The Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) lets non-EU citizens live in Spain on their savings, pensions or passive income, without working. This guide explains the 2026 financial thresholds, the consular process, renewals under the new immigration regulation (Royal Decree 1155/2024) and the mistakes that get applications refused.
1) What the Non-Lucrative Visa Is (and Who It Is For)
The Non-Lucrative Visa is Spain’s residence route for people who can support themselves without a job. In Spanish law it is the “autorización de residencia temporal no lucrativa”, regulated by Organic Law 4/2000 on the rights and freedoms of foreigners (LO 4/2000), articles 30 bis and 31, and by the new immigration regulation, Royal Decree 1155/2024 (RD 1155/2024), articles 60 to 64, in force since 20 May 2025.
It is designed for retirees, people living on investments or rental income, and families who want to settle in Spain on their own resources. It is not a work permit and it is not an investment visa: you do not need to buy property or start a business.
It suits people like:
- UK retirees receiving a State Pension, a workplace pension or a private pension who want to spend most of the year in Spain.
- Early retirees living on savings, dividends or investment portfolios.
- Landlords with rental income from property in the UK, the US or elsewhere.
- Families who want a year (or several) in Spain, with children enrolled in Spanish schools.
- Anyone planning a long-term move who does not need to work in Spain in the first years.
2) Key Features at a Glance
What you can do
- Live in Spain legally and register with your town hall (empadronamiento).
- Bring your spouse or partner and children, in the same application or later.
- Invest, hold bank accounts, buy property and study.
- Travel within the Schengen area for short stays (up to 90 days in any 180).
- Count your years towards long-term residence and Spanish nationality.
What you cannot do
- Work as an employee or as self-employed in Spain.
- Work remotely for a foreign employer or foreign clients (use the Digital Nomad route instead).
- Spend most of the year outside Spain: you need more than 183 days of real residence per year to renew.
- Live and settle in another EU country with your Spanish permit.
- Rely on Spain’s public healthcare from day one: private insurance is required.
3) Eligibility Requirements in 2026
According to the official information sheet of the Ministry of Inclusion (Hoja 6) and RD 1155/2024, you must:
- Not be a citizen of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, or a family member covered by the EU citizens’ regime.
- Not be in Spain irregularly and not be banned from entering Spain or the Schengen area.
- Have no criminal record in Spain or in the countries where you have lived in the last five years, for offences that exist under Spanish law.
- Prove sufficient financial means for yourself and your family without working.
- Hold public or private health insurance with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain.
- Not suffer from any disease that could have serious public health implications under the International Health Regulations of 2005 (proved with a medical certificate).
- Pay the application fee.
4) How Much Money Do You Need? (2026 Figures)
The threshold is linked to the IPREM (Spain’s public income index), which is €600 per month in 2026. The main applicant needs 400% of IPREM and each family member 100% of IPREM.
Minimum financial means by family size (2026)
Euros per month, based on IPREM of €600 per month
On a yearly basis, that is €28,800 for a single applicant, €36,000 for a couple, €43,200 for a couple with one child and €50,400 for a family of four.
Income, savings or both
You can prove the means with regular passive income (pensions, dividends, rental income, interest), with savings that cover the whole permit period, or with a combination of both. What matters is that the money is yours, freely available and of lawful origin. Consulates look closely at:
- Bank statements, usually for several months, showing the balance and its history.
- Pension award letters and statements (for example, a UK State Pension statement or a workplace pension letter).
- Rental contracts plus proof that the rent is actually received.
- Investment and brokerage statements, with an indication of how liquid the assets are.
- Documents explaining any large recent deposit (an inheritance, a property sale, a gift).
Example
Sarah, a retired teacher from Manchester, receives a UK State Pension and a teachers’ pension that together come to about €2,100 per month after conversion. She is below the €2,400 threshold on income alone, so she adds savings from her ISA (Individual Savings Account) and current account to cover the gap for the full year. Because her pensions are paid in pounds, she keeps a buffer above the minimum so that a weaker exchange rate does not push her under the threshold. (Illustrative example.)
