In this article, we provide a guide of the non-lucrative residence visa in Spain, currently one of the most popular residence permits.
This visa allows you to reside in Spain for one year and to travel freely throughout the Schengen Area without having to carry out any professional activity.
1. What is the non-lucrative residence visa in Spain?
The non-lucrative visa is a residence permit for non-EU citizens wishing to reside in Spain for a period exceeding 90 days without carrying out any work or professional activity in the country. This visa is initially granted for a period of one year from the date of entry. Once this period is over, you can renew it twice each time for a period of 2 years. At the end of these 5 years, you can then apply for permanent residence if you want to stay permanently in Spain.
The main requirement to be met for this visa is to demonstrate you have sufficient funds when applying as you are not allowed to carry any type of economic or professional activity in Spain. However, not being able to work in Spain does not mean that you can’t invest there. Indeed, this is perfectly possible to make any kind of investment.
Among the other advantages of this non-lucrative visa is the possibility of making a joint application with your spouse and children in order to bring your family with you from the beginning. The only requirement is to demonstrate that you also have the financial resources to meet their needs. We discuss the financial aspect in more detail below.
With this visa, you will also be able to move freely in the Schengen area for a maximum of 3 months for any period of 6 months. Perfect if you want to visit Europe 🙂
2. Who can benefit from the non-lucrative visa in Spain?
The visa can be applied for by anyone wishing to live in Spain for a year without working there. It is one of the most requested visas by the following people:
- Retirees wishing to move to Spain.
- Anyone with sufficient economics funds wishing to live in Spain without the need of work.
- Anyone with sufficient economics funds for a year and wishing to travel or discover Spain before applying for another type of visa (see below).
3. What are the conditions to be met to be eligible for this non-lucrative visa in Spain?
Although this residence permit is easier to obtain than others, there are several requirements you must meet to have a successful application:
- Not be a citizen of a country of the European Union, the European Economic Area or of Switzerland.
- Not be in an illegal situation in Spain. Please note that your application must be presented in your home country.
- Not have any criminal records.
- Not being subject to a ban on entry in Spain.
- Have sufficient economic resources to meet your needs and those of your family (if applicable) without having to carry out any kind of professional activity.
- Subscribe to a private or public health insurance company for one year with no deductibles. The provider must be authorized to operate in Spain.
- Not suffer from any of the recognized diseases that may have consequences on public health in accordance with the 2005 International Health Regulations.
- Pay the visa and form 790-052 fees.
4. Which documents must be submitted to the Consulate?
You will need to present the following documents to the Spanish Consulate in your country of residence:
- Visa application form.
- Your valid passport with a minimum validity of one year.
- 2 recent passport type photos.
- Criminal records, issued in the last 3 months by the authorities of the country/countries where you have had residence during the last 5 years. This document must be translated into Spanish and legalized.
- Medical certificate proving that you do not suffer from any recognized diseases preventing you from entering Spain.
- Proof of funds to meet your needs. The amount needed is calculated according to the IPREM (Indicador Público de Renta de Efectos Múltiples), an index calculating the minimum income that a person must earn to be entitled to the various public benefits. In 2021, you must prove that you have 400% of the IPREM on your bank account. The IPREM currently sits at 6,778.80€ per year, so you would need to present at least 27,115.20€ to which you must add 100% of the IPREM for any dependent family member.
- Proof of health insurance from a private or public company with no-pay (or deductible) and authorized to operate in Spain.
- EX-01 form printed, filled out and signed.
- 790-052 form printed, filled out and signed.
- Visa fee.
Finally, it is important to note that all documents not originally written in Spanish must be translated by a sworn translator.
5. How to apply for a non-lucrative visa?
Once you have gathered all the documents described above, you will need to make an appointment (no more than 90 days in advance) with the Spanish Consulate in your country of residence. The initial visa application cannot be made from Spain.
The government then has 3 months to examine your application and submit their results. If no response is received, the request will be considered rejected.
If the answer is favorable, your visa will then be stamped and you will have one month to pick it up. Failing to do so will invalidate the visa.
6. What is the duration of a non-lucrative visa in Spain?
This residence permit is valid for one year from the time you enter Spain. When renewing your visa, you have several options if you wish to stay in Spain:
- You can reapply for a non-profit visa for a period of 2 years. You will then have to present financial resources for the next 2 years.
- You can change it to a work permit and be legally employed or self-employed. We advise you to start looking for a job in the country in the last couple of months of your non-lucrative visa.
7. Obtain the TIE and empadronamiento
Within one month of entering Spain, you must apply for your Foreigners’ Identity Card (TIE) as well as registering at the town hall (empadronamiento) to the municipality where you will reside.
8. Our services
At Vivre à Valencia, we can provide you with personalized assistance during your application for a non-lucrative residence visa in Spain as well as obtaining your TIE and registering with the town hall. We assess your situation and provide guidance on every step of the process.
Do not hesitate to contact us for more information.
