To successfully apply for the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) in 2025, applicants must meet a set of legal, financial, and medical prerequisites, as defined by Spanish immigration authorities. These conditions ensure that visa holders can sustain themselves without relying on employment or government assistance.

✅ 1. No Employment or Business Activity Permitted

The NLV strictly prohibits any type of economic activity in Spain. This means:

• You cannot work for a Spanish company or freelance locally.

• You must not engage in commercial activities within Spanish territory.

• Your income must originate outside of Spain, from passive sources.

✅ 2. Demonstrated Financial Means (Based on IPREM)

Applicants must show financial independence based on the 2025 IPREM (Indicador Público de Renta de Efectos Múltiples):

• Main Applicant: Minimum €2,400/month (€28,800 annually)

• Each Dependent: Additional €600/month (€7,200 annually)

Acceptable sources of income include:

• Pension distributions

• Real estate rental income

• Dividends from investments

• Interest-bearing savings or annuities

• Proof of sufficient cash reserves (bank statements)

✅ 3. Comprehensive Private Health Insurance

You must obtain a full private health policy from a provider authorized in Spain that meets the following criteria:

• Zero co-payments or deductibles

• Coverage equal to or exceeding the Spanish public health system (Seguridad Social)

• Valid for the entire visa duration

• Must be renewable and activated before entering Spain

How to Apply for the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa: Step-by-Step Process (2025)

Applying for the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) involves a multi-stage process administered through Spanish consulates and embassies in your country of legal residence. To ensure a smooth approval, every step must comply with Spain’s residency visa regulations.

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

Before scheduling an appointment, verify that you meet all basic requirements:

• Sufficient financial means under the IPREM benchmark

• Full private health insurance

• A clean criminal background (past 5 years)

• No intention to engage in any work activity

Step 2: Schedule an Appointment with the Spanish Consulate

Appointments are mandatory and must be made well in advance. Slots fill quickly due to high demand. Visit the official website of your nearest Spanish consulate or embassy to:

• Check processing timelines

• Access your consulate-specific application instructions

• Book your in-person visa submission

Step 3: Prepare the Required Documentation

Compile a complete application dossier with both originals and copies:

• Valid passport (minimum 1-year validity)

• Completed National Visa Application Form

• Two recent passport-size photos

• Medical certificate (issued within 90 days; must comply with WHO standards)

• Criminal background check (local + federal, apostilled)

• Proof of economic means (bank statements, pensions, rental income, etc.)

• Proof of private health insurance with no co-pay

• Certified Spanish translations of all documents not originally in Spanish

• Apostilled documents where required

Step 4: Attend the Visa Appointment & Submit Biometrics

During your visit to the consulate:

• Submit your full application package

• Provide biometric data (fingerprints, photo capture)

• Possibly complete a short interview

✈️ Step 5: Visa Approval and Entry Into Spain

Once your visa is approved (usually within 30–90 days):

• You will receive a national visa sticker in your passport

• Travel to Spain within the visa validity window

• Within 30 days of entry, apply for:

  • TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) – Foreigner Identity Card

  • NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero) – Foreigner Identification Number

  • These are processed at the local police station in your place of residence.

Financial Proof: What You Need to Show (2025)

To qualify for the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa, applicants must provide detailed evidence of financial independence. Your funds must be stable, verifiable, and sufficient to support your stay in Spain without employment, in line with IPREM benchmarks for 2025.

✅ Accepted Forms of Financial Documentation:

You must submit official proof showing ongoing income or substantial savings for the previous 6–12 months. Acceptable financial evidence includes:

• Bank statements showing consistent balances and transaction history

• Pension income certificates from government or private institutions

• Rental property income statements, lease agreements, or bank deposits

• Dividend income from stocks or mutual funds, with source documents

• Investment account holdings (e.g., brokerage statements or interest-yielding assets)

All documents must be:

• Recent (typically no older than 3 months)

• In your name (or include legal proof of relationship if shared)

• Translated into Spanish and apostilled, if issued outside Spain

💡 Key Guidelines:

• The funds must originate from non-Spanish sources.