5) Step-by-Step Application Process
The first application is made from abroad, at the Spanish consulate responsible for the area where you legally live (or its authorised visa application centre). For UK residents, that means the Spanish consulate with jurisdiction over your address in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. You cannot normally apply for the initial NLV from inside Spain as a tourist.
- Plan and check eligibility: Confirm your means, family members, timing and which consulate is competent for you. Book the appointment early: availability varies a lot by consulate.
- Gather the documents: National visa application form, form EX-01, passport, proof of means, Spanish health insurance policy, criminal record certificate, medical certificate and, if relevant, family documents (marriage and birth certificates).
- Legalise and translate: Foreign public documents must be apostilled (or legalised) and translated into Spanish by a sworn translator.
- Submit in person and pay the fee: The residence fee is paid with form Modelo 790, code 052, and there is a separate national visa fee whose amount depends on your nationality.
- Wait for the decision: The competent immigration office has one month from receiving the file from the consulate to decide. If there is no answer, the application is considered refused.
- Collect the visa: Once approved, you have one month to collect it. The visa is valid for up to three months, and you must enter Spain within that period.
- Register and apply for your TIE (Foreigner Identity Card): Within one month of entering Spain, register at your town hall and apply in person for the TIE at the police station.
6) Documents Checklist
Identity and forms
Valid passport (full copy of all pages)
National visa application form
Form EX-01, signed
Passport-size photos
Fee payment (Modelo 790, code 052)
Money and insurance
Bank statements and balance certificates
Pension letters or investment statements
Proof of rental income, if any
Proof of origin of large deposits
Spanish health insurance policy with full cover
Background and family
Criminal record certificate (apostilled)
Medical certificate
Marriage or partnership certificate
Children’s birth certificates
Sworn translations into Spanish
7) NLV or Digital Nomad Visa? Choosing the Right Route
The most common mistake we see is applying for the NLV while planning to keep working remotely. The Non-Lucrative Visa does not allow any work, including remote work for foreign employers or clients. If you will keep working, the Digital Nomad route is designed for you.
Non-Lucrative Visa
Work allowedNo, of any kind
Money reference€2,400/month (400% IPREM) + €600 per family member
Where to applySpanish consulate abroad
Duration1 year, then 2-year renewals
Best forRetirees, savers, passive income
Digital Nomad Visa
Work allowedYes, remote work for foreign companies (Spanish clients up to 20%)
Money reference€2,849/month (200% SMI, Spanish minimum wage) + family supplements
Where to applyConsulate, or in Spain if you are there legally
DurationVisa up to 1 year or permit up to 3 years, then 2-year renewals
Best forRemote employees, freelancers, business owners
Which route fits you?
I will not work and I have pensions, savings or passive incomeNon-Lucrative Visa →
I will keep working remotely for foreign employers or clientsDigital Nomad Visa guide →
My spouse, partner or parent is an EU citizenEU family member residence →
I want to open my own business in SpainSelf-employed visa →
Remember that the Spanish Golden Visa (residence by investment) was abolished on 3 April 2025 by Organic Law 1/2025, so it is no longer an option. For other routes, see our guide to Golden Visa alternatives.
8) Renewal Under RD 1155/2024
The initial permit lasts one year from your entry into Spain. According to the Ministry of Inclusion’s renewal sheet (Hoja 7) and article 64 of RD 1155/2024, the renewed permit lasts two years (renewals did not move to four years for this permit), unless by then you qualify for long-term residence.
Renewal requirements
- Financial means: enough to cover living and housing costs for you and your family for the renewal period, without working.
- Health insurance: kept throughout the current permit and maintained going forward.
- Schooling: children of compulsory school age must be enrolled in school while living in Spain.
- Real presence in Spain: real and effective residence in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year.
- No criminal record and a valid permit (or one that expired less than three months ago).
