Vlad Shifter
Founder
Entrepreneur and corporate consultant with 10+ years of experience with PwC, P&G, Coca Cola, Unilever and others. TechCrunch 200 Alum.
Spain Non-Lucrative Visa 2026: Residence Without Working
Live in Spain on passive income, savings, a pension, or investment returns, no job required. Show roughly 2,400 EUR/mo (about 400% of IPREM) and you can hold a 1-year residence permit, renewable, with your family. As Spain tightens Digital Nomad enforcement, the NLV is where many passive-income applicants now land.
- 2,400 EUR/mo in passive income clears the threshold
- Family included, spouse and children on one file
- EU residency at year 5, citizenship at year 10
- No work required, none permitted
- 7,000+ cases handled
- 99.2% completed-case success rate
- Free re-file if we make a filing error on a case we run directly
- 80+ experts and lawyers
- 30+ nationalities
Residence on your income, not your job
No work required, none permitted
The NLV is for people who can support themselves without working in Spain. If you do need to work remotely, the Digital Nomad Visa is the right route instead.
1-year permit, renewable to 2+2
Renew for two years, then two more, then apply for long-term residency at year 5.
Family included
Spouse or partner and children apply with you, with added income proof.
Schengen mobility
Travel freely across 29 Schengen countries.
A stable route as DNV enforcement tightens
Reviews of remote-work income and Spanish-client limits have pushed some applicants out of the DNV. For genuine passive-income cases, the NLV avoids that exposure.
What you need to show
Passive income of 2,400 EUR/mo
400% of the 2026 IPREM, or the equivalent in savings: 28,800 EUR/year for the main applicant. Add 100% of IPREM per family member: 600 EUR/mo, 7,200 EUR/year.
Clean criminal record
Required for the last 5 years from every country of residence.
Private health insurance
Full coverage in Spain, zero copayment: the most common avoidable rejection cause.
Proof of accommodation
Required for the initial application.
No professional activity in Spain
Passive income only: pension, dividends, rent, interest, capital gains.
The benefits of moving to Spain
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Lower cost of living than the US and UK
High living standards, without US or UK price levels.
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Path to EU permanent residency at year 5
Then citizenship at year 10. Spain requires renouncing your prior nationality at naturalisation, except for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, and Portugal, who keep dual nationality.
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Schengen mobility
Travel freely across 29 Schengen countries.
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Mature private healthcare
Established expat regions with a mature private healthcare sector.
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Renewable, predictable structure
A fixed 1 + 2 + 2 renewal timeline.
Non-Lucrative Visa vs Digital Nomad Visa vs Portugal D7
| Spain Non-Lucrative Visa | Spain Digital Nomad Visa | Portugal D7 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Passive income, savings, retirees | Active remote workers and freelancers | Passive income, retirees, PT route |
| Can you work? | No professional activity | Yes, remote for non-Spanish clients | Limited; passive-income focused |
| Income gate | 2,400 EUR/mo, 400% IPREM | 2,849 EUR/mo, 200% SMI | 920 EUR/mo, 1x PT minimum wage 2026 |
| Renewal | 1 + 2 + 2 years | 3 years | 2 + 3 years |
| Tax | Worldwide income, standard rates | Beckham Law 24% (employees; freelancer access contested) | IFICI / NHR-successor options |
| Path to PR / citizenship | PR year 5, citizenship year 10 | PR year 5, citizenship year 10 | PR path, citizenship 10 years (from card date) |
Pick the NLV if you live on passive income and do not need to work. If you actively work remotely, use the Digital Nomad Visa. If you are comparing countries, see Portugal D7.
From income proof to residence card: 6 steps
Allow roughly 2-4 months end-to-end including consular booking.
1. Case review
We assess your income and savings against the current threshold and flag any gaps before you file.
2. Document preparation
Income and savings evidence, criminal record certificate, health insurance, accommodation proof, and sworn translations.
3. Consular submission
The NLV is filed at the Spanish consulate in your country of origin. We prepare the full dossier and forms.
4. Consular decision
Timelines vary by consulate. We manage any additional information requests.
5. Entry and TIE
After the visa is issued, you enter Spain, register, and attend a police appointment for your residence card (TIE).
6. Renewal planning
We map your 1 + 2 + 2 renewals and the day-count rules to keep you on the year-5 PR track.
Let your personal case manager and lawyer handle all the paperwork
No more dealing with bureaucracy — we take care of every detail.
1. Understand Your Immigration Options
During a consultation, our expert evaluates your profile and outlines pathways, helping you make an informed decision.
2. Tailored Strategy for Approval
Lawyer analyzes your case, identifies challenges, and creates a step-by-step roadmap to maximize success.
3. Complete Document Preparation
With minimal input from you, we handle certificates, translations, and applications.
4. Smooth Application Process
Your manager schedules appointments, ensures compliance, communicates with authorities, and tracks progress.
5. Bureaucratic Tasks Solved
We handle finding housing, tax registrations, and residence permits, eliminating paperwork stress.
Show us your income, we will tell you if it qualifies.
Pension, dividends, rent, interest, or capital gains: send us the sources and amounts. We confirm whether they clear the 2,400 EUR/mo threshold, how to document them, and what your renewal path looks like. The 40 EUR consultation secures a dedicated expert.
Government fees and the funds you need to show
TIE card (residence card)
EUR 16.08 for initial issuance in Spain.
Consular visa fee
Varies by nationality and consulate under Spain's reciprocity rules, so there is no single EUR figure. On the Washington DC consulate's 2026 schedule it runs roughly USD 106-789 depending on nationality.
