# Spain's non-lucrative residence

> Page: https://www.usebooka.com/en/tramites/espana/residencia-no-lucrativa
> Last reviewed: 2026-09-14

The non-lucrative residence lets you live in Spain without working, on your own means — the reference is 400 % of the annual IPREM index for the holder, plus 100 % more per family member — with full private health insurance and no copayments. The initial authorisation lasts 1 year and is renewable.

It is always requested at the consulate in your country of residence: it cannot be applied for from within Spain (its renewal can). The most common ground for refusal is how the funds are evidenced — which is why that is reviewed before filing.

- **Booka fee:** €600
- **Official fees:** 10,94 €. Fee 790-052, heading 2.1.1: €10.94 (Order PJC/617/2025, in force as of September 2026). The financial requirement is 400% of the IPREM index: €2,400 per month at the 2026 IPREM of €600, plus €600 for each family member.
- **Where to apply:** Applied for at the consulate in your country of residence. Requested at the consulate in your country of residence; it cannot be applied for from within Spain (its renewal can).

## At a glance

| | |
| --- | --- |
| What it is | Temporary residence authorisation with no work activity, granted through a national visa. |
| Who can apply | People who can live in Spain on their own means: a pension, rental income or savings. (Funds must be your own and available; third-party support letters do not count.) |
| Where you apply | Only at the Spanish consulate in your country of residence. (It cannot be applied for from inside Spain; the renewal can.) |
| Official form | The national visa application together with form EX-01. |
| Can you work? | No. It does not authorise work in Spain, employed or self-employed. |
| Length of the permit | 1 year initially, renewable if you still hold the means and the insurance. |
| Financial means | 400 % of the annual IPREM index for the holder, plus 100 % per family member. (The IPREM is set by each budget law: the exact amount is calculated against the index in force on the day you file.) |
| Government fee | A consular visa fee, separate from Booka's charge. (It varies by country and reciprocity; the amount is set out in your case file.) |

## Who it is for

**This is your procedure if:**

- You can live on your own income or savings without working in Spain.
- You currently live outside Spain and can attend the consulate covering your area.
- You can evidence your funds with bank certificates and 12 months of statements.
- You can take out private health insurance in Spain with full cover and no copayments.

**This is not your procedure if:**

- You intend to work in Spain, even part-time: this permit does not allow it.
- You want to work remotely for companies outside Spain while living here.
- You are already in Spain: the initial permit cannot be requested from inside the country.
- Your means depend on financial support from someone else rather than on your own documented funds.

If you will keep working remotely, see the digital nomad visa: https://www.usebooka.com/en/tramites/espana/nomada-digital

## Requirements

- **Means of 400 % of the annual IPREM.** That is the reference for the main applicant; each accompanying family member adds a further 100 %. The euro amount depends on the IPREM index, set each year in the budget law, so the exact figure is calculated against the index in force on the day of filing rather than one published months earlier.
- **Funds that are your own, available and evidenced.** Having the money is not enough: you have to show where it comes from and that it is available. The file asks for bank certificates of your balance at 31 December and of your average balance the previous year, plus 12 months of statements. Pension income, or an employer letter granting a sabbatical, strengthens the application where it exists.
- **Private health insurance with full cover.** It must be with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, match the cover of the public system, and carry no copayments or waiting periods. It is checked policy in hand: travel insurance, or a policy with an excess, is refused however high the sum insured.
- **Criminal record and medical certificate.** You provide criminal records from every country where you lived over the last five years, legalised and translated, plus a medical certificate confirming you carry no illness with public health implications. Both have short validity, so they are requested once the rest of the file is on track.
- **Living within the consulate's district.** The visa is granted by the Spanish consulate covering where you live, not the one with the earliest appointment. You evidence it with proof of residence in that district, and it is the first thing checked: filing at the wrong consulate means starting over.
- **Sworn declaration before a notary.** The file includes a notarised sworn statement on your situation and your means, in the terms each consulate requires. It is a short document with a specific format, and its wording is prepared alongside the rest so it does not force a second trip to the notary.

## Documents

**Solicitante**

- Formulario de solicitud de visado nacional
- Formulario EX-01
- Fotografía
- Pasaporte: página de datos biométricos
- Extractos bancarios últimos 12 meses
- Certificado bancario saldo a 31 diciembre año anterior
- Certificado bancario saldo promedio año anterior
- Seguro médico
- Certificado de antecedentes penales
- Certificado médico
- Documento acreditativo de residencia en la demarcación consular
- Declaración jurada ante notario
- Justificantes de ingresos por pensión (optional)
- Carta del empleador o concesión de año sabático (optional)

**Familiares (si procede)**

- Pasaporte completo (optional)
- Certificado de matrimonio o pareja de hecho (optional)
- Certificado de nacimiento (optional)
- Certificado de antecedentes penales (optional)

## Stages of the file

1. **Document collection.** You upload your documents to the portal. We tell you what is missing and what will not be accepted before any clock starts.
2. **Internal review.** The team reviews the complete file before filing. This is the step that prevents it from being returned.
3. **Official fees.** Government fees are paid directly to the administration, with the receipt stored in your case file.
4. **Filing.** The application is registered with the competent authority. You see the date and the receipt in your file.
5. **Decision.** The authority decides and notifies, with the next steps explained inside your case file.