Deadlines and decision
- File within the two months before your permit expires, or up to three months after expiry (a fine procedure may be opened in that case).
- Filing on time extends your current permit until there is a decision.
- The office has three months to decide. If it does not answer, the renewal is considered approved (positive silence), and you can request a certificate proving it.
- The application uses form EX-01 and the fee is paid with Modelo 790, code 052.
Renewing for your family or worried about your financial means? Let our lawyers prepare your Non-Lucrative application or renewal.
9) Long-Term Residence, Changing to Work and Nationality
Long-term residence after 5 years
After five years of continuous legal residence, you can apply for long-term residence, which allows you to work. Absences are allowed up to six consecutive months, and no more than ten months in total over the five years.
Switching to a work permit
If your plans change, you can apply to modify your non-lucrative permit into a residence and work permit (employed or self-employed), as long as you meet the requirements of the new permit. Read our Alicante case from NLV to self-employment.
Spanish nationality
NLV years count as legal residence for nationality: 10 years in general, or 2 years for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal (Civil Code, article 22). See our guide to citizenship by residence.
Absences and losing residence
Spending long periods outside Spain can block your renewal and your path to long-term residence. Read can you lose your residency after 6 months outside Spain.
10) Tax: What Changes When You Move
The NLV is an immigration permit, not a tax regime. Because you must live in Spain more than 183 days a year to renew, most NLV holders become Spanish tax residents. In general, that means:
- You file a Spanish income tax return (IRPF, personal income tax) on your worldwide income, applying the double taxation treaty with your country (the UK, the US and many others have one with Spain).
- Some pensions, such as certain UK government service pensions, may remain taxable only in the country that pays them under the treaty. Check your case before you move.
- If you hold assets abroad above certain thresholds, you may need to file the informative declaration Modelo 720.
- The special expat regime (Beckham Law) is linked to moving to Spain for work, so it does not normally apply to NLV holders.
Will you be a Spanish tax resident?
Answer a few questions and find out in two minutes with our free residency test.
11) Why Applications Get Refused
Why Applications Get Refused
- Funds below the threshold once the exchange rate is applied, or not proved for the full year.
- Large recent deposits with no documents explaining where the money came from.
- Saying in the file (or in an interview) that you plan to keep working remotely.
- Health insurance with co-payments, waiting periods or exclusions, or a travel policy.
- Applying at the wrong consulate, for example one that does not cover your place of legal residence.
- Expired, unapostilled or untranslated criminal record and medical certificates.
- Missing family documents, or children’s certificates without the required apostille.
- At renewal: not being able to prove more than 183 days of real residence in Spain.
12) Our Services
We handle your Non-Lucrative Visa from the first assessment until you hold your TIE, and we stay with you for every renewal.
- Strategic assessment of your means, family situation and timing, including whether the NLV or another route fits you best.
- Personalised document checklist for your consulate and help collecting every document.
- Review of financial evidence, including pensions, investments, rental income and recent inheritances or property sales.
- Drafting of the application, forms (national visa form and EX-01) and a cover letter explaining your file.
- Coordination of apostilles and sworn translations.
- Communication with the consulate and the immigration office, including answers to requests for more documents.
- Post-arrival support: town hall registration, appointment booking, fingerprints and TIE.
- Renewals, modifications to work permits and the move to long-term residence.
Why Work With Us
Lawyers, not form fillers
MigratioLex is led by Raquel Carmona Flaquer, a Spanish lawyer registered with the Figueres Bar (ICAFI no. 829), specialised in immigration and nationality.
We know both sides
We prepare files with the criteria of consulates and immigration offices in mind, including the practices that are not written in the regulation.
Your language
We work in English, French and Spanish, and we explain each step in plain words.
Beyond the visa
Tax residency, bank accounts, property and nationality: we help you plan the whole move, not just the application.
Ready to Move to Spain on the Non-Lucrative Visa?
