The Non-Lucrative Visa lets you live in Spain without working. You prove you can support yourself from money that does not come from employment, you take out private health insurance, and you apply at the Spanish consulate covering the place where you live. For 2026 the main applicant must show €28,800 for the first year, plus €7,200 for each family member coming along.
What catches people out is rarely the money. It is that the visa excludes remote work of any kind, and that two consulates can ask for different documents for the same visa. A police certificate accepted in London is refused in Toronto.
This guide covers the requirements, the paperwork each consulate asks for, what the process costs and how long a decision really takes. If you would rather hand the file to someone else, we handle Non-Lucrative Visa Spain applications from start to finish.
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| What it allows | Living in Spain without working |
| What it excludes | Employment, self-employment and remote work |
| Income required in 2026 | €28,800 for the main applicant |
| Each family member | €7,200 more |
| Health insurance | Private cover from an insurer authorised in Spain |
| Where you apply | The Spanish consulate for your place of residence |
| Decision period | Two months in London, three months elsewhere |
| Initial authorisation | One year |
| Renewals | Two years at a time |
| Long-term residence | After five years of legal residence |
What the Non-Lucrative Visa is
It is a residence authorisation for people who can live in Spain on money they already have. The Spanish authorities call it a non-working residence visa, which describes it better than the name most people search for. You are not being offered a route into the Spanish labour market. You are being allowed to settle on the condition that you do not need it.
That condition is the whole logic of the visa, and it explains every requirement that follows. The financial threshold exists to show you will not need to work. The health insurance requirement exists so you do not draw on the public system before you have contributed to it.
What the non-lucrative visa allows you to do
You can live anywhere in Spain, enrol your children in school, buy property, open bank accounts, and travel freely within the Schengen area. You can study, and you can hold and manage investments. Income from shares, rental property, pensions or savings held outside Spain keeps flowing while you hold the visa.
Owning a Spanish company and drawing dividends sits in a grey area that depends on whether you take an active role in running it. If that describes your situation, get it reviewed before you apply rather than after.
Why remote work does not qualify for NLV
This is the single most common reason a Non-Lucrative Visa application goes wrong, and the guidance you will find online contradicts itself constantly. Some pages tell you that working remotely for a company outside Spain is fine because no Spanish income is generated.
If you intend to keep a job, freelance clients or a business while living in Spain, the Non-Lucrative Visa is the wrong application. The Digital Nomad Visa Spain was created precisely for that situation, and applying for the right one first is considerably cheaper than being refused and starting again.
Non-Lucrative Visa or Digital Nomad Visa, which one fits your plans
| Criterion | Non-Lucrative Visa | Digital Nomad Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Can you work | No | Yes, remotely for non-Spanish employers or clients |
| Income accepted | Pensions, savings, investments, rent | Salary or professional fees from remote work |
| Who it suits | Retirees and the financially independent | Employees and freelancers working remotely |
| Initial authorisation | One year | Longer, depending on the route used |
| Favourable tax regime | Not available | Available in some cases |
Who can apply for a Non Lucrative Visa
Any non-EU national who can meet the financial threshold and the document requirements. There is no age limit, no nationality restriction beyond holding a non-EU passport, and no requirement to own property in Spain or speak Spanish.
Retirees and pensioners moving to Spain
The clearest fit. A state or private pension paid in a convertible currency is the cleanest financial evidence a consulate can receive, because it is documented, recurring and verifiable. Some consulates ask retirees for the last three months of bank statements and a copy of the most recent tax return alongside the pension documentation.
Applying with savings, investments and passive income
You do not need a monthly income. A bank balance covering the full annual amount works, and so do rental income, dividends, annuities and investment accounts. Edinburgh accepts proof of either a regular income at the required level or a bank balance covering the monthly amount across twelve months, which is a useful way to understand what the consulates are actually testing.
The practical difference is scrutiny. A pension statement answers the question on its own. A portfolio of mixed assets needs assembling into something a consular officer can verify in a few minutes, and that assembly is most of the work.
Family members you can include in your application
Your spouse or unmarried partner, your dependent children, and dependent relatives in the ascending line. That last category is worth noting because most guides leave it out. The consulates in New York, Toronto and Edinburgh all list dependent parents as eligible family members, provided you can prove financial dependence and that they form part of your family unit.
Adult children can be included where you can prove financial dependence, civil status and continued membership of the family unit. Each family member files their own application with their own documents, and each one adds €7,200 to the amount you must show.
When another Spanish visa suits you better
Anyone planning to work, including remotely. Anyone whose income would disappear on moving. Anyone who cannot be out of their home country long enough to complete an in-person application, since every consulate we checked requires attendance in person.
