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The Spanish non-lucrative visa

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The Spanish non-lucrative visa

November 26, 2022 LawyerInSpain 0 Comments

The Spanish non-lucrative visa (also known as “non working visa” or visado residencia) is a long-stay visa allowing non-Europeans to live in Spain without working. Since you can’t work when on a non-lucrative visa, you must have enough money to support yourself and your family. The non-lucrative visa is a popular residence visa option for non-EU citizens looking to live in Spain for a year or longer. However, the non-lucrative visa doesn’t allow you to work; to qualify you must show that you can financially support yourself. 

Using a qualified Spanish Immigration lawyer will improve your chances of a successful application and save you time and effort. You can book a consultation with our expert Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa partner by Contacting us. 

Live in Paradise

The Spanish non-lucrative visa /residency is a long-stay visa allowing non-Europeans to live in Spain without working. It is one of the easiest way to live in Spain, while being able to travel freely in all European Union.

What is the Spanish non-lucrative visa?
The NLV provides long-term residency status in Spain to non-EU / EEA / Swiss citizens.
It is a Passive Income Visa – you must show you have resources to provide for yourself during your stay. 
The visa gives you and your family the right to live and study in Spain. It is an excellent option for anyone looking to retire to Spain.
It is a pathway to Permanent residency (PR) in Spain through a permanent residence permit and then to Spanish citizenship and an EU passport.

Apply for a Non working Residency in Spain

Who can apply for a Spanish non-lucrative visa?

This program is open to citizens of any non-EU nation. What’s more, your family can be a part of the application. Eligible family members include your spouse or civil partner and any dependent children. The NLV is a popular path for United Kingdom (UK) citizens to move to Spain post-BREXIT.

The 3 requirements for a successful application:

1. No criminal record.
2. Health insurance & Good health.
3. Sufficient economic means to support yourself and your family members without working.

This visa is ideal for:

  • Retirees who want to live in Spain.
  • Anyone with a pension, annuity, or endowment.
  • Those with healthy savings accounts and sufficient economic means.
  • Beneficiaries of income-producing investments.
  • Anyone who can afford to live in Spain without working!

2022 Financial requirements for Spain’s non-lucrative visa
Our recommended Spain Immigration lawyer is an expert in NLV applications and has a track record of success for clients worldwide. Their experience and relationships with the Spanish immigration service are the best in the business.

The Spanish Government has announced an increase in the IPREM for 2022 of 2.5% to €579.02 per month.

This means that the NLV financial requirement for 2022 will be:

2022 annual IPREM = €6,948.24
400% x annual IPREM = €27,792.96
The 2022 financial requirement is an annual increase of €677 over the 2021 rate.

What is the amount of money I have to prove I have?

This table shows the minimum total 2022 financial requirements for an application. Please use the new 2022 IPREM – make sure you’re not using last year’s figures.

Single Applicant €27,792
Applicant + 1 dependent €34,731
Applicant + 2 dependents €41,689
Applicant + 3 dependents €48,638
2022 Financial requirements for a NLV application

Note* Applying with the exact amount does raise questions. For this reason, the suggestion is to have a stronger application in order to raise the % of success. The legislation for the NLV talks about income. And embassies and consulates are much more likely to approve applications that show income that exceeds the requirements.

What are the advantages of a non-lucrative Spain visa?

  • There is no investment in the Spanish economy required for this visa.
  • The temporary residence permit is issued for one year and is available to be renewed for 2 x 2-year periods. This means it can meet the 5-year threshold for permanent residency.
  • It can be a pathway to Spanish citizenship and an EU valid passport.
  • You only need to spend six months per year in Spain to be able to renew the visa.
  • The residency allows travel to any of the 26 SCHENGEN member nations without a visa.
  • You can convert the non-lucrative visa to one of Spain’s Work Permits after the first year.
  • Immediate family members can be included on your visa. Your dependents can attend school or study while on the visa.
  • You can study in Spain while on a non-lucrative visa. This includes paid internships.
  • You can make investments. These investments include shares in a business, stocks, and funds in Spain.
  • You can buy a house in Spain, either as an investment or as your home.
  • It makes an effective Spain retirement visa.
  • If you have all your documentation in place and meet the requirements, the visa is almost always approved. In this way, it is an easy visa to get for US citizens and other nationalities.