Whether you are retiring from London, Manchester or Edinburgh, or anywhere else outside the EU, a well-prepared file is the difference between a smooth approval and months of delay. At MigratioLex, we review your specific case, not a generic checklist. We respond within 24 hours, in English, French or Spanish.
13) Official Resources and Forms
- Ministry of Inclusion, Hoja 6: initial non-lucrative residence permit (requirements, documents, procedure)
- Ministry of Inclusion, Hoja 7: renewal of the non-lucrative residence permit
- Organic Law 4/2000 on the rights and freedoms of foreigners (consolidated text, BOE)
- Royal Decree 1155/2024, immigration regulation (consolidated text, BOE)
- Fee Modelo 790, code 052: residence permit fee (Government electronic office)
14) Non-Lucrative Visa Guides by Topic
Ready to apply? Let our lawyers handle your Non-Lucrative Visa. For a closer look at a specific situation, these are our detailed guides:
Financial Means
Working and Income
- Can you work remotely on the Non-Lucrative Visa?
- Airbnb and investment income: Digital Nomad or Non-Lucrative?
Application Process
- Getting your passport back during the application
- How to open a bank account in Spain as a foreigner
- Opening a Spanish bank account without a NIE (foreigner identification number)
- The new immigration regulation: what changed in 2026
Renewal, Travel and Absences
- Can you lose your residency after 6 months outside Spain?
- Most common reasons for losing your residence permit
- How to travel while renewing your TIE
- Travelling in Europe with a Spanish residence permit
Where to Live
- Retiring in Benidorm from the UK, the USA or another non-EU country
- Moving to rural Spain as a foreigner
Comparisons and Alternatives
- Moving to Spain from the US: best visas for Americans
- Spain Golden Visa alternatives: legal routes to residency
Tax
Real Approved Cases
FAQs
How much money do I need for the Non-Lucrative Visa in 2026?
With the 2026 IPREM of €600 per month, the main applicant needs 400% of IPREM, which is €2,400 per month or €28,800 per year. Each family member adds 100% of IPREM: €600 per month or €7,200 per year. A family of four therefore needs €4,200 per month, or €50,400 per year.
Can I work remotely on the Non-Lucrative Visa?
No. The permit does not allow any work in Spain, including remote work for a foreign employer or foreign clients. If you want to keep working, look at the Digital Nomad Visa guide.
Can I apply from inside Spain?
Not for the initial permit. You apply at the Spanish consulate responsible for the place where you legally live. For example, a retiree living in Edinburgh applies through the Spanish consulate that covers Scotland, not from a holiday flat in Spain.
How long is the permit valid?
The initial permit lasts one year from your entry into Spain. Renewals are for two years each. After five years of continuous legal residence, you can apply for long-term residence.
What do I need to renew?
Sufficient means for the renewal period, continued health insurance, schooling for children of compulsory school age, no criminal record and real residence in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year. You can file from two months before expiry until three months after, and silence after three months means approval.
Is “800% of IPREM” required to renew?
Not as a written rule. The regulation asks for sufficient means for the renewal period. Some offices, in practice, ask to see the annual amount for each of the two years. Prepare for that reading, but it is an office practice, not a legal percentage.
Can my savings count instead of income?
Yes. Savings, passive income or a combination are accepted, as long as the money is in your name, available and of documented lawful origin. Recent inheritances or property sales can count if properly documented.
Can I use my UK pension?
Yes. UK State Pensions, workplace pensions and private pensions can all count as income. Provide official statements and allow for exchange rate changes so that the converted amount stays above the threshold.
Does the NLV lead to Spanish citizenship?
Yes. Years under a valid permit count as legal residence. The general period is 10 years, reduced to 2 years for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal.
Can I bring my family?
Yes. Your spouse or partner and children can apply with you, as long as you prove the additional €600 per month (100% of IPREM) for each of them, and school-age children attend school in Spain.
This page provides general information as of October 2026 and is not legal advice. Requirements and consular practice can change; examples are illustrative.
