To move to Gibraltar in 2026 you normally need a residence permit before you settle. Employees need a contract of at least a year paying £37,500 or more, must usually be 55 or under, and need a 12-month home and a vetting form from their last country of residence. You apply online, then register for tax, healthcare, banking and driving. This checklist puts those steps in order.
At a glance
| Item | Position as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Legal framework | Residency Regulations 2026, in force since 14 July 2026 |
| Who it applies to | Anyone who did not hold a valid residence card on 6 October 2025 |
| Employee salary test | At least £37,500 gross a year, contract of 12 months or more |
| Age limit | 55 or under, unless waived |
| Home | Main residence on a lease of 12 months or more, or owned and not let |
| Application fee | £250, plus £250 per dependant; annual renewal fee £20 |
| Penalty for no permit | £2,500 |
Which residence route applies to you?
Your nationality changes some of the steps, but since the 2026 reforms it no longer decides whether you need a permit. Most new arrivals do.
| You are | Work permit needed? | Residence permit needed? |
|---|---|---|
| British citizen | No | Yes, unless you already hold a Gibraltar ID card or a card valid on 6 October 2025 |
| EU, EEA or Swiss national | No | Yes, on the same terms; Withdrawal Agreement rights are protected for those already resident |
| Any other nationality | Yes, obtained by your employer first | Yes, and it must be issued before you start work |
Beyond the employee route, the regulations cover the self-employed, students, Crown servants and family members. Wealthy individuals and senior executives can also use Category 2 residency or HEPSS for senior executives, which work alongside the permit system. The residency and living hub explains each option.
Before you move
1. Check your eligibility
Use the eligibility checker on the government’s residency portal. It is a guide only, but it shows quickly whether you meet the salary, age and home tests or would need an exemption.
2. Secure the job or set up the business
For the employee route you need a contract of at least a year, paying at least £37,500, with a business that is registered, licensed and trading in or from Gibraltar. If you are not British, EU, EEA or Swiss, your employer must first obtain approval in principle for a work permit. Self-employed applicants and new businesses register with the Department of Business first and pay a deposit. Our guide to working in Gibraltar covers contracts and permits in detail.
3. Find a qualifying home
Rent a main home on a lease of at least 12 months, or buy one you will not let out. Holiday lets do not count, and new applications from people living on boats are not accepted. Read buying and renting property before you sign anything.
4. Gather your documents
- valid passport, plus your national identity card if you have one
- employment contract or Notice of Terms of Engagement
- tenancy agreement or proof of ownership
- proof of age
- an official vetting form from the country where you last lived
- for each adult dependant, their own passport and vetting form
- marriage, civil partnership and birth certificates for family members
5. Budget for fees and deposits
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Your application | £250 |
| Each dependant | £250 |
| Annual renewal | £20 |
| Spouse or civil partner deposit | £2,121.21 |
| Deposit for new businesses, working directors and first-time self-employed | About £14,420 |
The business deposit covers a year of social insurance and tax at the £37,500 level and varies with salary. For rent, bills and everyday spending once you arrive, see our guide to the cost of living in Gibraltar. The £20 renewal fee is set by the Notice of Prescribed Fees in force from 1 August 2026; some earlier briefings quoted £100, which no longer applies.
6. Apply online
Submit the application and pay through the residency portal. The Department of Immigration and Home Affairs carries out identity, security and due diligence checks before deciding. The portal says decision timescales are still to be confirmed, so apply as early as you can and watch for progress emails.
In your first week
- Collect your residence document. Keep it with your passport whenever you travel, including day trips to Spain. The Regulations call it a residence permit, valid for a year; the portal does not yet describe its physical format, so follow the collection instructions in your decision email.
- Start work only when you are allowed to. British, EU, EEA and Swiss nationals can start work while the application is processed. Everyone else must wait until the residence card is issued.
- Get your tax reference. The Income Tax Office issues a taxpayer reference number. Your employer will usually set up PAYE, but if you are self-employed you first register with the Department of Employment, then file Form SE1 with the Income Tax Office.
- Open a bank account. Banks typically ask for ID, proof of address dated within three months, proof of income and your tax reference. A first payslip and your tenancy agreement help.
- Register utilities and your address in your own name, which also gives you proof of address.
In your first three months
- Register with the Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA). Employees register under the Group Practice Medical Scheme with a form, a photo and recent payslips showing social insurance. Your spouse or civil partner and children can be added. Health cards can take over four weeks to arrive. See healthcare, schools and ID cards.
- Enrol children in school. Children of residence permit holders can attend Gibraltar schools.
- Deal with your driving licence. You do not have to exchange an EU or EEA licence, but you may. Exchange requires a Gibraltar ID card or residence permit and evidence of 185 days’ residence in Gibraltar or the UK in the past 12 months. The government’s guidance covers only EU and EEA licences, so if you hold a UK or other licence, ask the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Department how long you can drive on it and whether it can be exchanged.
- Register any vehicle with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Department. Apply as soon as possible after import through the eGov service; the vehicle is checked against local standards before a Gibraltar registration certificate is issued. Import duty is not published on that page, so check the amount with HM Customs before you ship a car.
- Tell your old country you have left. Notify the tax authority, pension providers and banks, and take advice on when your tax residence there ends.
- Diarise your renewal. Permits last a year. You must still meet every condition at renewal and report material changes in between.
What changed with the 2026 UK–EU treaty
The treaty has applied provisionally since 15 July 2026. For new residents the practical changes are:
- Open land border. Routine immigration checks between Gibraltar and Spain have gone, although customs and policing controls still apply.
- Checks at the airport and port. Arriving travellers pass both Gibraltar and Schengen checks, the latter carried out by Spanish officers. Card holders use dedicated queues and e-gates.
- EES and ETIAS exemption. Holders of Gibraltar ID and civilian registration cards are exempt from the Entry/Exit System at all Schengen external borders, and will be exempt from ETIAS.
- Schengen travel. Card holders can travel in Schengen for up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa. It gives no right to live in Spain.
- British visitors. For British citizens who do not live in Gibraltar, time in Gibraltar now counts towards the Schengen 90/180 limit. UK travel advice ties this to the treaty’s provisional application from 15 July 2026, so it already applies.
- Stricter residence rules. The new permit framework was introduced to implement the treaty. Gibraltar now checks Schengen databases before issuing or renewing permits.
For the business side, see the UK–EU treaty explained for business.
What residence does and does not give you
A residence permit gives you, your spouse or civil partner and your children GHA healthcare and schooling. It does not give access to public housing, elderly residential care, domiciliary care or other social benefits. The permit lapses if your tax or social insurance payments stop, or 16 weeks after your employment ends unless you have a new contract.
The path to Gibraltarian status is now 20 years of residence for anyone who became resident on or after 6 October 2025, compared with 10 years for those who held a valid card on that date.