• If you include family members in your application, the total required amount increases according to IPREM (e.g., €600/month per dependent).

• The focus is on sustainability of income, not just one-time balances.

Bringing Family Members on the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa

Spain’s Non-Lucrative Visa allows you to include dependent family members under the same residence permit application—provided you demonstrate sufficient financial means to support each person, based on the IPREM multiplier for dependents.

👨‍👩‍👧 Who You Can Include:

The following family members are eligible to accompany the main visa applicant:

• Spouse or legally registered partner

• Minor children under 18 years of age

• Dependent adult children (e.g., university students)

• Elderly parents who are financially dependent on you

Each person must submit an individual application but will be tied to your financial and housing documentation.

💶 Financial Requirements for Dependents:

For every dependent, you must add:

• €600/month (€7,200 annually) per person to your base financial requirement.

Example for a family of four:

• Main applicant: €28,800/year

• 3 dependents: €7,200 x 3 = €21,600

• Total minimum income required: €50,400/year

 Required Supporting Documents for Family Members:

Each dependent must include:

• Valid passport

• Individual National Visa Application Form

• Birth or marriage certificates (apostilled and translated into Spanish)

• Private health insurance

• Proof of legal dependency (if over 18)

• Shared proof of address and sufficient housing space (rental contract or property deed)

Required Documents Checklist for the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa (2025)

To ensure a smooth and complete application process, you must submit a full set of official documents, many of which require apostilles and certified Spanish translations. Below is a comprehensive checklist categorized by applicant type and document function.

Core Documents for the Main Applicant:

• Valid Passport: Must have at least 12 months validity and a minimum of two blank pages.

• National Visa Application Form: Fully completed and signed.

• Two Passport-Size Photos: In color, recent, and meeting ICAO standards.

• Medical Certificate: Issued within the last 90 days, stating you are free of contagious diseases (per WHO 2005 International Health Regulations). Must be apostilled and translated.

• Criminal Background Check: Covering the past 5 years from all countries of residence. Must be apostilled and translated.

• Proof of Financial Means: Recent bank statements, pension letters, rental income, dividends, or investment records showing sufficient funds (see IPREM thresholds).

• Private Health Insurance Policy: With no co-pays or deductibles, valid in Spain, and covering the entire duration of your stay.

• Proof of Accommodation in Spain: Rental contract, property deed, or formal invitation letter.

• Certified Translations: All non-Spanish documents must be translated by a sworn translator (traductor jurado) recognized by the Spanish government.

• Apostilles: Required for official documents issued outside the EU (e.g., criminal record, birth certificates, medical certificates).

Additional Documents for Family Members (if applicable):

• Individual Visa Applications and Passports

• Marriage Certificate or Birth Certificates (for spouses or children) – apostilled and translated

• Proof of Dependency (if applicable)

• Shared Housing Documentation

• Family Health Insurance Coverage or individual policies

Health Insurance & Medical Requirements for the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa

The Spain Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) requires strict compliance with both private health insurance standards and medical clearance protocols, aligned with Spain’s public health benchmarks and international health regulations.

🏥 Health Insurance Criteria

You must obtain a comprehensive private health insurance policy from a provider authorized to operate in Spain. The policy must meet the following criteria:

• No co-payments, deductibles, or coverage exclusions

• Coverage equivalent to or better than Spain’s public healthcare system (Seguridad Social)

• Valid for the entire period of your initial visa (minimum one year)

• Activated prior to entry into Spain

• Issued by an insurance provider licensed in Spain

Tip: Most Spanish consulates will reject travel insurance or limited coverage plans. Your insurance must offer full medical, hospital, emergency, and repatriation coverage.

 Medical Certificate Requirements

A medical certificate is mandatory to prove that the applicant does not suffer from any diseases that may pose a threat to public health, in accordance with the 2005 WHO International Health Regulations.

