What is the Non-lucrative visa?
In short: the non-lucrative visa lets non-EU citizens live in Spain without working here. For 2026 you must prove around €28,800 a year for the main applicant and €7,200 for each family member, plus private health insurance, a clean criminal record and a medical certificate. You apply from your own country, at the Spanish consulate for your district, never from inside Spain. It is granted for one year and renewed for two-year periods. Since the golden visa closed to new applications in April 2025, this is the main route for retirees and for anyone who can live on income from outside Spain.
The non-lucrative residency visa is a residency permit for non-European Union citizens who wish to reside in Spain without carrying out professional activity, that is, without the need to work.
It is a permit that is granted for an initial period of one year, without prejudice to its subsequent renewals if the requirements that we will explain to you below are met.
Therefore, if you are planning to come to Spain to enjoy your retirement or if you can simply live off your passive income and do not need to work, keep reading because you will be interested in knowing more about this residency permit.
Who can apply for the Non-lucrative Visa?
The non-lucrative visa is mainly aimed at those who want to retire in our country, as well as those who have sufficient economic means to live in Spain without working, even if they are not yet of retirement age.
However, it is also an excellent option for those who want to experience the Spanish lifestyle for a year and then apply for a work permit at the end of the first year.
You can also apply for yourself and for your family members, so the application can include your spouse or stable partner and children.
If in your case you already have a Non-lucrative Visa and you want to know how to renew it, in this other article we explain you how to apply for Non-lucrative visa Spain renewal.
Requirements for the application
Financial means
The main requirement to apply for the non-lucrative residency is to have sufficient financial means to live in Spain without carrying out professional activity, which translates into proving a sufficient amount to cover the initial year of residency authorisation for the main applicant and accompanying family members.
The minimum amount required is equivalent to 400% of the IPREM for the main applicant and 100% for each dependent family member. Therefore, in 2026, with the IPREM still set at 600 euros a month, the amount required is 28,800 euros for the main applicant and 7,200 euros for each accompanying family member.
We recommend increasing this amount to ensure a successful application, as some consulates may require additional requirements regarding the proof of financial means, so you may need more funds in your bank account to obtain your residency.
However, you can prove sufficient means not only with funds in your bank account but also by proving that you have a source of regular income not derived from work, for yourself and, if applicable, for the accompanying family members.
If you are of working age, you must provide evidence of receiving a pension or provide a letter of termination from your employer indicating that you will no longer work for that company or, if self-employed, you must provide a sworn statement before a Notary stating that you undertake not to work while residing in Spain. In the case of retirees, the applicant must be a beneficiary of a state pension or a non-capitalizable life annuity payable by a public or private institution and/or investment accounts.
Other requirements
Along with the proof of financial means, the following information must also be provided to obtain the non-lucrative residency visa in Spain:
- Health insurance contracted with an authorised insurance company operating in Spain, covering all the risks covered by the public health system in Spain, that is, without co-payment, and including repatriation. This policy must cover the applicant and all accompanying family members.
- Medical certificate attesting that the applicant does not suffer from diseases that may have serious repercussions for public health in accordance with the International Health Regulations of 2005.
- Certificate of criminal record. Applicants of legal age shall submit a criminal record certificate issued by the country or countries of residency in the last 5 years.
Finally, you will also have to provide and complete the following documentation:
- National visa application form
- Application form for non-lucrative residency authorisation (Form EX-01).
- A recent color passport-size photograph with a clear background, taken from the front, without dark glasses, reflections, or garments that hide the oval of the face.
- Valid and current passport.
- Proof of residency in the consular district.
- Payment of fees.
For including family members, documents proving the relationship to the main applicant must be provided: birth or marriage certificates or proof of financial dependence for adult children or dependent ascendants.
Advantages of the non-lucrative residency
The main advantage of the non-lucrative residency visa is that it does not require a minimum investment for its acquisition, This matters more than it used to, because Spain stopped accepting new golden visa (residency-by-investment) applications on 3 April 2025. Buying a property no longer leads to a residence permit, so for most retirees and people living on passive income the non-lucrative visa is now the route.
