British citizens can stay without a residence permit in Spain only for 90 days within a 180-day period. After that, they must register for a new residence permit in Spain if they want to stay longer.
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The short-stay visa only allows you to reside in Spain for up to 90 days at a time out of every 180 days, or a maximum of around 180 days a year. This is fine if your trips will be no longer than three months at a time, no more than twice a year.
If your intention is to live in Lanzarote for more than three months in the year, then you are – by law – required to apply for a Residence Certificate if you are an EU citizen.
Even if you own a property in Spain, you're still entitled to stay for only 90 days in a 180-day period without applying for a residence permit or a visa.
For example, if you spend 90 days in Spain and leave on April 12th, you won't be allowed to return without a visa until at least July 11th. Usually, the penalties for exceeding the 90-day limit are a fine between €500 and €1000.
Once you have reached the 90/180 day limit, you must return to your country of origin. If you wanted to extend your stay in Spain, you would still need to return home to apply for an appropriate visa at your country's Spanish embassy, so that you can come back to Spain and obtain a residence permit for a longer stay.
The 90-day limit refers to the maximum cumulative duration of your stay within any 180-day period. It does not require you to stay continuously for the full 90 days. This means that you can stay for a few days, then leave the Schengen area and enter again, as long as you don't overstay 90 days within a 180-day period.
Since 1st January 2021, the UK is now considered as a “third country”. Any British citizen who wants to emigrate to Spain (or stay for longer than three months in the country) will need to apply for a visado nacionale (long-term visa). This includes those who have a second home in Spain, but no form of residency.
British tourism has always, is and will always be welcome on the island of Lanzarote. “In Lanzarote we are also lucky to have an excellent long-time resident British community, a community that is sensitive to the environment and involved in caring for and defending sustainable development for our island.
How long can you stay in Spain without becoming a resident? The short-stay visa only allows you to reside in Spain for up to 90 days at a time out of every 180 days, or a maximum of around 180 days a year. This is fine if your trips will be no longer than three months at a time, no more than twice a year.
Penalties For OverstayingVisitors who overstay beyond 90 days are subject to potential sanctions. They may be fined for every extra day they spend in the country, forced to leave, or banned from entering Spain or any other Schengen nation in the future. For gross violations, a jail term may be the consequence.
The 180 days are calculated as a rolling period which you can count backward from your entry or exit date in the Schengen. Basically, count back 180 days and see how many of those days you've spent in the Schengen zone; if you're over 90 days, you've broken the 90/180-day rule.
The 90-day ruleThis rule simply states that you can live in Spain without residency for a maximum of 90 days. After those 3 months, you need to either obtain a residence permit, or leave the country.
Once you have obtained Spanish citizenship, you are considered a Spanish national and no longer a citizen of the UK in the eyes of Spain. As such, your British identity documents and any associated rights do not apply in Spain.
As a UK tourist, you can visit Spain without a visa. However, you must abide by the 90/180-day rule, which means that you can stay for a maximum of 90 days within 180 days. It's important to keep track of your days accurately so you don't overstay your welcome.