Immigration lawyers in Spain
Non-Lucrative Visa Spain
Live in Spain on your own means, without working. One year to start, renewable, with your family included. We handle the whole application — from the first document to your TIE card in your hand.

Is it for you?
Is it for you?
This visa is for people who can support themselves in Spain without working: retirees, people living on savings, rental income, dividends or investments.
Everything else follows from one question — where your money comes from. If it does not come from you working, this is your route.
- Passive income or savings
- No work in Spain
- €28,800/year for one applicant
- Applied for at the Consulate
- Your family can come with you
You cannot work on this visa
The Non-Lucrative Visa does not allow any employment or professional activity in Spain — not as an employee, not as a freelancer, not for a Spanish company and not for a foreign one. It is the single most common reason these applications are refused or later revoked.
If you plan to keep working, whoever you work for and wherever they are, this is not the right permit for you. Book a call and we will tell you which one is.
Key advantages
Key advantages
1 + 2 + 2 years
One year to start, then two renewals of two years each.
Family included
Spouse or registered partner, minor children, and adult children who depend on you through illness or disability.
Schengen mobility
Free movement across the Schengen area.
Counts for citizenship
The time of residence adds up, and leads to long-term residence at 5 years.
Public schooling
Your children can enrol in Spanish state schools.
No employer needed
Nothing depends on a job offer or a Spanish company.
One thing to know before you decide
Living in Spain for more than 183 days a year makes you a Spanish tax resident, taxed on your worldwide income. The Beckham tax regime is not available on this route. Plan your tax position before you apply, not after.
Requirements
Requirements
| Financial means | ≥ €28,800 per year (€2,400/month) — 400% of the IPREM |
| Family means | + €7,200 per year (€600/month) for each family member — 100% of the IPREM |
| Source of income | Passive: pensions, rental income, dividends, investments or savings. Income earned from work is not accepted for this permit. |
| No economic activity | No employment or self-employment in Spain, for a Spanish or a foreign company |
| Criminal record | Clean record in every country of residence over the last 5 years |
| Health insurance | Full coverage with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain — no co-payments, no waiting periods, no coverage cap |
| Medical certificate | Confirming you are free of diseases with public health implications under the 2005 International Health Regulations |
| Legal status | No irregular stay in Spain, and no entry ban in Spain or in the Schengen area |
Financial means — how it adds up
| Household | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Main applicant | €28,800 | €2,400 |
| + 1 family member | €36,000 | €3,000 |
| + 2 family members | €43,200 | €3,600 |
| + 3 family members | €50,400 | €4,200 |
Based on an IPREM of €600/month. These figures change whenever the IPREM is updated — ask us to confirm them on the day you apply.
Required documents
Required documents
Core file — every applicant
- National visa application form, completed and signed
- Form EX-01 (residence authorisation), completed and signed
- Passport valid for at least one year — full copy of all pages
- Two recent passport photos, white background
- Proof of financial means for the last 12 months: bank certificates, pension statements, rental or dividend income
- Private health insurance with full coverage in Spain — no co-payments, no waiting periods, no coverage cap
- Medical certificate issued within the last 3 months — apostilled and sworn-translated
- Criminal record certificate from every country of residence in the last 5 years — apostilled and sworn-translated
- Proof of residence in the consular district where you apply
- Proof of fee payment (consular visa fee and Form 790, code 052)
Per family member
- Passport and two passport photos
- Marriage certificate, birth certificate or proof of dependency — apostilled and sworn-translated
- Criminal record certificate (from age 18)
- Medical certificate
- Health insurance under the same conditions as the main applicant
- Proof that the main applicant’s means cover the extra threshold
Every Consulate has its own requirements — check before you apply. The list above is the file the law asks for. Individual consulates add their own forms, formats and certified copies, and they do not all ask for the same thing. Tell us where you will apply and we will send you the version that consulate accepts.
The application process
The application process
| Where you apply | At the Spanish Consulate in your country of residence. This visa cannot be applied for from inside Spain. |
| Who must attend | Every applicant in person, children included, accompanied by a parent |
| What you get | A one-year visa to enter Spain, converted into a TIE residence card once you are here |
| Resolution | 1–3 months*, varies by consulate |
| Renewal | 2 years, then 2 more |
| Long-term residence | After 5 years of continuous legal residence |
Nodisea tip
Consular criteria vary a great deal between countries. Tell us where you will apply before you start gathering documents — the same file can be accepted in one consulate and returned by another over a detail of format.
Step by step
From the first call to your TIE card
1
Assessment
Free 15-min call. We confirm you qualify and where you should apply.
Day 0
2
Documents
Shared Drive folder. Apostilles and sworn translations are the slow part.
4–8 weeks
3
Consular filing
We prepare the file and brief you before you attend in person.
Varies by consulate
4
Resolution
We follow up and answer any request for further documents.
1–3 months*
5
Visa & travel
You collect the visa in person and travel to Spain within its validity.
Within 1 month
6
TIE card
Padrón registration, fingerprints and collection of your residence card.
Within 30 days of entry
*Timeframes are indicative and depend on the consulate handling the file. Expect around 3–5 months from the start of document collection to holding your TIE.
Our service
What we do for you
Included
- Eligibility assessment and review of your source of income
- Personalised document checklist
- Shared Drive folder and full document review
- Preparation of the visa file and the EX-01 form
- Consular appointment booking and a briefing before you attend
- Communication with the authorities
- Requests for further documents (requerimientos)
- Padrón registration support, fingerprint appointment and TIE application
- Family members’ applications prepared together
- Direct contact with your case manager throughout
Not included
- Administrative fees (tasas) and consular visa fees
- Apostilles and sworn translations
- Health insurance policy
- Medical certificate
- Tax filings and tax residency advice
Fees
Fees and payment options
Up-front Payment
€850 + VAT
Main applicant
- When you payAt the start of the assignment
- Each dependant€350 + VAT
- Formalised withUpon payment
- Best ifYou want the lower fee
Pay For Success
€1,275 + VAT
Main applicant
- When you payOnly after the visa approval
- Each dependant€525 + VAT
- Formalised withSigned Service Sheet
- Best ifYou want to transfer the risk
In one line: we start working without payment; you only pay if the permit is granted, and the fee reflects the risk we take on.
Administrative fees (tasas), consular visa fees, apostilles and sworn translations are not included.
Get the full document checklist
The complete list of documents for you and your family, in the version your consulate accepts. Tell us where you will apply and we will send it to you.
Let our clients do the talking
What do our clients say?
Consultations
Still have questions?
Our immigration specialists in Spain are happy to answer them.
15 min
Quick eligibility check — free
45 min
Case review
60 min
Full strategy session
Consultation fees are deducted from our fees if you go ahead.
Other permits
Looking for a different permit?
Contact us
Request your document checklist
Tell us about your case and we will get back to you within 24 hours with the next steps and the documents that apply to you.