Non-Lucrative Visa Spain income requirements
The IPREM reference and the 400% rule explained
Spain does not set a euro figure for this visa. It sets a multiple of the IPREM, the public income index the government publishes each year, which means the requirement moves whenever the index does.
At this moment, the rule is 400% of the annual IPREM for the main applicant, plus 100% of the annual IPREM for each family member in your care. According to the IPREM table published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the 2026 monthly IPREM is €600,00 and the annual figure is €7,200,00 across twelve payments. The index has stood at that level since 2023.
So the arithmetic for 2026 gives €28,800 for the main applicant and €7,200 for each additional person.
Income required by family composition
| Who is applying | IPREM multiple | Amount for 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Main applicant alone | 400% | €28,800 |
| Applicant and partner | 500% | €36,000 |
| Applicant, partner and one child | 600% | €43,200 |
| Applicant, partner and two children | 700% | €50,400 |
| Each additional person | 100% more | €7,200 more |
Check the current index before you apply rather than relying on a figure you read months earlier. The amount is tied to the IPREM, not to the numbers in this table, and the table only holds while the index does.
What counts as proof of funds for the Non-Lucrative Visa
Original documents, stamped by the issuing institution. Several consulates set out exactly what a bank document has to contain, and the lists are more demanding than people expect. For examlple London and Los Angeles both require the bank's full name and address, complete account identification, the opening and closing dates of the account, the balance as at 31 December of the previous year, and the average balance across that year.
Toronto adds that statements must show monthly opening and closing balances, with no crossed-out information and no missing pages, plus an average balance certificate for the previous year.
Money held across several banks is generally acceptable as long as it is in your name or held on your behalf. Los Angeles includes one condition other consulates do not mention, which is that applicants may not hold or take on US loans or mortgages at the point of applying.
Why consulates expect more than the minimum income
Meeting the threshold to the euro is a weak application. Consular officers are assessing whether your means are sufficient and guaranteed, and a balance sitting exactly at €28,800 fails the second test even when it passes the first.
Build in a margin, particularly if your income is irregular, if your funds arrived recently, or if everything is held outside Spain. Where a working-age applicant is relying on something other than a pension, Los Angeles asks for either a letter from the employer confirming the applicant will no longer work for that company, or, for the self-employed, a notarised affidavit agreeing not to work while resident in Spain.
Health insurance requirements for the Spanish NLV
What your Spanish health insurance policy must cover
A policy from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, covering all the risks the Spanish public system covers, for the full duration of the authorisation. The conditions the consulates spell out are strict and they are where most rejected policies fail. Toronto and Los Angeles both require no deductible, no co-payment, no waiting period and no coverage limit, with 100% of medical, hospital and outpatient costs covered. Toronto adds urgent transport.
Why health insurance policies get rejected
Travel insurance with a medical component does not qualify, and both Los Angeles and Toronto say so directly. Neither does a policy with an excess, however small, or one with a lifetime cap. US applicants should know that Medicare is generally treated as insufficient, because it does not cover you in Spain.
British applicants have an option worth knowing about. London and Edinburgh both accept an S1 form in place of a private policy, but only once it has been registered with the Spanish social security system and you can produce the registration receipt. Edinburgh is specific that the receipt itself is what the consulate wants to see. If that route applies to you, our guide on how to register the S1 form covers the registration step.
Documents required for the Non-Lucrative Visa in Spain
This residence permit is well known to the authorities and very popular amongst people who wish to live in Spain, so the amount of documentation required may be greater than for other procedures
- The national visa application form, completed and signed
- Form EX-01, the application for a non-working residence authorisation
- A recent colour passport photograph on a light background
- A passport valid for at least one year with two blank pages, original and a photocopy of the biometric pages. Passports issued more than ten years ago are not accepted
- Proof of financial means
- Your health insurance certificate
- A criminal record certificate
- A medical certificate
- Proof that you live in that consulate's district
- Form 790 code 052 for the residence permit fee
Criminal record certificate requirements by country
Covering the past five years, from every country you have lived in during that period, and usually valid for six months from issue unless the certificate says otherwise. Which authority issues it is not your choice, and getting this wrong is a common cause of delay.
- United Kingdom: Only an ACRO police certificate is accepted. Edinburgh states that Disclosure Scotland certificates are not valid for visa purposes.
- United States: Only FBI certificates are accepted. New York and Los Angeles reject local and state police certificates. Los Angeles requires a federal apostille from the US Department of State in Washington, DC, and says local apostilles are not valid.
- Canada: Only an RCMP certificate including fingerprints is accepted, apostilled by Global Affairs Canada alone. Local police certificates are refused outright.
Medical certificate
A certificate from a registered doctor confirming you have no disease that could seriously affect public health under the International Health Regulations of 2005. Most consulates want it issued within three months of the application, and Los Angeles sets a ninety day limit and provides its own template.
