United States → Spain: the Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) roadmap
The Non-Lucrative Visa lets non-EU nationals live in Spain without working, supported entirely by passive income or savings. It is the standard route for retirees and the financially independent: a one-year residence permit that renews and leads to long-term residence after five years. No employment or remote work for any employer is allowed.
At a glance
Who qualifies
- No work or professional activity in Spain, including remote work for any employer.
- Passive income of 400% of IPREM (≈ €28,800/yr) for the applicant, plus 100% of IPREM (≈ €7,200/yr) per dependent.
- Full private health insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain (no copays, deductibles, or waiting periods).
- Clean criminal-record certificate from your home country, apostilled and translated into Spanish.
- Medical certificate confirming no diseases of public-health concern; apply in your consular jurisdiction.
Your step-by-step roadmap
Apply at the Spanish consulate serving your country
- Book an in-person appointment at the Spanish consulate that serves your country of residence.
- Submit form EX-01, passport, proof of funds, health insurance, criminal-record check (apostilled + translated), and medical certificate, and pay the fee.
- Wait for the decision (legal deadline 3 months) and collect the visa.
Enter Spain & register
- Enter Spain within the visa's validity window (≈ 90 days).
- Register your address (empadronamiento) at the town hall and apply for the TIE card within 30 days, with fingerprints.
Hold & renew
- The initial authorisation lasts 1 year, then renews 2 years + 2 years.
- Each renewal requires continued proof of funds, insurance, and minimum presence in Spain.
Long-term residence & citizenship
- After 5 years of continuous legal residence, apply for EU long-term residence.
- Apply for citizenship after 10 years, passing the DELE A2 language and CCSE civic exams.
Government fees
Timeline & path to citizenship
Timeline: Expect roughly 3 to 5 months from gathering documents to holding the visa (the consulate has up to 3 months to decide), then about 1 month after arrival to get the TIE. Residence runs 1 year, renews 2+2, reaches long-term residence at year 5, and citizenship eligibility at year 10.
Citizenship: EU long-term residence is available after 5 years of continuous legal residence. Spanish citizenship generally requires 10 years of legal residence, plus the DELE A2 language exam and the CCSE civic exam. Spain formally requires renouncing prior nationality for most applicants (it permits dual citizenship only with certain Ibero-American countries and a few others).
This is general information to help you plan, not legal advice. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed immigration professional.