Spain non-lucrative visa: requirements and funds

You have enough savings, income keeps coming in from abroad, and Spain’s non-lucrative visa looks like the easiest way to move with your family. But this is exactly where applicants most often go wrong: savings, a pension, dividends and a salary for remote work are not the same thing. If you plan to keep working, first check whether that activity is compatible with this permit, and only then order certificates or move money.

The non-lucrative residence permit (residencia temporal no lucrativa) lets you live in Spain without any employment or professional activity. Its rules are set out in articles 61–64 of Spain’s Immigration Regulation, RD 1155/2024, in force since 20 May 2025 (RD 1155/2024 in the BOE).

Key points

• It is for people who will live in Spain without working: not as an employee, not self-employed, not remotely (art. 61.1 RD 1155/2024).
• Minimum funds: 400% of IPREM per month for the main applicant, plus 100% of IPREM for each dependent family member (art. 62.1). With IPREM at €600 a month, that is €2,400 and €600 (SEPE).
• Funds must cover the whole permit period. The first permit lasts 1 year, so a single applicant needs at least €28,800 (arts. 61.4 and 62.2).
• You apply at a Spanish consulate, not from inside Spain (art. 63.1).
• Renewals last 2 years and require more than 183 days of residence in Spain per calendar year (art. 64).

Who the non-lucrative visa is for

It is designed for people who can live in Spain on their own funds or passive income without earning from work. The regulation defines the status as foreigners and their families authorised to live in Spain “without carrying out employment or professional activities” (art. 61.1).

If you are employed, freelance, run a business or get paid for regular assignments, do not call it “passive income” without legal advice. In expat chats people sometimes suggest showing a bank balance and “passive” income, but a chat cannot decide the legal nature of your earnings. Ask a specialist to review your actual activity, not just your bank statement.

If your income comes from shares in companies based in Spain, the regulation requires a certificate showing you do not work in those companies, plus a signed declaration (art. 62.3).

If you want to work remotely for a foreign company, look at Spain’s digital nomad residence permit instead. Its threshold is 200% of the minimum wage (SMI). With the 2026 SMI at €1,221 paid 14 times a year (SEPE), that is about €2,849 a month for the main applicant. It is a separate regime with its own criteria and does not turn a non-lucrative permit into a work permit.

Non-lucrative visa requirements under RD 1155/2024

For the first permit you must show (art. 61.2):

• enough money to support yourself and your family for the whole period without working;
• health insurance;
• that you are not within a no-return commitment after a voluntary return programme;
• that you are not a threat to public order, security or health: Spanish criminal records and a police report are checked;
• that you have paid the processing fee.

The general residence visa requirements also apply (art. 38): a completed application form, no irregular stay in Spain, a passport valid for at least one year, a criminal record certificate from every country you lived in over the last 5 years (for adults), a medical certificate and the visa fee. The regulation does not state fee amounts, so check the current amount on your consulate’s website on the date you apply.

How much money you need in 2026

The amount is based on IPREM. No new IPREM has been approved for 2026, so the previous value of €600 a month still applies (SEPE). Under article 62 of RD 1155/2024 the minimums are (art. 62):

• main applicant: 400% of IPREM, €2,400 a month, €28,800 a year;
• each dependent family member: 100% of IPREM, €600 a month, €7,200 a year;
• family of three: €3,600 a month, €43,200 a year.

These are minimums at the time you apply for the visa or renewal, and the total must cover the full permit period (art. 62.2). You can show either savings or a regular income stream: the regulation accepts both (art. 62.1). If IPREM changes, recalculate.

Budget your real costs separately. The immigration minimum and your living budget are two different calculations: rent and deposit, private insurance, flights, translations and an emergency reserve can raise the amount you need considerably.

How to prove your funds and where they come from

Any lawful evidence is accepted: property deeds, certified cheques or credit cards with a bank certificate showing the available limit (art. 62.3). For accounts abroad, the bank information must include:

• the bank’s full name and address;
• full account details;
• the opening or closing date;
• the balance on 31 December of the previous year and the average balance over the last year.

That last point matters: a large deposit just before you apply does not replace a one-year average balance. Gather documents for your pension, dividends, rent or property sale according to where the money really comes from, and ask the consulate whether you need apostilles, sworn translations and originals.

Health insurance and family documents

For this permit, family members are (art. 61.3):

• a spouse, registered partner or proven stable partner (for example, after a year of living together or with children in common);
• unmarried minor children of the applicant or their partner;
• adult children with a disability who need support or cannot provide for themselves because of their health.

Parents are not on this list, so their move has to be assessed under other routes.

Health insurance is mandatory (art. 61.2.b). The specific policy conditions (coverage, no co-payments or waiting periods, duration) are set by the consulate, so take them from its official list rather than from an agent’s offer. Ask the insurer to confirm the start date and coverage period in writing.

In a family application, names, dates and relationships must match across all documents. Marriage and birth certificates may need apostilles and sworn translations into Spanish. Check the spelling of names against each passport before ordering translations.

Remote work and taxes: the key question

Do not choose a non-lucrative permit if you plan to keep working professionally from Spain. Working remotely does not make the work passive: if you perform tasks, provide services or are paid for work, that contradicts the definition of the status (art. 61.1).

Tax is a separate matter. Article 9 of Spain’s income tax law (LIRPF) sets the tests for tax residence, including spending more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year or having your main economic interests there (Ley 35/2006). Renewing a non-lucrative permit also requires more than 183 days of residence per year (art. 64.2.f), so in practice holders usually become Spanish tax residents and declare their worldwide income in Spain. Discuss this with a tax adviser before you move.

