On 11 June 2025, the UK, on behalf of Gibraltar, agreed a Brexit treaty with the EU. It will do two fundamental things:

·        remove the land frontier between Gibraltar and Spain; and

·        allow all Gibraltar residents, irrespective of nationality, free access to move throughout the entire Schengen zone (including the EU) without a visa.

This is exciting news for Gibraltar.

Technically, the agreement is a Trade & Mobility Treaty Agreement. The news was announced on 11 June 2025 by the Gibraltar and UK Governments as well as the EU Commission. You can read their respective press releases and statements here:

·        Gibraltar Government Press Release

·        UK Government Statement

·        Joint statement EU/UK Statement

The Treaty Agreement is expected to come into effect in Q1 or Q2 of 2026.

Currently, new Gibraltar residents are issued with a Civilian Registration Card and it is expected that this will be replaced with a Residence Card.  Once the Treaty comes into effect, this document will become a valid travel document, akin in some ways to an EU passport, which will allow its holder to travel freely through the 29 EU/EAA countries of the Schengen zone; just as if they were a national of those countries.

It is an exciting time for Gibraltar residents as a free flowing border and restriction-free mobility throughout the whole of the Schengen will make Gibraltar an even more attractive place to live in.

Category 2 Residence in Gibraltar

It is an opportune time to highlight Gibraltar’s excellent low tax residence for high net worth individuals; Category 2 Status. Any person relocating to Gibraltar under this regime,  pays a fixed low annual tax on their worldwide income. Their spouse’s income can be included in this. You can learn more about Category 2 Residence here.

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Gibraltar Lifestyle

Gibraltar is a  British law jurisdiction in the Mediterranean at the southernmost tip of Spain. It is a pleasant and safe place to live. Crossing into Spain and visiting the surrounding area is a part the daily lives of Gibraltar residents. Within a couple of hour’s drive, there are many attractive places to visit and spend time such as Marbella, Seville, the Sierra Nevada ski resort (next to Granada) and the beautiful white sandy beaches of the south-west coast of the province of Cadiz.

An excellent quality of life can be enjoyed in Gibraltar which makes it an ideal place for families to relocate to.

Gibraltar has an English education system with its students all being entitled to attend UK universities.

Further information

Please feel free to get in touch with our specialist lawyers who deal with these matters:

• Marc X. Ellul: marc@ellulcruz.com  
• Neil A. Lopez: neil@ellucruz.com