Spain Non-Lucrative Visa

The Non-Lucrative Visa lets you live in Spain on money you already have coming in, without working. If you can support yourself from a pension, savings, rent, dividends, or other passive income, this is usually the route you want. It is the standard choice for retirees and for anyone moving to Spain who does not need to earn a salary while they are here.

What is the Non-Lucrative Visa?

The Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) is a residence visa for people who will live in Spain but not work here. "Non-lucrative" means exactly that: no job with a Spanish employer, and no work for Spanish clients. You prove you can pay your own way from income earned outside Spain, you hold private health cover that meets the rules, and you apply at the Spanish consulate for the district where you live.

The first year is granted as a visa. Once you are in Spain you exchange it for a residence card, and the permit renews in longer blocks after that. Time on the Non-Lucrative Visa counts toward long-term residence.

Who qualifies

Two things decide most applications: you can support yourself, and you are genuinely not going to work in Spain.

You qualify if you can show steady passive income or enough savings to cover the year, you have no criminal record in the countries you have lived in recently, and you hold a compliant Spanish health policy. You apply at the consulate that covers where you legally reside, not wherever you would prefer to apply.

Since 2025, consulates have leaned harder on one point: they want documented proof that you have actually stopped working, not just evidence that you have money. An employer termination letter, retirement paperwork, or similar is increasingly expected. Applications that show a healthy bank balance but leave the work question open are a common reason for a request for more documents, or a refusal.

How much income you need

The rule is set as a percentage of Spain's IPREM, a public index used across Spanish benefits and immigration thresholds.

• The main applicant must show income of 400% of the monthly IPREM.
• Each family member you bring adds another 100% of the IPREM on top.

The IPREM is published by the government and changes only when a new figure is set, so the amount you need is fixed and knowable in advance. The exact euro figures, worked out for one applicant, a couple, and a family, are on the requirements page below. Some consulates quote the amount in a local currency and round up, so confirm the number with yours before you gather statements.

Documents you will need

The paperwork itself is not complicated, but two items take weeks, so start them first.

• National visa application form and the EX-01 form
• Passport valid for at least a year, plus photos to the consulate's spec
• Criminal-record certificate, apostilled or legalized
• Medical certificate
• Proof that you live in the consulate's district
• Often, proof of accommodation in Spain
• Proof of your income or savings, and of your health policy

The criminal-record certificate and any foreign document must be apostilled and then translated into Spanish by a sworn (traducción jurada) translator. Both steps run on their own clock and can take several weeks each. People who leave them to the end are the ones who miss appointment slots.

Health insurance

You need a full-coverage private policy from an insurer authorized to operate in Spain, with no copay, no deductible, no waiting period, and no cap on what it pays out. Travel insurance and most international expat plans do not qualify, because the consulate is checking the terms of the policy, not the size of a number on it. The policy has to cover your full initial stay.

We keep a plain comparison of the categories you will end up paying for, insurance among them, in Services.

How to apply, step by step

1. Confirm which consulate covers your address and read its own checklist. Districts are assigned by where you live, and each consulate publishes small variations.
2. Gather your income and savings evidence, then start the criminal-record certificate and its apostille immediately.
3. Buy a compliant Spanish health policy.
4. Get every foreign document apostilled and sworn-translated.
5. Book the appointment. In the United Kingdom this runs through the consulate's booking system, and slots in London and Manchester go quickly, so book as soon as your file is ready.
6. Attend in person, submit, and wait for the decision. Once approved, you collect the visa, travel, and exchange it for your residence card in Spain.

Common reasons for refusal

Most refusals come down to a handful of causes: income that falls short or is not clearly passive, an insurance policy that has a copay or a cap, a criminal-record certificate that was never apostilled, or no clear evidence that you have stopped working. Fix these before you apply, not after a rejection.

Non-Lucrative Visa or Digital Nomad Visa?

If you will keep working remotely once you are in Spain, the Non-Lucrative Visa is the wrong route, because it forbids work. That is what the Digital Nomad Visa is for. If you are retired or living off passive income, the Non-Lucrative Visa is almost always the better fit. Still unsure? Compare the two.

FAQ

How much does the Non-Lucrative Visa cost? The visa fee itself is modest and set by the consulate. The real spend is the supporting services: health insurance, apostilles, sworn translations, and any legal help. Budget for those, not just the fee.

How long does it take? Plan for the apostille and sworn translation to take the longest, often several weeks each. The consulate's own decision is usually faster once your file is complete, but timelines vary by consulate.

Can I work on the Non-Lucrative Visa? No. Working for a Spanish employer or Spanish clients is not allowed. If you need to work remotely, look at the Digital Nomad Visa instead.

Does it renew? Yes. After the first year you renew from inside Spain, in longer blocks, as long as you still meet the income and insurance rules.