London applies a restriction that surprises people. It accepts medical certificates issued only in the United Kingdom or Spain, and gives the exact wording required in each case. Edinburgh asks for specific wording too, confirming the applicant does not suffer from any illness representing a risk or danger to the public.
Translations, apostilles and legalisation
Foreign documents need an apostille under the Hague Convention, or double legalisation where the issuing country is not a signatory, plus an official translation into Spanish. Documents issued in EU member states are exempt from legalisation, and a document already issued in Spanish does not need translating.
Edinburgh raises a point that causes real problems. The apostille or legalisation must cover the signature of whoever issued the certificate, meaning the registered doctor or the police authority, not the signature of a notary or solicitor who certified a copy afterwards. Translations must come from a registered sworn translator.
How to apply for the Non-Lucrative Visa in Spain step by step
If you wish to apply for a non-lucrative visa on your own, you can do so. However, it is highly recommended that you seek the assistance of qualified immigration professionals who know what documents to submit, how to go about it, and who have contacts with the relevant Spanish authorities.
We are talking about your residence permit in a country, not a simple procedure that can be completed in an afternoon.
But if you still wish to apply on your own, please bear in mind the following steps:
- Confirm which consulate covers where you live. Proof of residence in that district is required, and applying to the wrong one wastes the application.
- Order the slow documents first. The criminal record certificate and its apostille take the longest, and both have expiry windows, so the sequence matters.
- Assemble your financial evidence in the format that consulate specifies, including the balance and average balance figures for the previous year.
- Take out the health insurance policy, or register your S1 and keep the receipt.
- Obtain the medical certificate, within the window your consulate allows and with the wording it requires.
- Arrange the apostilles and sworn translations for every foreign document.
- Complete the national visa form, form EX-01 and form 790 code 052.
- Book your appointment. Some consulates work through BLS International, others take appointment requests by email.
- Attend in person and pay the fee. A parent attends on behalf of a minor.
- Wait for the decision, and collect the visa in person once it is granted.
Requirements that change depending on your consulate
Most guides note that requirements vary by consulate and leave it there. The variations are specific and knowing them in advance saves a rejected document.
| Consulate | Decision period | Police certificate | Notable condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | Two months aproximately | ACRO | Medical certificates only from the UK or Spain. S1 accepted |
| Edinburgh | Three months aproximately | ACRO only, not Disclosure Scotland | Apostille must cover the issuer's signature. S1 accepted |
| Manchester | Three months aproximately | Five years, each country of residence | Reciprocity fee rates apply to several nationalities |
| Los Angeles | Three months aproximately | FBI with federal apostille only | No US loans or mortgages when applying |
| New York | Three months aproximately | FBI only, under six months old | Non-US applicants must show US immigration status |
| Toronto | Three months aproximately | RCMP with fingerprints, apostilled by Global Affairs Canada | Payment by money order or bank draft only |
Applying for the Non-Lucrative Visa from the United Kingdom
Applications go through BLS centres, in London at 20 St Andrew Street and in Edinburgh at 6 Dock Place. BLS charges its own service fee on top of the consular fee. London states a two month decision period where every other consulate we checked states three, which makes it the fastest route we found. Both accept a registered S1, which removes the private insurance cost for those entitled to one.
Applying for the Non-Lucrative Visa from the United States
Los Angeles and New York both accept FBI certificates only. Los Angeles works through a BLS office on Wilshire Boulevard and publishes its fees openly, while New York takes appointment requests by email and refers to a separate fee schedule. Applicants who are not US citizens must show their US immigration status, and a B-1 or B-2 visitor visa is not enough, so holders must apply from their country of permanent residence.
Applying for the Non-Lucrative Visa from Canada
Toronto is the strictest on police certificates of any consulate we reviewed. Only an RCMP certificate including fingerprints is accepted, and only Global Affairs Canada can apostille it. Appointments are requested by email and the fee is payable by money order or bank draft made out to the Consulate General, with no card payment offered. Form 790-052 costs CAD 17.70 and two copies are needed per applicant.
Fees and what the process costs
The visa fee depends on your nationality, because Spain applies reciprocity. Manchester notes that different rates apply to nationals of Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom for that reason.
Los Angeles publishes exact figures for 2026, which gives a reliable sense of the scale. US citizens pay USD 140,00 and other nationalities pay USD 106,00, with the residence permit fee on form 790-052 at USD 13,00. Fees are non-refundable even if the visa is refused.
Budget for more than the consular fee. The costs that add up are the police certificate and its apostille, the medical certificate, sworn translations of every foreign document, a year of private health insurance paid upfront, and the BLS service fee where your consulate uses one. The insurance is usually the largest single item.
Non-Lucrative Visa Spain cost, consular fees and extra expenses
The decision period and administrative silence
The decision period ususallylasts no more than three months from the day after you submit, The period can be extended if the consulate calls you for an interview or asks for further documents.
