Living in Alicante: The Complete New Resident Guide

You picked a good province. Alicante has 300 days of sunshine a year, a cost of living that hasn’t caught up with Madrid or Barcelona, and — if you know where to look — some of the most underrated Chinese food in Spain.

This guide covers everything a new resident needs to get set up. Not abstract advice — specific offices, specific addresses, specific restaurants. The kind of information that saves you a wasted morning.

Your TIE Card: Where Things Stand

Alicante province has 11 immigration offices tracked by SCLT — one of the densest networks in Spain. Processing speeds vary wildly between them.

Check your status:

• Track your lote number → — enter your office to see which lote is currently being processed
• Alicante province overview → — compare all 11 offices side by side. Some offices advance every week; others stall for months
• This week’s Alicante report → — which offices moved, which didn’t, and what it means for your timeline

Not sure what a lote number is? Here’s a plain English explanation.

Pro tip: If you’re flexible about which office to use, the choosing your office guide explains how to pick a faster one. Alicante’s 11-office network gives you options most provinces don’t have.

Want to be notified the moment your card is ready? SCLT offers lote alerts — so you’re not checking manually every day.

Get These Done First

Three things that unlock everything else. Do them in order.

1. Empadronamiento (register your address)

Your town hall needs to know you live here. This is the key that unlocks public healthcare, voting in local elections, and — eventually — counts toward permanent residency.

In Alicante city:

• OAC Labradores — C/ Labradores, 14. Book by phone: 010 or 900 153 862 (for altas/changes in padrón)
• OAC Séneca — C/ Portugal. Book online at alicante.es cita previa

In Torrevieja:

• Book online at torrevieja.es or email eu@torrevieja.eu. They handle appointments in Spanish, English, German, French, and Scandinavian languages.

In Elche:

• Phone: 966 658 000. Or through the Ayuntamiento de Elche sede electrónica.

What to bring: Passport or NIE (original), plus proof of address (rental contract or utility bill). You can register even without legal residency — the padrón is a right, not a privilege.

2. Open a bank account

You’ll need this for rent, utilities, and your eventual work contract. Most banks require your NIE (which you already have from your TIE application) and your passport.

3. Get a phone plan

You need a Spanish number for bank verification, delivery apps, and two-factor authentication for everything from Cl@ve to your health portal.

Where to buy a SIM in Alicante:

The three major carriers — Vodafone, Orange, and Movistar — all have stores in central Alicante (Avenida de Maisonnave, Centro Comercial Gran Vía, Plaza Mar 2). You can also find SIMs at El Corte Inglés and Carrefour.

Carrier	Prepaid from	Data	Notes
Orange	€10/month	80 GB	Good data deals, EU roaming
Vodafone	€10/month	90 GB	Free SIM with plan, good coverage
Movistar	€10/month	Varies	Best rural coverage in Alicante province

Requirement: Passport required for SIM registration — this is Spanish law, not carrier policy. Bring your original.

Budget option: Lycamobile SIMs are available at many small phone shops (locutorios) — cheaper international calls if you need to phone home regularly.

Healthcare: Private Hospitals in Alicante

Spain’s public healthcare (Seguridad Social) is excellent, but many new residents start with private insurance while waiting for their SIP card. Here are the major private hospitals in Alicante city:

Hospital	Address	Rating	Notes
HLA Vistahermosa	Avda. de Dénia, 103	4.5/5 (4,400 reviews)	Best private hospital in province 6 years running (Merco ranking). 24h emergency. Da Vinci robotic surgery
Vithas Medimar	Avda. de Dénia, 78	3.7/5 (2,500 reviews)	General hospital, 24h. Consultas externas at C/ Padre Arrupe, 20
Vithas Alicante	Pl. Dr. Gómez Ulla, 15	3.8/5 (1,800 reviews)	Near Castillo de Santa Bárbara, central location, 24h
Quirónsalud Alicante	Centro Médico	—	Part of Spain’s largest private healthcare group

In Torrevieja: Policlínica IMED Torrevieja serves the southern Costa Blanca with 9 specialist departments.

Insurance for residents:

The three biggest health insurers all have offices in Alicante and offer plans designed for foreign residents:

• Sanitas — 6 offices in Alicante province. Sanitas International Residents is designed specifically for foreigners — no copays, valid for visa/residence applications
• Adeslas (SegurCaixa) — Offices in Alicante, Torrevieja, and Elche. Has expat-specific plans
• Mapfre — Office on C/ Eusebio Sempere, among others. Multilingual agents

All three offer plans accepted by immigration authorities for residence permit renewals.

