If you are looking for a permit to live and explore Spain for a year or even more, we have a visa recommendation that might fit your profile.

The non-lucrative visa in Spain is famous for its character of an “easy-to-get” visa. Still, in reality, there are specific requirements that you have to meet before getting your hopes up with this residence opportunity.

This article will explain what a non-lucrative or non-working visa in Spain is, the requirements, the step-by-step application, and the residence possibilities after you have had it for a while. 

Pay close attention to the information below and the contact information they will leave at the end of the explanation. 

What is a non-lucrative visa in Spain?

The non-lucrative or non-working visa in Spain permits non-EU citizens to live and explore Spain for a year. 

Unlike the Golden Visa in Spain, the non-lucrative doesn’t require a person to invest in the country. Still, a fundamental requirement is that applicants must have sufficient funds to sustain themselves and their families for the year living in the country. 

The non-lucrative visa, as its name describes it, does NOT include a work permit. However, if you fall in love with Spain (as I suppose you will), you can change your non-working permit to others according to your plans. 

The Spain non-lucrative visa is granted for 1 year the first time, and later you can renew every 2 years. 

Remember that after living 5 years in Spain, you can change your non-lucrative residence to a five-year permanent residency, making you a Spanish resident who can work and live in the county and travel throughout the European Union. 

Requirements to apply for the non-lucrative visa in Spain

Who can apply for a non-lucrative visa in Spain?

The Spanish non-lucrative visa is meant for financially self-sufficient people who want to live and travel in Spain for a year or more. It applies for:

• For people who want to retire in Spain and receive a monthly pension from your government. 
• For foreigners that have sufficient funds to maintain themselves in Spain without working. 
• For foreigners (with sufficient funds) who wish to stay in Spain for a year and then change their status to a work permit. 

The financial term for future applicants

All applicants must present an IPREM of 400% more than the one designed for Spaniards. The IPREM is the “Indicador Público de Renta de Efectos Múltiples,” an index used in Spain as a reference for granting aid, subsidies, or unemployment benefits. For Spanish, this index is 600 a month and 7,200 yearly. 

So, what does this mean financially for future applicants? You need proof of having a minimum of 2,400 monthly in a Spanish bank account. Per year, your bank account should have 28,800 EUR.

This number increases by 100% with each member you the family. 

What about self-employed people that wish to apply?

Self-employed people need to present an affidavit before a Notary where you state that you agree not to work or perform any economic activity while living in Spain. 

If your objective is too remote work from Spain, then you should consider the Spain Digital Nomad Visa. We talk more about this in the following article:

• Spain Digital Nomad Visa 2023: Requirements & Tips by a Lawyer

Requirements to apply

A non-lucrative visa is a residence permit you must apply for from your country of origin. You are supposed not to be a current resident in Spanish territory and wish to come to live and travel for a year. 

This is an important detail that some people skip, and you must keep in mind if you plan to make this application on your own. I don’t recommend you do this; instead, invest in a lawyer to guide you through the process and help you overcome any difficulties. 

I will leave you the contact of a trusted office at the end of the article.

Let’s continue with the requirements to be eligible for the non-working visa:

• Not being a current resident in Spain.
• Not being a citizen of a European Union state, the European Economic Area, or Switzerland, or a family member of citizens from these countries who are subject to the regime of EU citizens.
• Not being irregularly present in Spanish territory.
• Having no criminal record in Spain or countries where the applicant has resided for the last five years for offenses in Spanish law.
• Not being prohibited from entering Spain.
• Having the necessary financial means to cover the costs of the stay and return, and, if applicable, those of their family members.
• Having private health insurance 
• Not suffering from any diseases that may have serious public health repercussions.
• Having paid the processing fee for the procedures.

Step-by-step application guide for the Spain non-lucrative visa

Let’s follow the step-by-step guide to applying for a non-lucrative visa in Spain. Again, I remind you that this process is better done with a lawyer. 

First of all, collect all the necessary documents to present the day of your application.

1. National visa application form

Here I will leave you the link to the official document. The form is personal, so all applicants should complete and sign it. 

👉Application form for the long-term visa

2. Non-lucrative residence visa application form

The name of this form is EX-01; I will leave you the link to both the form and the instructions to fill it out. 

👉Application form EX-01

👉Instructions for the applicaiton form EX-01

3. Passport-size photograph

To avoid any mistakes, go to professional centers that know the exact size for visa applications. 

4. Valid passport

You provide the original passport and a copy. The passport must have a minimum validity of a year and contain two blank pages. 

5. Proof of financial means

You must provide documents proving your financial self-sufficiency to cover your expenses while living in Spain. This includes bank statements with official stamps and seals to support authenticity. 

If you are of working age, you must provide either pension, a termination letter, or an affidavit confirming you agree to not work during your residence. 

6. Health insurance

Provide an original and copy certificate that you possess full, international health insurance. Co-pay is not accepted.

7. Criminal record

You must submit an original copy of the criminal record for the past five years.

This certificate must be legalized by the “Apostille of The Hague.” 

8. Medical certificate

This medical certificate must prove that you do not suffer from any disease that could seriously affect public health.

A reminder that all foreign documents must be apostille.  

9. ID Card that proves your place of residence is within your jurisdiction

This document is to prove that you are applying to your country of residence.

10. Visa and residence permit fees

The official fee to pay the visa and residence fee is Form 790, code 052. You need to tick box 2.1 and print and sign two copies. 

Remember that this payment is made in your city’s Consular Office of Spain.

Procedure

• Get an appointment in your respective Consular Office. 

  The Consular Office will provide you with proof of receipt of the application with a code that enables them to check the status of your case. 

• The Consular Office might ask you to provide more documents, or you can be appointed to a personal interview

• Decision period

  It takes around three months to get a decision on your application.

• Collect your visa

• Get your TIE

The visa will be valid for 90 days; once in Spain, you need to process your TIE or foreign identity card at the “Extranjeria” offices (Police Station).

Opportunities for renewal after one year of the Spain non-lucrative visa

Before applying for a visa, most people want to ensure the accumulative time they get to be later eligible for five-year residence or citizenship. 

If you get a non-lucrative visa in Spain for a year, you have the following options:

• Renew for a second time and get a two-year non-lucrative residence. In this case, the financial terms change, as you must prove you have an IPREM of 800% to cover your next two years in the country. 
• You can look for jobs during your year in Spain and apply only after your year ends. This means you can change your non-lucrative residence to a work permit if you get hired by a Spanish company. 

In either of these options, once you complete five years as a resident in the country, you can apply for a five-year permanent residency or citizenship. This will depend on Spain’s agreements with your country of origin. For example, if you are from Ecuador or other countries in Latin America, you are eligible for citizenship after two years of residence. 

If you wish to go through the non-lucrative process and get the desired result, hiring a lawyer capable of guiding and advising you is advisable. 

I recommend KP Abogados’s offices; if you contact them, ask for Diego. He will revise and advise your case as best as possible.