Non Lucrative Visa

Hi Sara

We successfully completed the NLV process last May, so can advise based on our experience.

Yes, you need to leave your passports at the Consulate. You will find that when they are returned, the NLV is fixed to one of the inside pages.

We were told that the process was averaging around 30 days (in April 2021) and, in fact, our passports were returned in 10 days.

Note - we were given the option for the passports to be posted out to our then home address, however, we were concerned about them being lost in the post, so we provided the Consulate with our email addresses and phone numbers and asked them to notify us when the passports had been returned, so we could arrange to go and collect them in person - which we did.

Hope this helps - and happy to help with any other questions...

Richard

Thanks so much for your reply Rich.  That’s very helpful to know.  
We are currently here in Spain, on day 50 of our 90 days, so really hoping things go relatively smoothly (and quickly!). Obviously we know we’ll have to go back to UK for our interviews and hoping we won’t have to stay over there for too long.  
Our current situation is we started our application procedure back in December last year but unfortunately due to an oversight by our Spanish lawyers back in January, our original ACRO certificates and our Drs certificates got held up in translation and so consequently timed out and we had to get them renewed and start the process all over again!  Meanwhile we had sold our UK home and so we decided to rent over here in Spain rather than in UK whilst we looked for a property to purchase.  Hoping our visa applications would be processed within our 90 days.  We have now found a property so are very keen to get the ball rolling but dare not commit to anything until our visas have been granted.  Hence my concern.  Fingers crossed they can see us quite quickly and we can get over there and back fairly soon in order to start our new life over here (and not to drive our son mad whilst he puts us up for the time we are staying with him in UK!).

Thanks again - Sara

Can I also suggest that you take some professional advice re- tax. My understanding is that if you sell your UK property in the same tax year that you become resident and/or purchase a property in Spain, then you may be liable for Capital Gains Tax in Spain on the sale of your UK property.

I don't know enough about this to advise you myself (and I'm not a tax professional!), but I would strongly suggest that you look into this...

Yep, we have already seen a financial advisor thanks.  Good advice for anyone else though.

Hi

You leave your passports and payment

We had ours back in 8 days.It may take up to three weeks normally, however the Spanish Consulate have been on strike and it may take longer

Hi Jimeil thanks for your reply and thanks to Richard (above) too.  Really useful info.  I hope anyone else who reads this post finds the following information helpful too.  
Due to the strike at the Embassy we had real difficulty obtaining an appointment for interview, however we have one now for 27th May.  TheConsulate are currently only interviewing between 8.30 and 11.00 on Friday mornings for NLVs so appointments are snapped up very quickly once they’ve been released.  It appears they only release them four weeks ahead, so we were a bit stuck!  All appointments had been taken for the available dates in May when we checked on Monday (which was 2nd May) other than 27th (still showing blue on the calendar but the date wouldn’t open) this because these had not been released yet. So we just kept trying every day until they were.  The appointments for 27th were released at midnight BST (0.00hrs) on Wed 4th and luckily we were able to get one each because we were still up at that time on Tuesday night - we got ourselves booked in at four minutes past midnight!   We had our confirmation e-Mail back almost immediately so it’s obviously an automated electronic system.  When we checked later on that morning (late morning yesterday Wed 4th May)  they had all been taken.  So if anyone is trying for an appointment it’s a good idea to be aware of this and to keep an eye on the calendar to ensure you get your appointment.  I’m assuming they will not be interviewing the following Friday because it’s the Queens Platinum Jubilee BH in UK on Friday 3rd June,  so I am also assuming the next available appointments for anyone who’s looking will be for Friday 10th June, however their calendar will not scroll that far ahead.  My advice would be if you want an appointment keep checking daily to see how far the calendar will allow you to scroll forward.  I think appts will be released very early morning Wed 11th May for any appts on 3rd June (if the UK BH doesn’t affect the Spanish Consulate) and for appts on 10th June check in the early hours of the morning of Wed 18th May etc.  Hope this helps as I know how stressful it can be living the life of ifs and buts!!  Good luck!

Hi Jimeil, when did you apply for your NLVs?  Thanks - Sara

Good morning.  Could you please give me the email address for the spanish consulates in London so I can start the ball rolling on my NLV. Kind regards 

You will find all the information you require for applying for your NLVs here:-

https://www.exteriores.gob.es/es/Paginas/Page-not-found.aspx?requestUrl=https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/LOSANGELES/en/InformacionParaExtranjeros/Pages/Residence-Visa.aspx.
It depends where you are resident in UK as to which embassy you need to apply to.  London, Manchester or Edinburgh. We used a Spanish law firm in Barcelona to guide us through all our application process - it’s expensive but I think in the long run worth it, the lawyer you are assigned deals solely with immigration and knows the common mistakes/pitfalls which will be picked up and result in your application either being sent back to you or turned down.  They are able to spot any mistakes or anomalies in your form filling/form submission and advise you before you submit your forms.  For instance your Drs signature needs to be signed in ‘wet ink’ (fountain pen or equivalent) not biro!  We didn’t know this and ended up having to request a second certificate.  They also collate all the copies of your documentation and present them accordingly so all you need to do is submit a folder as an attachment to your e-mail to the embassy.  They also provide a standard proforma for the body text of your e-mail.  However if you want to go it alone this is the email address we submitted our completed applications to:-

[email protected]

Good luck!

Sara