Income or savings to show
2,400 EUR/mo (400% of the 2026 IPREM) or 28,800 EUR/year in savings for the main applicant, plus 600 EUR/mo (7,200 EUR/year) per family member.
Health insurance
Full private coverage in Spain with zero copayment.
Our own service fee is separate from these amounts and is still being finalised, including any per-family-member fee. We will share exact package pricing once we understand your case.
About “Relovisa Advisors”
Relovisa is a premium full-service immigration consultancy (HQ Portugal, "Made in Portugal"). It is not a law firm: it works with licensed immigration lawyers and tax advisors per jurisdiction. Relovisa delivers EU/UK/US residency and citizenship to founders, skilled professionals, investors, and remote workers, handling the paperwork end-to-end. Distinctive: its own Portuguese EOR/payroll entity, packaged with the Portugal D3 and Spain DNV routes, plus deep specialist depth on the France Talent (Passeport Talent) innovative-project route, including DRIEETS dossiers and the no-incubator route with two letters of support.
99.2%
Average success rate
99.2% of clients get their visas and residence permits
7000+
Cases · 30+ countries
Clients across North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the CIS
80+
Experts and lawyers
Professionals from around the world
8 years
Average experience
In immigration law & consulting
Our team, lawyers and partners
Our legal experts and professionals take care of everything — from document preparation to final approval — with 24/7 support, so you don't have to worry about a thing.
Olia Nemirovski
COO
10+ years specialist in client and partner relations, driving innovation through deep customer understanding.
Evgenia
Immigration lawyer
Licensed lawyer with deep knowledge of UK immigration law, she excels as a case manager for Talent Visas with 99.8% success rate.
Vladimir
Immigration consultant
Over three years of project management experience in German work immigration processes.
Daniela
Immigration Lawyer
Her expertise includes legal representation in court proceedings, expedited solutions for delayed residence processes, and all visa programs.
Petra
Immigration consultant
Specializes in D visas: Digital Nomad, D7, D2, D3, etc. She has experience working with various types of income.
Marilia
Immigration Attorney
Lawyer with 4 years experience works with global mobility processes for self-employed individuals through D8, D2, or IT workers through D3/Blue Card.
Thiago
Immigration Attorney
Relocated more than 300 high-qualified professionals to Portugal since 2018. Currently holding 100% success in lawsuits against AIMA (200+).
Vladislav
Tax Advisor
A licensed tax consultant with thousands of cases handled worldwide, from EU countries to Hong Kong and the USA. Specializes in finding solutions in the most unique and challenging situations.
Thomas
Tax Advisor
Thomas specializes in crypto business consultancy, with notable projects including market research for Bit2Me, a major Southern European cryptocurrency exchange.
FAQs
What is the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa?
A residence permit for people who can support themselves in Spain from passive income or savings, without working. It grants a 1-year permit, renewable (2 + 2), and counts toward permanent residency at year 5 and citizenship at year 10.
NLV vs Digital Nomad Visa: which do I need?
Use the NLV if you live on passive income (pension, dividends, rent, interest) and do not need to work. Use the Digital Nomad Visa if you actively work remotely for foreign clients, or the Startup Visa if you want to launch or join a business instead. The core difference: the NLV permits no professional activity, while the DNV is built for remote work. As Spain tightens DNV income and client-limit checks, genuine passive-income applicants often find the NLV cleaner. For every Spain residency route side by side, see our Spain visas and residencies overview.
Where do I apply?
The NLV is filed at the Spanish consulate in your country of legal residence, not online from inside Spain. We prepare the complete dossier so it clears consular review the first time.
How long does it take?
Typically 2-4 months including consular booking. Consular timelines vary by location.
How much income or savings do I need?
2,400 EUR/mo, 400% of the 2026 IPREM, or the equivalent in savings, 28,800 EUR/year for the main applicant. Add 100% of IPREM per additional family member, 600 EUR/mo or 7,200 EUR/year. Income can be pensions, dividends, rent, interest, or capital gains.
Do I pay tax in Spain on the NLV?
If you spend more than 183 days per year in Spain you become a tax resident and are taxed on worldwide income at standard rates. The Beckham Law does not apply to the NLV (it is tied to employment). Speak to a fiscal adviser about your specific income mix.
What does your fee cover, and what is separate?
Our fee covers case review, document preparation, translations coordination, insurance guidance, the consular dossier and forms, and a renewal roadmap. Consular fees, the TIE card, health insurance, and the funds you show are separate. Package pricing is confirmed with you directly once we understand your case.
Can my family come with me?
Yes. Spouse or partner and children can be included, with added income proof of about 100% of IPREM per member.
Can I work remotely on the NLV?
No. The NLV does not permit professional activity, including remote work for a foreign employer. If you need to work, the Digital Nomad Visa is the correct route. Applying for the NLV while intending to work remotely is a common and avoidable mistake.
How do renewals and the day-count rules work?
The permit runs 1 year, then renews for 2 years, then 2 more. To stay on track for long-term residency at year 5, you must not be absent from Spain beyond the allowed limits. We map this for you at the outset.
What is the most common reason for rejection, and what if I am refused?
Insufficient or poorly documented income, and health insurance with copayments or gaps, are the most common avoidable causes. We verify both before filing. For cases we run directly in Spain, if a refusal stems from a documentation or filing error on our side, we re-file at no additional service fee when your document set is complete (conditions apply). We do not promise a specific outcome. See our success-rate methodology.
Does NLV time count toward permanent residency and citizenship?
Yes. Continuous legal residence counts toward EU long-term residency at year 5 and Spanish citizenship at year 10.