Here you will find a complete guide to one of the most requested and easy-to-get visas: the non-lucrative residence visa. If you are planning to move to Spain and not work in the country (at least for the first year), or to retire in the country, this will be your best option. In this article, you will find all the documents, requirements and legal process step by step to get this residence permit.
What is the non-lucrative visa?
The non-lucrative residence visa, regulated by Royal Decree 1155/2024, is one of the different types of Spanish visas granted to non-EU citizens who have enough economic means to stay in the country without working. This is also true for the applicant’s relatives, as you can also bring your family with you.
This permit will allow you to stay in Spain for one year after entering Spanish territory, as we are talking about an initial residence authorization.
Then, you will be able to renew it every 2 years (that is the length of the renewal), until you get permanent residency (after 5 years in the country).
One of its main characteristics is that it does not allow you to carry out any type of economic or professional activity in Spain. In other words, you cannot work for any company operating in the country. It has a non-profit nature.
With the nonprofit visa, the only thing you have to worry about is having enough means to support yourself (and your family). If you can prove that you have sufficient funds and that your stay in the country will not cost the government anything, you will be able to get the residency. We will see exactly how later in this article.
For whom is it most ideal?
Even if it does not allow you to work, it is still one of the most sought-after visas. Who is the Spanish non-lucrative visa ideal for?
- All those who want to retire in Spain.
- Foreigners who have sufficient economic funds to support themselves in the country without the need to work.
- For all those individuals who want to stay during their first year in Spain without working (to visit and discover the country), but after one year they would like to continue with their professional activity. Thus, the non-profit visa is ideal in this sense because, as we will see later on, it will allow you to transition to a work permit (as an employee or a self-employed worker) after your first year.
And for whom is it not ideal? Basically, for remote workers who are able to legally stay in Spain with the digital nomad residency.
Non-profit visa vs. digital nomad: which one to choose?
| Non-lucrative visa | Digital nomad visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Remote work | Not allowed | Allowed for foreign companies or clients |
| Minimum income | 400% of the IPREM (28,800 €/year) | Linked to the SMI, with a different threshold |
| Ideal for | Retirees and rentiers with passive income | Professionals who telework or are self-employed with clients outside of Spain |
If your income comes from pensions, rents or investments, the non-lucrative visa is your option. If you make a living from your job even remotely, you need the digital nomad visa.
Do you have any questions? Ask our lawyers anything:
What are the benefits of this residence permit?
Let’s now analyze which are the main advantages and upsides of the non-lucrative residence permit in Spain:
Bring your family with you
Through a joint application, you will be able to get the residence permit for your spouse and children easily.
Unlike other procedures such as family reunification, which requires you to have lived in the country for one year, the non-lucrative that is not require this. You will be able to get them the visa at the same time you get yours.
All you have to do is prove that your financial means are also sufficient to cover them.
Get the long-term residency, and then the nationality
We are talking about a temporary residence permit that lasts 1 year. After that, the first and second renewals last 2 years.
And at the time of applying for the third one, you will be able to get a long-term residence permit in Spain, with which you will be able to live in the country without renewing it for 5 years.
This will finally allow you to get Spanish citizenship, since every year you live in the country with this permit counts towards the total necessary for nationality.
If you are a Latin American citizen or from the Philippines, you will only need 2 years with the non-lucrative visa to obtain citizenship.
Although you will not be able to work, you will be able to invest
Many of our clients ask us if it is possible to invest under the non-lucrative residency.
As they know that this visa does not authorize them to carry out professional activities, they think that investing is something they can’t do, either.
However, you can invest with this visa. That is to say, you can make any kind of investment (for example, in company shares) and thus get an extra source of income.
Possibility of studying and unpaid internships
This visa is similar to the student visa in that it also allows you to enrol in an educational centre and study.
But that’s not all. Because an internship is created for educational purposes, you can also intern in a company.
Travel with total freedom in Europe
Finally, another advantage is that it will allow you to travel through the Schengen territory without any problem and with total freedom.
Non-lucrative Visa Requirements
There are several requirements you must meet in order to be eligible for the so-called retirement visa. Let’s go over each of them:
Spain Non-lucrative Visa income requirements
As we have mentioned before, this residence authorization does not allow you to work in the country. Nevertheless, ensuring that you will be able to have a living will be necessary, so the Government does not have the need to take care of you.
That is why having sufficient funds or economic means to sustain yourself in the country will be one of the main requirements.