Driving: Get Your Spanish License

If your non-EU license expires or you want to drive long-term, you’ll need a Spanish license. The theory exam is available in English.

DGT Office (Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico de Alicante):

• Address: C/ Catedrático Ferré Vidiella, 4 (corner of C/ San Juan Bosco, 12), 03005 Alicante
• Phone: 965 12 54 66
• Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30–14:30 (also Thu 15:30–17:30)
• Cita previa: Required — book through sede.dgt.gob.es

Driving schools with English theory:

School	Location	English?	Notes
Autoescuela Florida	Alicante	Yes (theory)	Established, well-reviewed
Costa Drive Club	Costa Blanca	Yes (theory + practice)	Founded specifically for English speakers
Autoescuela Quinta Marcha	Alicante	Yes (B license)	Virtual classroom 24/7, updated DGT test bank
Autoescuela Joaquín	Torrevieja / Orihuela	Yes	30+ years experience, serves foreigners

Important: The theory exam can be taken in English, but the practical exam is always conducted in Spanish. Your examiner will give instructions in Spanish. Most driving schools prepare you for this.

→ More driving discussions: SCLT Driving Forum

Food: Restaurants Worth Knowing

Alicante province has one of Spain’s strongest Chinese restaurant scenes — especially in Torrevieja, which has a vibrant dining community and the options to match.

Torrevieja

These are SCLT-curated restaurants — independently verified, not paid listings:

• Asiático Boracay — Hot pot, sushi, nikkei. Three floors, 1,100+ Google reviews. The anchor of Torrevieja’s Asian dining scene
• Gran China — Cantonese classics in La Siesta. The go-to for roast duck and dim sum
• Asia House — Sushi and wok, reliable and consistent
• Yami — Japanese-Chinese fusion with strong lunch menus
• Mizu — Sushi-focused, clean flavors, good value
• Nuevo Mundo — Traditional Chinese, generous portions. 30+ years in Torrevieja

Alicante City

• Asia Kitchen — Broad menu, solid execution

Browse all options → SCLT Selección

Sports & Recreation

Alicante’s climate means outdoor sports year-round. The city runs an extensive network of municipal sports facilities — many with reduced fees for empadronados (registered residents).

Key facilities:

• Ciudad Deportiva Antonio Valls — C/ Foguerer José Romeu. Multi-sport complex: football pitches, tennis, athletics. Open 24h access to outdoor areas
• Centro Deportivo Municipal Gran Vía — C/ Foguerer José Ángel Guirao. Mon–Fri 7:00–23:00, Sat 8:00–20:00. Gym, group classes
• Complejo de Piscinas Monte Tossal — Municipal swimming complex. Summer programs for kids 3–15
• Municipal padel courts — C/ Virgili, 25. Open until 22:00. Book through alicante.es deportes
• Polideportivo Municipal San Juan de Alicante — 4.3/5 rating, popular with families

Tip: Empadronamiento gets you discounted rates at all municipal facilities. Another reason to register early.

In Torrevieja: Torrevieja Sports City — squash, gym, pabellón, Estadio Nelson Mandela, multiple indoor courts.

Housing & Community

Finding a place takes time. Start with these:

• SCLT Housing Board — listings from the community, in the languages you actually speak
• SCLT Secondhand Market — furniture, appliances, baby gear from other expats in Alicante province
• SCLT Jobs Board — work opportunities in the area

When Your TIE Card Arrives

Your lote number will eventually match. When it does:

1. What to bring to pickup — passport and resguardo, don’t forget the copy
2. Set up your digital identity — Cl@ve, digital certificate, and everything your TIE unlocks
3. Get your Cl@ve PIN — the gateway to Spanish e-government

What Makes Alicante Different

Most new residents choose Madrid or Barcelona by default. Alicante offers a different equation:

• Cost: Rent in Alicante city runs 30–40% below Madrid for comparable apartments
• Climate: 300+ sunny days. Mild winters. You will actually use that terrace
• TIE processing: With 11 offices, you have more options than most provinces for choosing a faster office
• Community: An established international community means English-speaking services exist — doctors, lawyers, driving schools — without the Madrid premium
• Food: A Chinese restaurant scene that competes with much larger cities, especially in Torrevieja

The waiting period while your TIE is processing isn’t dead time. It’s settling-in time. Use it.

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This guide is maintained by SCLT and updated regularly. Last reviewed: August 2026.