Most families who move to Maresme spend weeks on the house and about an afternoon on everything else, then discover in the first month that the paperwork was the hard part. The order matters. Do a few things in the right sequence and the rest gets easier. Do them backwards and you'll be making three trips to the same office.
The school usually decides the town, not the other way round. If you commit to a house first, you may end up driving forty minutes to a school run you could have walked.
The main international option in the area is International School Maresme in Canet de Mar, which draws families from Mataró, Premià de Mar, Vilassar, Alella and the villages in between. BSB Maresme opens in Cabrera de Mar from September 2026 for Early Years through Pre-University, so that changes the map for the southern end of the coast. Hamelin-Laie International School in Montgat is the other one families ask about, and closer to Barcelona you have the larger international schools in the city itself. In Alella, Santa Maria del Pino is the local private name worth a look.
Apply early. International school places in this corridor fill months ahead, and the good ones don't hold a seat while you decide.
Sort this before you fly, not after. Anything issued in your home country is slower and more expensive to obtain from Spain.
Keep both paper and digital copies of everything. You'll be asked for the same documents at different windows and nobody accepts a photo on your phone.
Renting is the usual first move, and the lease is not just a roof. Your rental contract and the first receipts are the proof of address that opens the door to the padró, and the padró opens the door to a lot of local life.
Landlords here will ask for a NIE, proof of income and often a guarantee, which for expats usually means an aval bancario or extra months up front. Get your rental contract in writing, in Spanish, and make sure it states the term and the deposit clearly. Our guide on what a Spanish rental contract must include walks through the clauses to check.
The NIE is the tax and identification number you'll need for almost everything, from the lease to the bank to the utility contracts. Start it as soon as you have a reason to apply.
Next comes the empadronamiento, or padró, at the town hall of the town you actually live in. It's your registration as a resident of that municipality, and you'll need it for school enrolment, healthcare and countless small procedures. Bring your passport, NIE, rental contract and a recent utility bill or the equivalent proof of address.
If you're a non-EU national staying long term, the TIE residence card comes after the visa or authorisation, with a fingerprint appointment at the police station. Book it as soon as you're eligible, because slots in the Barcelona area go quickly.
Public healthcare access in Catalonia runs through the CatSalut health card, which generally follows from being registered and having a recognised basis for coverage, whether that's employment, residence or a contribution route. Many families in the first year simply keep private insurance, which is faster to arrange and accepted by the international schools. Either way, don't leave it until someone is ill. Sort the coverage in the first weeks.
Open a Spanish bank account once you have your NIE. It makes the rent, the utilities and the direct debits straightforward, and most landlords prefer it. If you're arriving before the account exists, read our piece on renting without a Spanish bank account for what lenders and owners will accept in the meantime.
Set up electricity, water and internet early too. These contracts take a few days to activate and you'll want them working before the furniture arrives. Our step-by-step guide on setting up utilities in Spain covers the providers and the typical deposits.
Before you move. Shortlist schools and towns, apply to schools, gather and apostille documents, line up a rental.
First two weeks. Sign the lease, get the NIE if not already held, register at the town hall, open the bank account, start the utility contracts.
First two months. TIE appointment if it applies, health coverage in place, children enrolled and settled, cars and driving licence sorted if you're bringing or buying.
None of this is complicated. It's just sequential, and most of the frustration comes from doing step four before step two.
Tell us your school preference and your budget and we'll suggest the towns that actually work for your family, then show you what's available to rent in each.
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