But how can you know that you really meet the minimum amount necessary?
In order to answer that question, we will use the IPREM, an indicator that defines the minimum amount of money an individual must earn on a yearly basis in order to be eligible for different subsidies in the country.
The minimum amount of money you must have to get this residence permit
In the case of the non-lucrative visa, you must prove that you have 400% of the IPREM annually in your bank account. For this year, 2026, the IPREM is €600 for one month. As the measurement unit we are interested in is the year, our target will be €7,200.
That is, the main applicant for this visa must demonstrate that he or she has €28,800. Nevertheless, we suggest you have a bit more than that if you would like to have a successful application.
So you can see it at a glance, this is the minimum annual amount depending on who you are travelling with:
| Family composition | Minimum annual amount in 2026 | How it is calculated |
|---|---|---|
| Individual applicant | 28,800 € | 400% of the IPREM |
| Applicant + spouse or partner | 36,000 € | 400% + 100% of the IPREM |
| Applicant + spouse + 1 child | 43,200 € | 400% + 2×100% of the IPREM |
| Applicant + spouse + 2 children | 50,400 € | 400% + 3×100% of the IPREM |
Remember that these figures are the legal minimum: the more margin you have on them, the easier it will be for the consulate to approve your application without requesting additional documentation.
Take this number as a minimum reference point. Especially because, depending on which consulate you apply in (for example, in Washington or Moscow), the minimum amount is much higher. We, therefore, recommend that you consult our lawyers to find out exactly how much you will have to prove according to your country of origin.
Also, bear in mind that the currency used must be the Euro or any other international currency that can be converted into the Euro.
Proof of income
How can you demonstrate you possess that amount of money?
The general Spanish immigration law states that you can use any kind of proof. Nevertheless, many times the different Spanish consulates request a bank certificate of liquid money in your account. The exact date of the certificate must be as close as possible to the application day.
Credit cards or property values can also be used here, as long as you also submit a document from your bank that certifies their validity.
Bear in mind that it will depend on the consulate, but the government will usually look at bank statements from the last six months.
In addition, the funds must be under the name of, or on behalf of, the main applicant for the visa.
Must the money be in the same bank account?
The answer is no. You can have part of the money in a Spanish bank account and the other part in an American one, for example, and it will still be accepted.
Nonetheless, depending on your country of origin, the Spanish Immigration Office can request that you have the exact amount in a Spanish bank account. That is something that happens if you are from China or Russia, for example.
Hence, our advice is to open a bank account as soon as possible (we can help you with that), and transfer the money there.
Required income and means to bring your family with you
As with many other residence permits, the retirement or non-lucrative residency allows you to do a joint application. This means that you can also bring your spouse and children who are under the legal age (or over if you can demonstrate you are in charge of them) just by doing your application.
Then, if you would like to do the joint application in order to bring your relatives, the minimum amount of money you must demonstrate you have increases. For each member you are bringing with you, you must demonstrate an additional 100% of the IPREM, which refers to an extra €7,200 annually.
Having private health insurance
Like any other residence authorization, you need an insurance policy with full coverage in Spain.
Nevertheless, we stumble upon a difference here. If in all the other cases the policy could be public or private, with the non-lucrative visa it is not the same. Why? Because your insurance policy must be private. It’s another way to show that the state won’t have to take care of you financially.
But the conditions do not stop there:
- It must also be contracted with a Spanish company that just operates in the Spanish territory.
- The insurance policy contract must be, at least, one year long. That is the period you are requesting a permit for.
- All the specialties of the Spanish public healthcare system must be included in the contract, with no copayments.
We advise you to contact us so that we can recommend a valid health insurance policy adapted to your needs.
Application process: How to get the Spanish non-lucrative visa
One of the main advantages of this permit is its simple application procedure.
The legal process is divided into two parts: the initial visa application in the country of origin, and obtaining the residence card once you enter Spain.
Visa application
The application for this residence authorization must be done in your country of origin or where you have your legal residency. Entering Spain as a tourist won’t allow you to manage the procedure. You must start from outside the country.
First of all, you will have to send all relevant documents to the Spanish Consulate (you will find which documents in the following section).
The government delegation in charge of analyzing all the files will have 1 month to submit their results. In the case of not obtaining one within this period, the request will be rejected due to “administrative silence”.
Once you get a favorable answer, the visa will be stamped in your passport, and you will be able to move on to the next step: travel to Spain.