It is important to remember that this visa is not intended for those who want to work remotely from Spain, as the recent residency for digital nomads has been designed for this purpose.
Applying from the United States
Most of our American clients are retiring to the Costa del Sol or moving here with income from outside Spain, and the application has a few specifics worth knowing before you start.
- The consulate is decided by where you live, not by where you prefer. Spain divides the United States into consular districts — Washington DC, New York, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco and Puerto Rico — and each one only takes applications from the states it covers, and each can ask for documents the others do not.
- The criminal record check. US applicants are normally asked for an FBI Identity History Summary, apostilled by the US Department of State and translated by a sworn translator. The apostille is the step that catches people out: start it early.
- You cannot work remotely on this visa. This is the most common misunderstanding we see. The non-lucrative visa does not allow professional activity in Spain, and that includes working online for an employer or clients back home. For that, the route is the digital nomad visa.
- Your US tax filing does not end. The United States taxes its citizens on worldwide income for life, wherever they live. This permit requires at least 183 days a year in Spain, so you also become a Spanish tax resident and declare your worldwide income here. The US–Spain treaty and foreign tax credits stop the same income being taxed twice, but both sets of obligations remain.
- Buying a home and getting the visa are two separate matters. Buying grants no right of residence. If you are doing both at once, start with the NIE, which you need for either.
If you would rather have the whole file handled from Spain, our immigration lawyers in Fuengirola prepare these applications for clients across the United States, in English.
Where to submit the application
The application must be submitted by the interested party at the Spanish consulate in their country of origin or residency. In fact, many consulates require proof of residency in the consular district for the submission of the application.
It is important to know that this residency permit cannot be requested from Spain as with other permits such as the Golden Visa, so you will have to do it compulsorily from your own country.
The legal period for deciding on your application is three months from the date of submission, without prejudice to the possibility of requesting additional documents throughout the process.
Once you have obtained your visa, you must enter Spain within a maximum period of 3 months, register your residency, and request an appointment at the police station to have your fingerprints taken and apply for the foreigner’s identity card within one month.
Renewal regime
After the first year of initial residency and having met the requirement of staying for a minimum of 183 days in Spain, you can apply for the renewal of the non-lucrative residency for a further period of two years.
Keep in mind that as it is a renewal for two years, the proof of financial means must be sufficient to cover this period, that is, double the amounts stipulated for the initial application as mentioned above.
Tax obligations
Finally, it is important to know that this residency permit requires your presence in Spain for a minimum period of six months per year (183 days) and therefore the obligation to become a tax resident in our country and declare all income worldwide in order to renew your permit.
Therefore, we recommend that you contact a lawyer or tax expert to analyze the consequences of establishing your tax residency in our country.
Frequently asked questions about the non-lucrative visa
Can I work remotely on a Spanish non-lucrative visa?
No. The non-lucrative visa does not allow professional activity in Spain, and that includes remote work for an employer or clients outside Spain. The route for remote workers is the digital nomad visa.
How much money do I need for the non-lucrative visa in 2026?
Around €28,800 a year for the main applicant and €7,200 for each accompanying family member, equivalent to 400% and 100% of the IPREM. Consulates can ask for more evidence, so applying with a margin above the minimum is safer.
Can I apply for the non-lucrative visa from inside Spain?
No. The application is made at the Spanish consulate for the district where you live, in your own country.
Which Spanish consulate do I apply to from the United States?
The one that covers your state. Spain has consulates in Washington DC, New York, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco and Puerto Rico, each with its own district and document list.
Does the non-lucrative visa make me a Spanish tax resident?
In practice yes: the permit requires at least 183 days a year in Spain, which makes you a tax resident and obliges you to declare your worldwide income here. US citizens continue to file in the United States as well.
Does buying a property in Spain give me residency?
No. Spain closed the golden visa to new applications on 3 April 2025, so no purchase leads to a residence permit.
Do you have any question about the Non-lucrative visa?
