Spain non-lucrative visa: what you need in 2026

Who the non-lucrative visa is for

The non-lucrative residence visa (residencia no lucrativa) is designed for non-EU nationals who can support themselves in Spain without working. It suits retirees with a pension, people living on savings, rental income or investments, and families where one member has enough means to support the others.

The key word is non-lucrative: the permit does not allow you to take a job in Spain. If you plan to keep working remotely for an employer or clients abroad, the digital nomad visa is usually the better fit.

You apply at the Spanish consulate for your place of residence, using the official application form (EX-01 for the residence authorisation). Once in Spain, you apply for your residence card (TIE).

The funds requirement for 2026

You must show sufficient financial means of 400% of the IPREM, the Spanish public income indicator, for the main applicant, plus 100% of the IPREM for each dependant. The IPREM for 2026 is €600 a month.

On the standard 12-payment basis, the main applicant needs €2,400 a month and each dependant adds €600. Some consulates calculate the IPREM on 14 payments, which raises the figure for a single applicant to €33,600 a year. The calculator above lets you switch between both.

What counts as funds

Consulates look for money you can actually use. Pensions, regular investment income and balances in bank accounts are the clearest evidence. Assets that are not liquid, such as property you have not sold or money tied up in long-term products, are a frequent reason for refusal. Bring recent bank statements and pension or income letters, and make sure the figures are easy to follow.

Health insurance

You need private health insurance with a company authorised to operate in Spain, with full cover. Policies with co-payments are a common cause of refusal, so choose a plan without them, and check that the cover starts from the date you expect to arrive.

Documents to apostille and translate

Typical documents include your passport, the application form, proof of funds, health insurance, a criminal record certificate covering the last 5 years and a medical certificate. For family members, add marriage and birth certificates.

Foreign public documents must be apostilled under the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 (or legalised if your country is not a party) and translated into Spanish by a sworn translator. Do not forget that the apostille must be translated too. Some consulates accept certain documents in English: check your consulate's own list, because requirements vary.

A translation certified in the UK or the US is usually not enough. Our guide to sworn translation in Spain explains why and what it costs: from English, €29 for a one-page certificate such as a criminal record and €39 per page for other documents, VAT and apostille translation included.

Fees and timing

You pay the visa fee at the consulate, which depends on your nationality, and the residence fee on the modelo 790 code 052. We list the latter at around €10.94, but that amount is not confirmed, so generate the form on the official website to see the exact fee. Once in Spain, the first TIE costs €16.08. All codes are in our immigration fees table (in Spanish).

Consular processing generally takes 1 to 3 months. Plan your criminal record certificate carefully: in practice it is accepted for about 6 months from issue, so request it once the rest of your file is almost ready.

Duration and renewal

The first permit lasts 1 year. After that you renew for 2 years, and then another 2 years. At each renewal you show that you still have the required funds and health insurance and that you have actually lived in Spain. After 5 years of legal residence you can usually move to long-term residence.

Common mistakes

• Using the 12-payment figure when your consulate uses 14.
• Funds that are not liquid or not clearly in your name.
• Health insurance with co-payments or not authorised in Spain.
• Criminal record certificates that are expired or without a translated apostille.
• Planning to work in Spain. The permit does not allow it.

If you want the full document list for your consulate and family situation, with the steps in order, our personalised checklist covers it.

For the full Spanish-language guide, see residencia no lucrativa (in Spanish).