Obtaining the TIE or foreigner’s identity card
Once you have your visa, you will be allowed to enter Spain freely. And you must do so within a maximum of 3 months.
In this case, it won’t be necessary to obtain the NIE number once in Spain. This identification comes stamped on your visa.
However, once in Spain, the first thing will be to register in the municipality where you will be living, and within a maximum period of 1 month, you go to a police station, register your fingerprints, and apply for the TIE or foreigner’s identity card.
That’s how easy it is. You will be able to enter the country and receive your residence permit within 40 days. Without having to do anything else.
On the exact day that you are given the visa in your passport, you will already be a legal resident in the country, so it will start counting towards obtaining citizenship.
Required documents to apply for NLV
What are the exact documents you will need in order to get the non-lucrative residency visa? The requirements for this permit are the following:
- National visa form.
- Form Ex-01.
- Insurance. As we mentioned, this insurance needs to be from a Spanish Company and not an international one, and private
- Bank certificate, demonstrating the possession of over €28,800 per year.
- Photos, 3×4 cm with white background.
- Original Passport.
- A medical certificate, demonstrating that you do not suffer from any of the recognized diseases that would prevent your entry into the country.
- Criminal record certificates from the countries of residence for the 5 years prior to the time of application, duly legalized/apostilled and with sworn translation if necessary. Countries of residence are considered to be those in which the applicant has stayed continuously for a period of more than 6 months within the 5 years before the time of application, properly translated and legalized. More here on how to get this certificate.
How to renew the non-lucrative permit
That is also a common question. I got my non-lucrative visa for one year. But then, what?
You have two different options.
The first one is to renew your non-lucrative residency. If you still fulfil the initial conditions (800% of the IPREM in your bank account, this is 57.600€, private insurance policy…), and also if you have resided in Spain for more than 183 days in a period of one year (that is, you have been a tax resident), the renewal will be possible.
To bring additional family members, the same thing happens: you must prove 200% of the IPREM per additional family member.
Note that in this case, you will have to prove an amount of money sufficient for two years, not for one as in the initial application. That is because, as the renewal lasts two years and not one, the monetary requirement also doubles.
Second, you can also change the initial authorization into a work permit, as we will see below. And you can change to a work permit to work for a company or to become a self-employed individual.
Non-lucrative Visa in Spain taxes
Finally, we wanted to include a section in which we could discuss the taxes you will have to pay with this visa in Spain.
First of all, because this residence card requires you to stay a minimum of 183 days a year in the country to renew, you will become a tax resident.
- This basically means that you will have to pay income tax on your worldwide income. Keep in mind that there are double taxation agreements. These will prevent you from paying twice for the same income if it was generated in another country but also paid in Spain.
- In the event that you decide to invest, for example in company shares, and you generate a profit from your investments, you will have to pay capital gains tax.
- In addition, in the case of buying a property, there may also be taxes associated with the transaction.
- If your worldwide net worth exceeds certain thresholds, you may also be subject to the Wealth Tax. This tax varies greatly depending on the autonomous community where you reside.
- As a tax resident, you will also have the obligation to present Form 720, an informative declaration on assets and rights located abroad (bank accounts, investments, real estate) when their combined value by category exceeds 50,000 €. It is not a tax in itself, but failure to file it when appropriate can lead to significant penalties.
You will find a detailed list of all the taxes you will have to pay as a foreigner and at what percentage. However, it is best to contact our tax lawyers for advice on your particular case.
Non-lucrative visa costs and fees
In addition to demonstrating that you have sufficient funds to live in Spain, you will have to face a series of costs during the process:
- Consular fee for the national visa: varies depending on your nationality and the consulate where you submit the application.
- TIE fee: paid once you are in Spain and apply for a physical residence card.
- Legalization or apostille of documents: variable cost depending on the country of origin and the number of documents to be legalized.
- Sworn translation: if your documents are not in Spanish, you will need an official sworn translator for each of them.
- Private medical insurance: its cost depends on your age and the insurer, and must be maintained throughout the year of validity of the visa.
- Medical certificate and criminal record certificate: their cost varies depending on the country where you request them.
None of these costs is fixed at the national level because it depends on the consulate and the country of origin, so the most reliable thing is to consult with us for the exact breakdown for your case.
Frequently asked questions about the Non-lucrative Visa in Spain
If you’re still unsure about certain things, remember, we are always ready to help you out. But before we go, let us leave you with a bit more information. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the non-lucrative visa:
What should I do if my non-lucrative visa in Spain is denied?