Example: a couple, one child and €4,200 of regular income

Imagine a family of three with €4,200 a month: one spouse has a €1,500 pension, the other receives €2,700 in dividends and rent. They also have €28,000 in savings. The minimum for three people is €3,600 a month, or €43,200 for the first year. On paper they meet it, but they still need to prove that the income is stable and where it comes from, and check how the consulate treats rental income.

If the second spouse still runs a company and does paid work, the family calculation does not settle whether that activity is allowed. Before applying, the family checks whether that income can count as proof of funds and whether the other spouse needs a different permit. Then they compare the answer with their costs: housing, insurance for three, school and a reserve. The €4,200 is just the example’s input, not an official threshold.

Application, timelines and steps after arrival

1. You apply for the visa at the Spanish consulate responsible for your place of legal residence, and the visa application also counts as the permit application (art. 63.1).
2. The consulate assesses funds and insurance; the immigration office checks criminal records, the police report and the fee (art. 39.2–39.3).
3. The immigration office decides within one month of receiving the consulate’s file. If there is no answer, the application is deemed refused (art. 63.4).
4. After a positive decision, the consulate issues the visa within one month (art. 39.5).
5. Within one month of entering Spain you must apply in person for your TIE card (art. 63.5).

Appointment waiting times vary by consulate, so do not quit your job or sign a lease based on an unconfirmed date.

Renewing a non-lucrative permit

Apply for renewal during the two months before your permit expires. An application filed within three months after expiry is still accepted, but you may be fined (art. 64.1). To renew you need (art. 64.2):

• funds for the whole renewal period under the article 62 rules;
• health insurance held throughout and continuing;
• school enrolment for children of compulsory school age;
• the fee paid;
• actual residence in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year.

Compliance with tax and social security obligations is also considered. A renewed permit lasts 2 years, and the decision is due within three months; if there is no answer, it is deemed approved (art. 64.5, 64.7 and 64.8).

What people who went through it say

In Russian-speaking expat chats, the most common topics are the bank balance and the need to show regular passive income. This is participants’ experience, not an official document list.

“you need to show a bank balance (in Spain, strongly recommended) and proof of passive income that does not depend on work” — expat chat participant, May 2024 (translated from Russian)

“No lucrativa is incompatible with any employment or professional activity” — expat chat participant, February 2025 (translated from Russian)

Under the regulation you can show either funds or regular income, and the first-year minimum for one person is €28,800 (art. 62). The regulation does not require the money to be in a Spanish bank, so check your consulate’s preferences.

Checklist before you apply

• I have calculated the IPREM minimum for the whole family and the whole permit period.
• I have separated savings from regular income and documented the source of each.
• I have confirmed that my income is not payment for work.
• I have the current document list from the consulate for my place of legal residence.
• My bank certificates show the 31 December balance and the one-year average.
• I have checked the apostille and sworn translation requirements.
• I have checked the insurance territory, duration and conditions.
• All family documents match.
• I have a real relocation budget separate from the legal minimum.
• I know renewal requires more than 183 days a year in Spain.

Common mistakes

• Using a figure from an old article.* The threshold depends on IPREM and family size. Recalculate it with the current value before you apply.

• Calling a salary passive.* Regular work is still work, whatever country your employer is in. Describe your actual activity to a lawyer.

• Showing money without a source.* A statement shows the balance but not always its origin. For foreign accounts, a one-year average balance is also required.

• Buying a policy without checking the rules.* “International insurance” is not enough. Check territory, coverage, start date and what the consulate requires.

• Planning to include your parents.* For the non-lucrative permit, family means partner and children, not parents.

• Spending long periods abroad.* Without more than 183 days of residence a year, the permit will not be renewed.

FAQ

How much money do I need for the non-lucrative visa in 2026?

The minimum is 400% of IPREM a month for the main applicant: €2,400, or €28,800 for the first year. Add €600 a month, or €7,200 a year, for each family member.

Are savings enough without monthly income?

Article 62 of RD 1155/2024 lets you prove either enough funds for the whole period or a regular income stream. The consulate may still ask where the money comes from.

Can I work remotely for a foreign company?

No. The non-lucrative permit is for living without employment or professional activity. For remote work, Spain has a digital nomad residence permit.

Can I apply from inside Spain?

No. The first permit is obtained through a visa at the Spanish consulate for your place of legal residence.

How long does it last and how do I renew it?

The first permit lasts 1 year and a renewed one 2 years. Apply for renewal in the two months before expiry.

Do I need private health insurance?

Yes, health insurance is mandatory. Check the exact policy conditions in your consulate’s document list.

Related reading

If your income comes from remote work, compare the requirements for Spain’s digital nomad residence permit. Guides on family reunification in Spain and on tax residence in Spain and Portugal are coming soon.

Sources

• RD 1155/2024, Immigration Regulation, articles 38, 39 and 61–64: https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2024-24099
• IPREM and SMI 2026, SEPE: https://www.sepe.es/HomeSepe/prestaciones-desempleo/Cuantias-anuales.html
• Ley 35/2006 (LIRPF), article 9 on tax residence: https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2006-20764
• Spanish consulates: https://www.exteriores.gob.es/

This article is for information only and is not legal or tax advice. Rules change. For your specific situation, consult a qualified specialist.

Information checked: 26 October 2026

Photo: Ben Morris, Unsplash