Treat those figures as the legal maximum rather than a forecast. If the period passes with no answer, administrative silence applies and the application is treated as refused, which matters because it starts the clock on your right to appeal.
Next thing when your visa us considered valid is that you collect the visa in person within one month of the day after you are notified of a favourable decision.
Last but not least it is time to Padrón. You register at your local town hall, which produces the padrón certificate that almost every later procedure asks for, and you apply for your foreigner identity card within one month of entering Spain, at a Foreign Nationals' Office or police station.
That card is what proves your residence for the rest of the year, so the TIE card Spain appointment is the one not to leave late. You will also need a Spanish NIE number for banking, utilities and any purchase you make
NLV renewal requirements in Spain
The first authorisation runs for one year. Renewals come in two-year blocks.
The financial test scales with the period. You prove means for twenty-four months instead of twelve, which roughly doubles the figure. Confirm the exact amount against the IPREM in force when you renew.
Renewal also tests whether you have genuinely lived here.
- More than 183 days in Spain across the year
- Absences counted again when you apply for long-term residence
- Evidence worth keeping, such as the padrón, utility bills and travel records
Two doors open later. After five years of legal continuous residence you can apply for long-term residence, which drops the annual financial test. And after the first year you can generally switch to an authorisation that permits work, as an employee or self-employed, which makes this visa a reasonable first step if you want to settle before deciding what comes next
Non-Lucrative Visa Spain tax implications
Nothing here is advice on your own position. If your pensions or assets sit in more than one country, have a tax specialist look at them before you move.
Spend more than 183 days a year in Spain and you generally become a Spanish tax resident. That is the same threshold that lets you renew the visa, so tax residency is the normal outcome of holding this visa.
Four obligations come with that status.
- Tax on worldwide income, including foreign pensions, dividends, rent and investment returns
- Double taxation treaties decide which country taxes what, but never remove the duty to declare
- Assets held outside Spain must be reported above certain thresholds, with penalties for not filing
- Wealth tax varies by autonomous community, so where you settle affects the bill
Why applications are refused and how to appeal
Refusals arrive in writing with the grounds stated. You can request reconsideration from the same consulate within one month of the day after notification, or seek judicial review at the Court of Justice with a lawyer representation within two months. The most common reasons for refusal are:
- Financial evidence that meets the threshold but does not look sufficient and guaranteed, or sits exactly at the minimum
- Bank documents missing the specific details that consulate requires, such as the previous year's average balance
- An insurance policy with an excess, a co-payment, a waiting period or a coverage limit, or travel insurance offered in place of a policy
- The wrong police certificate, such as Disclosure Scotland instead of ACRO, or a state certificate instead of an FBI one
- An apostille obtained at the wrong level, or covering a notary's signature rather than the issuer's
- A medical certificate outside its validity window or without the required wording
- Any indication that the applicant intends to keep working, including remotely
Frequently asked questions
Can I work remotely on a Non-Lucrative Visa
No. The Los Angeles consulate states that the visa does not allow teleworking, and Edinburgh states that remote work for a UK employer does not qualify. The Digital Nomad Visa covers that situation.
Can I use savings instead of a pension
Yes. A bank balance covering the full annual requirement is accepted, as are investments, rental income and annuities. Savings attract more scrutiny than a pension because they are less obviously recurring, so document them carefully.
Exactly how much money do I need
€28,800 for the main applicant in 2026, plus €7,200 for each family member. The figures come from 400% and 100% of the annual IPREM, which stands at €7,200,00 for 2026, so they move when the index does.
Will my current health insurance be accepted
Only if it comes from an insurer authorised in Spain and has no excess, no co-payment, no waiting period and no coverage limit. Travel insurance is refused. Medicare does not cover you in Spain.
Can my partner and children apply with me
Yes. Spouses, unmarried partners and dependent children can be included in a joint application, each with their own documents, and each adds €7,200 to the amount you must show.
Can I bring my parents
Dependent relatives in the ascending line are eligible at the consulates we reviewed, provided you can prove financial dependence and that they form part of your family unit.
Do I have to apply from my own country
You apply at the Spanish consulate covering where you legally reside, which is not always your country of nationality. You must prove residence in that consular district, and in the United States a visitor visa is not enough to apply locally.
How long does it really take
The legal decision period is three months at most consulates and two in London, counted from the day after you submit, and it can be extended if an interview or further documents are requested. Gathering the documents beforehand usually takes longer than the decision itself.
Will I pay tax in Spain
If you spend more than 183 days a year in Spain you will generally be a Spanish tax resident and taxable on worldwide income, subject to the relevant double taxation treaty. Since the same threshold applies to renewing the visa, tax residency is the normal outcome of holding it.