It is not uncommon to find cases in which the non-lucrative visa application is denied. Among the main causes, we find the lack of sufficient economic means, since it is something that varies according to each consulate, and in some cases, they can request up to double what is legally established.
However, failure to comply with any of the requirements explained in this article will be a reason for denial.
But can anything be done in that situation, or have you lost the opportunity to start living in Spain?
In these cases, and in order to ensure that you can securely obtain your residence permit, it is best to go to a lawyer. An immigration lawyer may initiate an appeal or court process.
Specifically, there are two types of resources available:
- Appeal for reconsideration (recurso de reposición), within a period of one month from denial. This is the administrative route available for appeal.
- Contentious-administrative appeal, within two months of the denial. This is the judicial route to appeal.
In this way, it can be argued that the application was unduly rejected and thus obtain the visa. Only in very particular cases can the application be resubmitted without a legal process behind it.
At Balcells Group, we can help you get your request approved if you have had any denial problems.
Can I modify my non-lucrative visa to a work permit?
As we have just seen, you can also transition into a work permit through a residence modification.
That is the best alternative for those individuals who have enough savings to stay one year abroad (in Spain) but then would like to continue working in order to earn a living.
In that case, you can spend part of your last non-lucrative months searching for a job in the country. Once you find it, the procedure for your employer will be easy. Why? Because you already possess an authorization to live.
He or she will just need to present an authorization to allow you to work in the country. That will grant you an authorization to live and work in Spain for two additional years.
But you can also transition into a work permit as a self-employed individual, so you don’t work for anyone but for yourself. You would then become “autónomo” in the country.
How long can I stay in Spain on a non-lucrative visa?
The non-lucrative visa lasts for one year. However, if you have stayed in Spain for 183 days and continue to meet the requirements, you can apply for a renewal.
Each renewal gives you another two years on the NLV.
How long does the non-lucrative visa application take?
You can only apply for the non-lucrative visa from the Spanish consulate in your country of origin. You should receive a response in one month.
If your application is approved, you have three months to travel to Spain. Once in Spain, you will have to make an appointment at a police office to apply for your residence card, which you will be able to pick up in around a month.
And that’s it!
Book a consultation with one of our lawyers, and we’ll answer all your questions:
At Balcells Group we have been foreigners effortlessly moving to Spain for over 11 years. We help expats from all around the world with their immigration, business, tax and legal needs; ensuring a legally safe and enjoyable transition to the Spanish territory. Our multilingual team understands the importance of adapting to the cultural and legal specificities of our international clients. We offer a comprehensive service that combines the expertise of several generations of lawyers with the innovation needed to address today’s legal challenges, always striving to simplify processes and ensure reliable, effective results.
Greeting
I’m from Egypt living in UAE with my family I had submitted am application to the Spanish Embassy in Abu Dhabi for the same type of this type of visa mentioned in your post,but unfortunately the application was rejected although I have submitted all the required documents completely correct but they reject and the reason was as they mentioed that I was not ae to prove during the interview that i will stay in Spain as I was planing to keep my UAE visa without cancellation.
My question is it still possible to submit another new application to the same Embassy or that’s something not possible? If the answer in yes would you help on this? If the answer in No so what do you suggest??
Thanks
Bahaa
Hi Bahaa. We would strongly recommend that any further application you are willing to send, you let our specialized immigration team help you, as we have previous experience with appeals and court processes for rejected applications. Do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] so we can analyze carefully your situation.
Can I show that I have $500.000 in investment in the USA .not in Spain I spend 20.000 euro living in Barcelona, but do not have 25 000 euro. Can you take this to a judge and get a reading if this is good enough.
Hi Darell. All the investments needed in order to obtain the golden visa must be in Spain. Nevertheless, this post is about the non-lucrative visa, which does not require any investment in the country, just having sufficient funds. If you any further information, do not hesitate to contact us at: [email protected]. Thank you”
I have a property in Spain, wholly paid for. I work from home in the UK, but can work from anywhere.
Could I apply for a NL visa for my wife and I and use my UK salary as of being able to support ourselves.
Does the NL visa require my giving up my UK passport?
Hi Peter!
First of all, applying for any residency permit in Spain does not involve giving up your UK passport, as that is something that would only happen if you applied for the Spanish nationality.
