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City

Relocation & immigration — Bilbao

Basque Country

Bilbao is the industrial and cultural heart of the Basque Country, with high living standards, strong public services and its own regional tax administration. It appeals to professionals who value quality of life over sun-belt tourism.

The Basque Country has its own tax authority (Hacienda Foral), so local specialist advice matters — our partners work with the regional system.

Services in this city

Residency & Legal StayImmigration in Bilbao runs through the state, like everywhere outside Catalonia: the Oficina de Extranjería de Bizkaia handles residence, TIE and work authorisations under national lawLearn more →Company Formation & BankingA company in Bilbao pays its corporate tax to the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, not the Agencia TributariaLearn more →Taxes & AccountingBilbao is the one city on this list where you do not file with the Agencia Tributaria at allLearn more →Turnkey RelocationBilbao suits families who want a European city rather than a coastal resort: strong public services, compact and walkable, an industrial and professional economyLearn more →Property Buyer’s AgentBilbao's transfer tax on a resale is a foral tax, set and collected by the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia rather than by the state or a mainland regionLearn more →Residency After the Golden VisaBilbao was never an investment-visa city, so the repeal on 3 April 2025 barely registered hereLearn more →Translation & ApostilleIn Bilbao the co-official language is Basque, and it appears on municipal and regional documents in a way that catches people out laterLearn more →Temporary Protection (Ukrainians)Bilbao has no reception centre; applications go through the Oficina de Extranjería de BizkaiaLearn more →

Local context: Bilbao

Administrative facts for Bilbao
Extranjería officeOficina de Extranjería de Bizkaia, in Bilbao
Tax filingsTo the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, not the Agencia Tributaria
Company registryRegistro Mercantil de Bizkaia
Local contextAn industrial and services economy with strong public services, attracting employed professionals rather than the sun-belt retiree profile
Tax administrationNot the Agencia Tributaria. Under the Concierto Económico (Ley 12/2002) the province collects and administers most taxes itself, with its own forms, deadlines and filing portal
Why it mattersA mainland accountant's templates and calendar do not transfer here; income tax and company tax are filed to the foral administration
Work authorisationGranted by the central Oficina de Extranjería
Forms and noticesOften bilingual Basque/Spanish

Sources: Ley 12/2002 — Concierto Económico (BOE) · Diputación Foral de Bizkaia · Eusko Jaurlaritza · Cita previa — Sede electrónica

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