Perfect for anyone moving to Canary Islands
€400 Gestor. Not Needed.
No fluff. No outdated forum posts from 2019. No contradictory advice from the peninsula that doesn’t apply here. Just the island-specific steps, real timelines, and when you actually need help versus what you can handle yourself – so you can save hundreds on gestor fees.
School comparison matrix. Instant PDF download
Save €200-400 on gestor fees
When we arrived, we did what everyone does – we Googled. What we found was 300 sources saying different things. Half the advice was for mainland Spain and didn’t apply to the islands. Forum posts from 2015. Blog articles that skipped crucial details. We were paralyzed by contradictory information.
So we hired a gestor. €400+ later, we realized most of what they did we could have done ourselves – if we’d just known the process upfront. Some parts genuinely need help (yes, we’ll tell you which), but 80% of it? You can handle it if you know the steps and have the right documents.
This guide is every single thing we learned: what you can DIY, when to pay for help.
€400+
paid to gestor
80%
cuould’ve done ourselves
Know what you can handle yourself?
What’s Inside Your Guide
Our experience with each bureaucratic process: what worked, what we’d do differently, when we needed help versus when we didn’t. Real learning from real mistakes.
NIE & TIE Explained
The difference between NIE and TIE (nobody explains this clearly), how appointment booking actually works, what documents we needed, and whether you need a gestor for this (we didn’t).
Gestor vs DIY Guide
When you genuinely need professional help (TIE renewal, complex tax situations) versus what you can absolutely handle yourself. We break down the €200-400 decision.
Banking Decoded
Which banks accept foreigners, the circular dependency nightmare (account needs NIE, NIE needs account), and the exact workaround we used to break the cycle.
Empadronamiento Reality
What this certificate is, why literally everything requires it, how to get it without a long-term rental contract, and what to do when your Airbnb host won’t help.
Healthcare Registration
TSI card step-by-step, private vs public insurance requirements, what documents you actually need, and navigating appointments when you don’t speak Spanish.
Tax & Residency
Tourist vs resident tax status, when you need to register with Hacienda, autónomo setup if you’re freelancing, and the deadlines that actually matter versus the ones that don’t.
Document Checklists
Exactly what to bring to each appointment, translated form instructions, backup documents to have ready, and the random extras they sometimes ask for but don’t advertise.
Digital download • One-time payment
Canary Bureaucracy Decoded
Our experience with each process – what to expect and when you need help
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What We Learned the Hard Way
Real 2025 infos
Expat problems
Actual living costs
Personal experiences
Join 200+ families who planned ahead.
From the Blog
Real stories, practical tips, no fluff