Furthermore, we would really appreciate if you could send us an email to [email protected] so we can carefully analyze your situation and explain to you how you could do it in order to use your UK salary in order to support your family + being able to fulfil the non-lucrative visa requirements.
Thank you very much for reaching out to us!
Hi,
This question is only about the processing time for the non lucrative visa. My wife has applied for it from New Delhi, India while I am working in Spain on a Working Visa. What is the average processing time for this visa? As per my experience for a student visa, spouse of student visa and working visa it is around 15-18 days more or less once applied. Would it be similar for the non lucrative visa?
Hi Kabir!
The processing time for the non-lucrative residency is about 30 days. You can take this number as an accurate estimate.
Hope we have answered your doubts,
Kind regards.
Thank you for the reply. So you mean it is more for a non lucarative visa than it is for a student or working visa? Or would you say it’s the same for all long term residency visas?
Thanks a lot for the reply.
Best,
Kabir
Hi Kabir,
Usually, they all take similar processing times. Nevertheless, there are some permits like the highly qualified worker visa that enjoys a preferential processing time and you can obtain it much faster.
Hi
Hi Is there minimum stay inside spain per year?
Thanks
Hi Joy,
Yes. Under the non-lucrative visa you must stay a minimum of 183 days per year in Spain.
Regards!
Good evening Mr/Mrs
Please but Incase a family is there to take care of me and I need to join them there and am not having that amount but I have a wealthy family there that can take care of all my expenses and stay
Hi Daniel!
In case your family do have a residency permit in Spain, we can analyze your situation and determine if you can get the residency yourself. We would really appreciate if you could send us an email to [email protected] so a specialized lawyer can look at your case carefully.
Thank you very much for your comment!
Hi
Can a person of Indian nationality also apply for a Non Lucrative Residence permit for Spain?
Could you please confirm and help me with this process to procure such a visa?
Thank you.
Hi Devendra,
Sure, as long as you are not from a European Union country, you can get this visa provided that you meet the requirements. And yes, we can help you out! Just send us an email at [email protected] and we will start as soon as possible.
Kind regards!
Okay many thanks for your reply. Aah highly qualified worker permit. Strangely it was rejected for me twice even though I meet the required conditions (apparently) and hence now having to apply for the non lucrative visa for my wife based on my current work permit. Do you have the exact conditions for the highly qualified worker permit? Is it true that the salary per year could be more for Indians to get this permit than say an American citizen?
Hi again,
Here you will find all the relevant information regarding the highly qualified visa permit:
https://balcellsgroup.com/highly-skilled-professional-work-permit/
I can put 25000 euros into a Spanish account that I have from savings in the UK. However as a pensioner I cannot show an income anymore of 25000 PER year. Would that we enough to get an NL visa?
Hi Helen!
Actually, the requirement to get the non-lucrative visa is to have 2.151€ available per month, or 25.812 per year, therefore you will be able to get it.
If you need help with the procedure, do not hesitate to send us an email at [email protected] so we can start managing the process FAST!
If you get a Non habitual residency what taxes do you have to pay in Spain?
Hi Fiona!
I guess you are referring to taxes as a non-resident in Spain. In order to answer that question, I am attaching you a blog post in which we go over ALL THE TAXES you should pay in Spain as an expat, and hope that helps. You can find that info here:
https://balcellsgroup.com/taxes-in-spain-for-expats/
Hello,
I knew that it does not allow me to work in spain, but if i will reply calls or emails to support my business in my mother country anytime while i am actually in spain, will this be assumed to be that i am working? Or they only mean that i dont hold any economic activity with a spanish end?
Thank you for clearing this point please.
Hi Eslam,
As long as you just reply calls or emails in Spain, it won’t be a problem. Nevertheless, if you are planning to open a branch in the country, the situation might change.
Hope we have cleared your doubts, kind regards.
Hi
I ll appreciate if you tell me after taking a non lcrative visa, ls it possibke that i can buy a shop in spain or not?
Hi Kamran!
As we have explained on the blog post, you cannot embark in any economic activity while on your non-lucrative visa. Nevertheless, it is possible to transition into a work permit as a self-employed afterwards, an option that would enable you to buy the shop.
If you need further assistance, do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected], we will be glad to help!
Hello, if I apply for a NL residence, can I invest in stocks and funds in Spain?
Hi!
First of all, thank you very much for reaching out to us.
Yes, you can do both!
For any other doubt do not hesitate to contact us.
Kind regards!