What does non-lucrative mean?

Non-lucrative means that you have sufficient economic means to support yourself without earning an income in Spain. For this, you should show guaranteed passive income, like a trust fund disbursement or pension. Another path is income from investments like dividends, rental income from an investment property, or interest earned. Alternatively, you need to show sufficient savings in a Spanish bank account.

 

You cannot carry out economic or professional activity in Spain. In short, you can live in Spain as long as you are not a burden to the Spanish people or taking jobs from locals. In Spanish, the visa is called “residencia no lucrativa España.”

How remote work for a non-Spanish company is treated is still a gray area. However, our expert partner warns against including any reference to remote work in your application. And, remote work income is definitely not eligible for the financial requirements of the NLV. 

The non-lucrative visa in Spain is classified as an income visa. To see other options for your specific situation, please Contact our Specialists.

Renewing your Residency

The non-lucrative permit is valid for 1 year. You can renew it for another 2 years if you’ve lived in Spain for at least 183 days and have enough sufficient finances to cover 2 years. The renewal can be done between 60 days before and 90 days after the expiration date.

Can I change my non-lucrative visa to a permanent one?

Yes. You can renew the non-lucrative visa 2 times. After 5 consecutive years of residence, you can apply for a permanent residency in Spain to avoid meeting the requirements each time. After 10 consecutive years, you can even apply for Spanish citizenship.

Can I change my non-lucrative visa to a work visa?

Yes, it’s possible to change your non-lucrative residence permit to a work permit or become self-employed through residence modification. This is what some people do who’ve enough savings to sustain themselves while looking for a job in Spain.

You can do that directly from Spain, as long as you meet the requirements for the desired visa and have legally lived in Spain for at least 1 year.

Do you have to pay taxes in Spain with a non-lucrative visa?

Yes, since you’re required to live in Spain for more than 183 days, you’ll become a tax resident and have to pay taxes.

You’ll pay tax on your worldwide income. The good news is that Spain has double taxation agreements to prevent you from paying taxes twice, both in Spain and in the country where your passive income is generated.

In addition to this, if you invest in Spanish companies, you’ll have to pay capital gains tax.

How is a non-lucrative visa different from Spain’s Golden visa?

The Spain Golden visa is another option for non-Europen citizens to live in Spain. But there’re a couple of differences between them:

  • The golden visa allows you to work in Spain, while with a non-lucrative visa, it’s not possible.
  • To bring additional family members to Spain with the Golden visa, you must reside in Spain for 1 year. The non-lucrative visa allows you to apply together.
  • You don’t need to live in Spain for 183 days with a Golden visa; it’s enough to visit once a year.
  • Because you don’t have to live in Spain for 183 days, you don’t have to become a tax resident in Spain.
  • The Golden visa allows you to apply while outside but also while living in Spain; the non-lucrative visa requires you to apply from your country of residence.How is a non-lucrative visa different from Spain’s Golden visa?
    The Spain Golden visa is another option for non-Europen citizens to live in Spain. But there’re a couple of differences between them:The golden visa allows you to work in Spain, while with a non-lucrative visa, it’s not possible.
    To bring additional family members to Spain with the Golden visa, you must reside in Spain for 1 year. The non-lucrative visa allows you to apply together.
    You don’t need to live in Spain for 183 days with a Golden visa; it’s enough to visit once a year.
    Because you don’t have to live in Spain for 183 days, you don’t have to become a tax resident in Spain.
  • Important: The Golden visa allows you to apply while living in Spain; the non-lucrative visa requires you to apply from your country of residence.

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