Non-Lucrative Residence Visa (NLV)
🇪🇸 Spain visas · Retirement
What it is
Spain's primary retirement and passive income visa. No work rights, but allows full-time residence. One of Europe's most popular retirement visas due to Spain's climate, cost of living, and healthcare.
Key facts
- Category
- Retirement
- Duration
- 1 year initially, renewable for 2 years each time. Permanent residence after 5 years.
- Processing time
- Up to 4 weeks
- Maximum validity
- 2 years
- Extendable
- Yes
- Path to permanent residence
- Indirect route
- Dependants
- Yes
- Work allowance
- 0 hours per week
- Health insurance
- Required
Standard figures for this route. Some applicants pay a reduced fee or none at all, so confirm your own case on the official page.
Fees
- Application fee (ordinary fee; reciprocity may raise it)
- EUR 90
- Application fee (residence authorization tasa)
- EUR 10.94
- Application fee (foreigner ID card (TIE))
- EUR 16.08
Key requirements
- Proof of sufficient passive income: EUR 2,400 per month (or EUR 28,800 per year)
- Additional EUR 600 per month per dependant
- Private health insurance covering Spain (no recourse to Spanish public healthcare initially)
- Accommodation in Spain (rental contract or property)
- No criminal record
Working on this visa
NO WORK, this is the defining condition of the title. The non-lucrative residence authorises residence in Spain without carrying out any employed or professional activity, and the visa does not constitute a work permit.
Money you must show
400% IPREM + 100% IPREM per dependant
Facts checked against the official source. Last updated 27 July 2026.