Thank you
But does this mean that I can only buy stocks in Spain or I can buy stocks in any other country? For example, buying US stocks on a website?
Many thanks
I need some information I see your add on Facebook what is ( Non-Lucrative Residency in Spain ) can I apply from Pakistan how me apply me my wife and one daughter how much money i need in my bank account how long Bank statement you need and how long time to get visa please gide me every thing I wait you respond thanks
Hi Mumtaz!
The exact amount of money you need to demonstrate, as explained on this blog post, is a 400% of the IPREM + an additional 100% for any family member you would like to come with you. For any other specific doubt, please contact us at [email protected] and we will solve all your doubts.
Kind regards!
Hello, I am looking forward to renovate my resident no lucrativa. I have all amonut that required, but in 2 different banks, one in Spain and one in my origin country. Should I have all the amount on a Spanish bank or its possible to show and the amount that I have in the bank of my origin. And others is, the bank stattment should be translated on Spanish leangue? Thanks a lot!
You can use both accounts (the one from Spain and the one from your own country) as long as you fulfill with the minimum amount requested.
The bank statement does not need to be translated into Spanish.
to obtain a non-lucrative temporary residency in Spain do you have to be a current non-EU national or is it available for a UK national?
Hi!
You can be a UK national in order to get the non-lucrative residency! For further information do not hesitate to ask us!
Kind regards.
Hi,
Is it allowed to work remotely for company outside of Spain during the stay with this visa?
In the article it says “As it has a non-profit nature, it does not allow you to engage in any professional activity or employment.” But then one of the benefits is “It allows you to do economic activities in other countries (but not in Spain)”
Hi Min!
Yes, you are allowed to work remotely, as long as you do not register any income in Spain.
Hope we have solved your doubt, thank you very much for reaching out to us.
I live out of sports betting and i accumulated 170,000 euros. Can i get NL visa in Spain? I make much more than 2,151 per month, but does Spanish regulations regarding this type of visa acknowledge betting as a legal and regular income?
Hi Vladan,
Yes, as long as you can demonstrate the possession of more than 26.000€ in your bank account, you can go ahead. Nevertheless, bear in mind that depending on the country you are applying, the Spanish consulate can request a bigger amount.
Regards!
Dear sir/madam
I am thinking of moving to Spain from the UK in a few years time and should have roughly £100.000 savings. Would I be able to get a non-lucrative visa?
Hi Bonnie!
The answer is yes, as you hold an amount that is over 400% of the IPREM, you could easily get your non-lucrative visa. Furthermore, you could also do a joint application with your family with that amount.
Thank you very much for reaching out to us.
If I’ve been on a student visa for 3 consecutive years, can I apply for the non-lucrative visa from Spain (and stay while I wait)?
Thanks,
Sydney
Hi Sydney!
No, you actually can’t. You would need to first exit the country and start the non-lucrative visa procedure from abroad.
If you need any help with that, do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected], we will be glad to make things easier 🙂
I’m a US citizen and just applied for a non-lucrative visa with my family. Based on what I read online, I thought that I could work remotely (independent contractor for US clients). We showed sufficient finances to not *need* to work, but I have ongoing projects and want to continue them.
However at the visa appointment at the San Francisco consulate, they were very strict and emphasized that the visa allows no work of any kind, even remote; and even discouraging any trips back to the US where I might do some short contracts. They said that “the law changed on May 9” (i.e., 12 days ago) and implied that penalties for violation would be severe.
Can you shed any light on this — is there a crackdown on remote work for foreigners with non-lucrative visas? What changed on May 9?
Hi Nate,
As long as you do not embark in any kind of economic activity inside Spain (meaning opening a branch or effectively working as a self-employed), you can reside with the non-lucrative visa without any problem.
Thanks for the reply. I am not sure what you mean by (not) “effectively working as a self-employed”. I am an independent contractor (self-employed in the U.S.) but would be invisible to the Spanish economy — I’d be physically typing at a computer in Spain, but all work product goes to clients in the U.S. and all payments are in the U.S. So I think this is not “economic activity inside Spain” and should not be a problem for the NLV?
Further, if I’m in Spain <183 days/year, then I think I'm not tax-resident, so taxes only apply to Spanish-sourced income. Again, if I'm not touching the Spanish economy, then there should be no taxes on the remote income?
Thanks.
