be home. The order of the papers matters more than people expect, because each step leans on the one before.
If you are buying, the number comes before anything. The notary will not sign without your NIE, and a Spanish consulate can assign it before you travel. Whoever assigns it, it is the same number for life.
Next comes residence. With an EU passport, that means the EX-18 green certificate, showing your pension and health cover. From outside the EU, it means a visa, usually the visa for non-lucrative residence, requested at the consulate of your country before the move, then a TIE once you arrive.
As soon as you have the keys, see to the empadronamiento at the local town hall. San Javier and Los Alcázares keep their own registers, separate from Murcia’s. The certificate you receive is often asked for at the residence appointment.
For the appointment itself, many coastal residents book the Cartagena comisaría, which lists the EU regime and TIE issuance, rather than driving to Cabezo Cortado. The cita previa website shows what each of the offices of the region offers for your procedure.