Requirements:

• Must be issued by a licensed medical professional

• Should explicitly state that you are free from communicable diseases

• Must be issued within the last 90 days

• Must be apostilled (if issued outside Spain)

• Must be translated into Spanish by a certified sworn translator (traductor jurado)

What Happens After You Arrive in Spain?

Once your Non-Lucrative Visa is approved and you enter Spanish territory, your immigration process is not yet complete. You must take additional steps to legalize your stay and obtain the proper identification for long-term residence.

🪪 Step 1: Apply for the TIE (Foreigner Identity Card)

Within 30 calendar days of arriving in Spain, you are legally required to request your Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE)—the official residence card that proves your legal stay.

✅ What you need:

• Original passport with visa

• Completed EX-17 application form

• Modelo 790 Code 012 payment receipt (administrative fee)

• Passport-size photograph (white background)

• Empadronamiento certificate (proof of address, obtained from your local town hall)

• Proof of entry date into Spain (e.g., airline ticket or stamp)

Submit your documents at the Oficina de Extranjería or local police station in your place of residence. An appointment (cita previa) is mandatory.

🔢 Step 2: Obtain Your NIE (Foreigner Identification Number)

If not already issued during your visa process, you will also receive your Número de Identificación de Extranjero (NIE)—a unique tax and identification number used for:

• Opening a bank account

• Signing rental contracts

• Paying taxes

• Registering for services

The NIE is usually issued together with your TIE card.

🏠 Step 3: Maintain Legal Residency Conditions

After receiving your TIE and NIE, you must ensure compliance with Spain’s residency requirements:

• Maintain sufficient financial means

• Keep your health insurance active

• Renew your visa and residence card before expiration

• Notify immigration authorities of address changes

Renewal & Long-Term Residency Options for the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa

The Spain Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) offers a clear pathway toward long-term residency and, eventually, permanent residence or Spanish citizenship. To maintain your legal status, it’s essential to understand the renewal timeline, required documentation, and eligibility criteria for more advanced residency stages.

🔁 Visa Renewal Timeline

⚠️ You must remain in Spain for at least 183 days per year to maintain eligibility and avoid visa cancellation due to excessive absences.

📋 Documents Required for Visa Renewal

To renew your Non-Lucrative Residence Permit, you’ll typically need:

• Updated proof of financial means (covering next renewal period per IPREM)

• Valid private health insurance (renewed for the new term)

• Recent police clearance certificate

• Proof of accommodation (rental contract, utility bills, or property deed)

• Proof of residency (empadronamiento)

• School registration documents (for minor dependents, if applicable)

• Tax compliance certificate (optional but increasingly requested by some immigration offices)

🛂 Path to Permanent Residency in Spain

After five uninterrupted years of holding the NLV and complying with renewal requirements, you may apply for permanent residency (residencia de larga duración). This permit grants you:

• Right to work in Spain

• Indefinite residence status, renewable every five years

• Access to more public services and fewer bureaucratic restrictions

You must demonstrate:

• Stable economic solvency

• Full legal residency history

• Valid housing and insurance coverage

🇪🇸 Spanish Citizenship Eligibility

You may apply for Spanish citizenship after:

• 10 years of legal residence

• 2 years for nationals of Latin America, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, or Sephardic origin

• 1 year if married to a Spanish citizen or born in Spain to foreign parents

To qualify, you must:

• Show cultural and legal integration (pass language and civics exams)

• Provide a clean criminal record

• Be tax-compliant and demonstrate financial stability

⚠️ Dual citizenship is only allowed with countries that have bilateral agreements with Spain.

Ready to Start Your Spanish Journey?

The Spain Non-Lucrative Visa offers a life-changing opportunity for those seeking a peaceful, work-free lifestyle in one of Europe’s most beautiful countries. Whether you’re retiring, working remotely on passive income, or simply wanting a fresh start, this visa could be your ideal gateway. Our specialist at Fast Passport Boutique will help you begin your journey to getting a Spain non-lucrative visa and being able to unlock unparalleled global mobility.