Hi Nate,
You won’t have any kind of problem with the non-lucrative visa in that sense, according to your description. Furthermore, you are also right in terms of taxes as a non-resident. For more information, we suggest you read our post about taxes for expats:
https://balcellsgroup.com/taxes-in-spain-for-expats/
Hope we have answered your doubts,
Kind regards.
Great, thank you for the clarifications. Your help is much appreciated.
No problem Nate! For anything else you may need, we are at your complete disposal.
Thank you. I’ve sent an email to the “info” email address, to enquire about getting a more formal written legal opinion affirming these clarifications. Just in case any issues arise when I’m in-country, I’d be more comfortable having a reference document by a licensed Spanish immigration lawyer. I hope one of your lawyers will be able to respond to my enquiry and we can continue this thread via email.
Again, many thanks for your responsiveness and help.
Hi Nate,
You will get an answer from one of our lawyers as soon as possible!
Thank you very much for reaching out to us, hope to start helping you out soon!
Hello,
We have lived here in Spain for 4.5 years on non lucrative visa. In December we’ll apply for another 5 years.Will it be a permanent residency with work authorization ? Also balance of 40 000 euro in spanish bank is enough?
Thank You,
Eugene Valer
Hi,
Yes, when you apply for the renewal for the upcoming 5 years you are applying for the permanent residency. Bear in mind that you must specify that on your application form.
If I GOT NL , shall i have to stay whole the year in Spain ? … or I can live between Spain and my mother home?? …is there minimum period to stay out of Spain should not to be exceeded during the year of NLR ?
Hi Daher,
You need to stay a minimum of 183 days per year in the country.
If I have the NL visa, can I use Spain as my home base and work for a Singapore company to do sales and marketing in selected EU countries but excluding Spain (no clients or business in Spain)? I will be traveling to those other countries to meet clients and also work remotely to report to the Singapore company. The Singapore company does not intend to get business or clients in Spain. Thanks.
Hi Edward,
According to your situation, yes, you can!
Two questions
– to apply for NL visa ,and as a condition to apply . are they asking for home or house contract rental or purchase. As a main address ?
– assume I plan to marry in Spain to a Spanish lady in the future . Can I keep and live with the NL residency and not apply for spouse Residency. ? Am I eligible for citizenship after one year of marriage or it must be one year of from spouse residency date? ( which I don’t like to apply for in the first place and prefer NL Residency )
Hi Hanipal,
In some consulates, they do ask for a house/rental contract, so depending on your country of origin that will be a requirement.
You can keep your non-lucrative visa after marriage with no problem by just renewing it. But in order to get the citizenship, you need a total of 10 years of living in Spain (or 2 depending on your country of origin).
Hi
Is there a minimum stay requirement for the non lucrative visa? Also, what if my kids become older than 21 during the 5 years it take to get the PR, what happens to their status?
Thank you in advance.
Hi!
You must stay a minimum of 183 days per year in Spain.
In regards to your kids, it won’t be a problem to get the PR!
Hello,
My “Job seeking permit” (something new starting from 2018) has been approved and it is shown as “residencial temporal no lucrativa”, so I assume this is also a non lucrative residency. 2 questions:
1) can i immediately change it to a work permit if i find a job? (without having stayed for one year)
2) If i have to wait until the visa is getting expired to change it to a work permit, can I still work with the company under other type of contracts for the moment? What contracts would you recommend?
Many thanks!!
Hi Helen,
If you have a non-lucrative visa, you need to wait one full year in order to change to a work permit. So you need to renew your non lucrative residency, then switch to regular work permit. Then you will be allowed to start working for the company.
So very good article, but what you do not say is do you have to enter the Spanish tax system if you apply for a NL visa, I understand that you want people to pay you for a consolation but a yes or no answer would be good here.
Hi Brent!
The non-lucrative visa requires you to stay for a minimum of 183 days per year in the country, hence you become a tax resident in Spain, having to pay taxes as a resident.
Hope that helps! 🙂
I am very interested in getting the non lucrative visa and working remotely. I have seen many lawyers sites that said you can work remotely for a non Spanish company and qualify for this visa. The Los Angeles consulate page says no you can’t but the Washington consulate says that you can. What is the real answer and why are the responses different from different sources.
Thank you
Hi Marcus!
The truth is that they are both right. Some consulates are more strict in that sense, some others not that much. And it will depend on the specific consulate in which you initiate your application that the requirement will hold or not.
Hope that helps.
For anything else you may need, we are at your complete disposal!
Hi, I have a couple of questions regarding this kind of visa. My mother would like to come to Spain to live with me.