## Timelines

| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gathering the documents | 4 to 8 weeks | Set by last year's bank certificates, the criminal records and their legalisation. |
| Review and case preparation | A few days | Means are recalculated against the IPREM in force and the insurance policy is checked first of all. |
| Consular appointment | Subject to your consulate | Availability varies widely by country and is controlled by nobody but the consulate. |
| Visa decision | Consular timelines vary | We publish no forecast: each consulate moves at its own pace and adds its own requirements. |
| Entering Spain | Within the visa's validity | The visa granted carries an entry window that is best not left to the last day. |
| TIE card (fingerprints and card) | After arrival | Police appointment and the 790-012 fee separately, already in Spain. |

This is the procedure in our catalogue with the most timing outside our reach: the consular appointment, each consulate's pace and the requirements each one adds. That is why we publish no forecast for the decision. What we do control is that the file arrives complete, with the policy and the bank certificates reviewed in advance — which is where most attempts are lost.

## Common mistakes

- **Buying health insurance with copayments or waiting periods** — It is refused even when the rest of the file is flawless. It is one of the most common grounds for refusal, and it is avoided by reviewing the policy before paying for it, not after.
- **Evidencing money with a one-off balance** — A transfer received last month does not show stable means. The consulate looks at the 12-month history and the average balance; an unexplained recent spike raises questions instead of settling them.
- **Calculating means against an outdated IPREM** — The index changes with each budget law and the minimum moves with it. A file built on the previous index can land below the required threshold.
- **Applying while already in Spain** — The initial permit does not allow it: the visa is requested at the consulate in your country of residence. Anyone already living here should weigh other routes before spending time and money on this one.
- **Assuming remote work is fine 'because the client is abroad'** — The non-lucrative permit excludes work activity, and carrying it out can compromise the renewal. If the plan is remote work, a different permit applies and it is better to know before filing.
- **Documents without legalisation or with non-sworn translations** — Foreign criminal records and medical certificates count as not submitted if the legalisation is wrong, and the consulate will not let you fix it at the counter.

## Next

The initial permit runs 1 year. The renewal is filed from within Spain and, under the current regulation, the renewed card moves to longer periods — means and insurance have to be evidenced again. If you later want to work, it does not unlock by itself: that requires a change of permit, with its own requirements.: https://www.usebooka.com/en/tramites/espana/renovacion-residencia-trabajo

## FAQ

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

The reference is 400 % of the annual IPREM index for the holder, plus 100 % per family member. The IPREM changes with each budget law, so we give you the exact current figure, with its source, when reviewing your case.

**Can I work on a non-lucrative visa?**

No: this permit does not authorise work in Spain. If your plan is to work remotely for foreign companies, your route is probably the digital nomad visa — compare both before paying for either.

**Does a foreign pension count?**

Yes: a pension counts if it reaches the minimum and is evidenced with verifiable documents (pension award, bank certificates). It is one of the most common profiles for this permit.

**Can I apply while already in Spain?**

No: the initial application goes through the consulate in your country of residence. If you already live in Spain, tell us your situation and we will point you to a route that actually works — arraigo, studies or another.

**Which health insurance qualifies, and which does not?**

A policy from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, with cover equivalent to the public system, no copayments and no waiting periods. Travel insurance and policies with an excess do not qualify, however high the sum insured — it is one of the most common grounds for refusal.

**Can I include my spouse and children?**

Yes, as their own block of the case, adding a further 100 % of the annual IPREM per family member on top of the holder's means. They file alongside the holder or reunify later, whichever suits the case.

**How long does it last and what happens at renewal?**

The initial permit runs 1 year. The renewal is filed from within Spain and requires means and insurance all over again; under the current regulation the renewed card moves to longer periods than the first year.

**Do I have to live in Spain all year?**

This is a residence permit, not a visitor's pass: it is granted to live in Spain, and long absences can compromise the renewal. If you only plan to spend seasons here, it is worth checking whether this is really your route.

**Will I pay tax in Spain on a non-lucrative permit?**

Living in Spain for most of the year carries its own tax consequences, separate from this case and not covered by our fee. That is a matter for a tax adviser, and better settled before you move.

**What if the visa is refused?**

The decision rests with the consulate and nobody can guarantee it. If a refusal arrives, we explain the specific ground and what options exist — appeal or a fresh application — which are separate procedures with their own cost.

**Can I pay in two instalments?**

Yes, with no interest or surcharge: the total is identical either way. The first half opens your case and starts the document review; the second is paid when we file your application — if we have not filed, you do not pay it. You request it from your case file and someone from the team confirms it within 24 working hours.

**Are official government fees included?**

No: Booka's fee covers review, preparation, filing and follow-up. Government fees are paid directly to the administration, and we tell you which ones apply and when inside your case file.

**How do I know this is not a scam?**

Three things you can check: the price is published before you pay, payment is online with an invoice, and the second half is only charged once your application has been filed, with the official registry receipt visible in your case file. No informal intermediary gives you those three proofs.

## Official source

Official source: information sheet 6, Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration.: https://www.inclusion.gob.es/web/migraciones/hojas-informativas

## What the fee includes

Document review, case preparation, filing and follow-up until the decision.

## Notice

Booka's fees cover the professional handling of your application only and do not include official government fees, which are paid separately to the relevant authority. Approval of any permit rests solely with the competent administration and depends on the applicant meeting all legal requirements. The information on this page is for guidance only, may change as regulations evolve, and does not constitute individual legal advice.