Non-lucrative visa for residence in Spain - PMF Advocats (2024)

Non-lucrative residence is requested by foreigners from their country of origin, allowing them to obtain a visa and subsequently reside in Spain without carrying out work. Foreigners must first apply for a non-lucrative visa at the Consulate or Embassy of their country of origin.

Once the visa has been picked up, the applicant must enter Spain during the validity period thereof – a period which under no circ*mstances will exceed three months.

The initial non-lucrative residence permit will have a term of one year and its validity will begin on the date on which entry into Spain took place.

• Two copies of the official residence visa application form duly filled out and signed by the foreigner or his or her legal representative if he/she is a minor.
• Passport or travel document recognised as valid in Spain, with a minimum validity of one year.
• Criminal record check or equivalent document (if of legal age) issued by the authorities of the country of origin or the country or countries in which the applicant resided during the last five years.
• Documentation proving financial means for the period requested:
  • For living expenses during the applicant's time in Spain, an amount equivalent to 400% of the Multi-Purpose Public Indicator of Income (Spanish acronym IPREM) per month, in euros. In the year 2023, the IPREM was 600 euros per month; thus, the minimum was 28,800 euros. This figure must be proven to be available in the bank by the main applicant.
  • For the living expenses of family members that the applicant is responsible for during their time in Spain, an amount equivalent to 100% of the IPREM. Thus, for the year 2023, 7,200 euros had to be proven for each additional family member.

    In both cases, the total amount of financial means must allow for the monthly amount calculated as described above over the full validity period of the requested permit.

• Documentation proving medical insurance with an insurance entity authorised to do business in Spain.
• Medical certificate certifying that the applicant does not suffer from any disease that may have serious public health repercussions.

Within a period of one month after the foreigner entered Spain, he or she must personally request the foreigner identity card at the corresponding police station. The applicant must show his or her passport or travel document when the fingerprint process is undertaken for the foreigner identity card, and he/she must also provide:

• Application for a foreigner identity card, official form EX-17.
• Proof of payment of the card issuance fee.
• One recent colour passport photo on a white background.

The foreigner's application for and pick-up of the TIE must be in person.

Renewals of temporary residence permits will be valid for two years.

If you receive notice that your non-lucrative residence visa was denied, you may file an optional appeal for review within a period of one month from the time you are notified, filing said appeal before the Consulate/Embassy of the country of origin.

You may also file a contentious-administrative claim before the court within a period of two months from the time you are notified.

Foreigners who wish to renew their temporary residence permit may do so before the competent immigration office up to sixty calendar days before to the expiration date of the current permit in force. Submission of a renewal application within this period extends the validity of the previous residence permit until the application for renewal is approved or denied. The validity of the previous residence permit will also be extended until the application for renewal is approved or denied in the event that said application is submitted up to ninety calendar days after the date on which the previous residence permit expired – notwithstanding the initiation of the corresponding penalty proceedings for the infraction incurred as a result of allowing the permit to expire.

To renew a non-lucrative temporary residence permit, the foreign applicant must meet the following requirements:

• They must be the holder of a valid non-lucrative residence permit or be within ninety calendar days of said permit's expiration.
• They must have sufficient financial means to cover their expenses in Spain (including, if applicable, the expenses of their family) during the period of time of the renewal and without the need to carry out any work or professional activity, under the terms established in article 47.
• They must have public or private health insurance with an insurance entity authorised to do business in Spain.
• They must send the school-aged minors in their care to school during their stay in Spain.
• They must have paid the processing fee.

Renewals of temporary residence permits will be valid for two years, unless it is necessary to obtain a national or EU long-term residence permit.

Approval or denial of applications will be sent to the applicant. If the government does not send notice of approval or denial within three months from the date of the application's submission, the application will be considered to have been approved.

The foreign national must request the renewal of his/her foreigner identity card within a period of one month from the time notice of the residence permit’s renewal is given.