She doesn’t have the hole €26k for the first year.
The first question would be, in that case, do you think that it would be OK if I transfer the money from my bank account to hers to complete the total amount or do they do any sort of “background check” to see the origin of the money or for how long it is there?
The second question is, she has an annual income of around €10k (from her pension) can this be considered to reach the €26k? You also mention that credit cards can be used, could you elaborate on that? In her case, she is in possession of a credit card with €1k credit limit per month (€12k per year), can this be used as well? Or just “cash in hand”.
Thanks in advance.
First of all, we would need to know from which consulate she is going to apply as the requirements can be different. Sometimes, in some Spanish consulates, they ask for the balance of the last 6 months so you could not send her the money.
However, she should have 26.000€ or monthly incomes (for more than 2.000€ euros).
Hi! Thank you for such a helpful article. My family is here in Spain on a non-lucrative visa and are thinking about re-applying next year. I have a question about the reapplication process: do you need to have sufficient funds for two years (400% of IPREM X2) or is just 400% of IPREM sufficient? I wasn’t certain since the reapplication is for two years. Thank you for your help!
Hi Bailie,
The reapplication (which is a renewal), requires you to have the money required for two years, so x2 of the original amount 🙂
Thank you for that information! If we don’t have the sufficient funds to renew the visa, do you have suggestions for any other ways to extend our stay in Spain? Is it possible to apply for student visas from within Spain (if we already have the non-lucrative residency visa) or would we have to return to U.S. first then apply? Thank you for your help!
Interested in Non-Lucrative Residence Visa for American family
Does your service include getting visa application documents converted by a sworn Spanish translator and legalized with the Apostille of the Hague?
Are birth certificates required?
Hi Frank,
Yes! Our service includes that part too.
If birth certificates required, are there alternatives that can be used instead? My wife does not have one.
Can the bank with the funds be an American bank?
Hello,
I finished reading your post and have 3 questions to clarify.
1) Would it be easier or quicker to process my visa application in the United States or Philippines? I have dual citizenship with the US and Philippines.
2) Is it a safe assumption that after 2 years living in Spain on a non lucrative visa that I will not be restricted from applying for Spanish citizenship (I was born in a former Spanish colony)?
3) Does the bank account need to show cash or can it be a mix of cash and stocks?
I have rental property that provides me $1600 per month. The remain funds required will come out of brokerage account with ~$600,000. However, I do not keep the $600,000 in cash. The money is in US stocks that will be sold when the money is needed.
Will this work to show I have the means to support myself?
I appreciate you taking the time to provide me with feedback.
Respectfully,
Marco
Hi Marco,
1. You should apply in your country of residence. I guess in the USA can be easier but it will also depend on the State where you will apply.
2. In case you want to apply for the Spanish Citizenship after 2 years living in Spain, you must apply for the non-lucrative visa with your Philippines passport (not as a US passport holder).
3. You should have minimum 26.000€ in your account or period incomes about 2.500€. You can also use the brokerage account.
For anything else you may need, do not hesitate to contact us! 🙂
Dear Sirs,
I am Cuban and already two years in Spain, with the non lucrative residency.
I am planning to apply for citizenship this year and i would like to ask you the following:
– is two years of residency counted from the date of entry in Spain or from the date of visa issuing ?
– after submitting the application for citizenship, do i still need to be residing in Spain for 6 months a year ?
thank you
Carlos
The two years starts counting from the day you received your residence card.
After submitting the application you must continue living in Spain as you will have to renew you residence permit until you receive the passport.
“On the exact day that you are given the visa in your passport, you will already be a legal resident in the country, so it will start counting towards obtaining citizenship.”
Is the countdown for applying citizenship the date you were given the visa on your passport or the date you receive your residence card in Spain? Thanks
It starts counting the day you will receive the residence permit.
I have High Qualified worker visa, and living with my family in Spain for 3 years. Now, I found a job and will go to Netherlands. But I have a baby borned in Spain. Therefore, I want to leave my wife abd baby for additional 6 months in Spain.So, we will apply for citizenship for my baby.
– Can my wife and baby can stay with current visa in if I quit my job and move to Netherlands. (we alraedy renewed and have 2 years residency)
– If they cannot, how we should apply for non-lucrative visa. Do we have to make it from outside of Spain? We are living in Spain.And I dont want to cut the process of my baby;s stay for 1 year.
Thanks
Mehmet