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NoN lucrative visa

Posted: Wed Jan 1, 2025 11:50am
14 replies5 members subscribed
Mike123

Posts: 12

2 helpful points

Location: Cartagena

Joined: 18 May 2024

We are a retired couple who have recently bought a property in the Mar Menor area after being evicted from a Portus campsite which closed down. We have had a casita on the site for 25 years and have NIE etc.

We now want to explore getting a non lucrative visa so we are no longer restricted to 90 days and can visit our property when we want and for as long as we want.

Need advice about how to proceed before we return from UK in March can anyone help with what we need to do before our next visiy please.

Regards Mike and Cathy

RichT

Posted: Wed Jan 1, 2025 3:06pm

RichT

Super helpful member

Posts: 1271

1441 helpful points

Location: Lorca

Joined: 13 Sep 2019

Posted: Wed Jan 1, 2025 3:06pm

Hi

The below applies to UK passport holders wanting to move permanently to live in Spain, on a Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) - this is sometimes informally called the 'retirement visa', as it does not permit the holder to work. If you have an EU passport (for example an Irish passport) or want to work in Spain, then there are different routes to follow...

Firstly, if you want to move to live in Spain from the UK, you need a visa. If you are retired you need a Non Lucrative Visa (NLV). I successfully completed the NLV process in May 2021. This visa is for people who want to move to live in Spain permanently. I have heard of some solicitors touting this as a way round the 90 in 180 day rule, but this is not the case.

You need to apply for your visa at the appropriate embassy / consulate in the UK. Broadly speaking, London serves the south of England; Manchester from the Midlands to the North West and Edinburgh for the very north of England and all Scotland. The consulate websites, visas sections, provide the list of requirements, as per below - with my added comments in bold.

LIST OF REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR A NON LUCRATIVE RESIDENCY VISA (NLV)

1 Passport or travel document valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended arrival to Spain with at least two blank pages to affix the visa.

2 One completely filled and signed National Visa Application Form.

3 Ex-01 form and 079-052 fee form to be paid at the Consulate on the day of your appointment. The visa and appointment fee totals approx. £600 per person.

4 One recent passport colour photograph. (No more than six months old)

5 For non-British citizens: A UK residence permit valid for at least 3 months. It can be either in form of Visa stamped on the applicant’s passport or a Residency Card. If you are a 'normal UK subject / citizen, this doesn't apply.

6 Medical (Health ) Certificate signed and stamped by a registered doctor. This Certificate must literally state that the Applicant does not suffer of any illness which represents a risk or a danger for the public according to the International Health Regulations of 2005. The document must be translated by a Sworn Translator only, and with the Hague Apostille if the country is a member. Otherwise the document must be verified by the Spanish authorities in the country of issuance. My doctor charged £25 per certificate, using a template provided by our Spanish solicitor.

7 Certificate of Good Conduct issued by the country or countries where the applicant has resided in the past five years. The document must be translated by a Sworn Translator only, and with the Hague Apostille if the country is a member. Otherwise the document must be verified by the Spanish authorities in the country of issuance. This is a Police Certificate which is obtained from the ACRO website, at a cost of, I think, £55 per person - turnaround time was about 10 days.

Note - docs 6 & 7 had to be notarised (my UK solicitor charged £25 to do all our documents). The Hague Apostille is an additional government service, which costs £30 per document and has a turnaround time of about 10 days.

8 Full health cover for applicant and, if applicable, family member. There are specific private health insurance policies, which must not include 'co-payments', which are acceptable for the NLV. Many companies offer these. I used Sanitas (which is part of BUPA), as my bank had a linked offer. I have seen DKV recommended by other people on this forum. The policy needs to be paid up front for a year and be 'live' at the date of the NLV application. I was 50, with no pre-existing conditions and the policy cost around £700, including dental cover. I have seen people with pre-existing conditions getting quotes as high as £6,000 pa each. It's important to shop around as prices vary significantly.

9 Means of maintenance in Spain of €2400 € per month for the main applicant. Each additional family member will need €600 per month. In general, €37,000 pa for a couple.

10 All documents must be translated into Spanish (and where it specifies a 'Sworn Translator', these are specific translation companies that charge a lot of money (however, our Spanish solicitor included this in her price)).

Although I would say that I am quite confident and competent in completing forms, gathering evidence, etc.; as many forms needed to be completed in Spanish (and mine is very limited) we used a Spanish solicitor (Raquel at BeGlobal Attorneys) to assist in preparing all the paperwork, making the appointments, etc. but there is still quite a bit of work you need to do yourselves. I would certainly recommend Raquel.

For the 'means of maintenance' I provided evidence of cash in the bank, shares, premium bonds, rental income from a property I own and rent out in the UK, and my pension pot.

In total, the process took about 12 weeks and cost around £1,600 (excluding the cost of the private health insurance) - of which the solicitor's fees were approx. £1,000. When you get the NLV, you then have to enter Spain within 3 months and then start the rest of the process (below) within 1 month of entering.

When I got to Spain, I then had to attend the Foreigners' Office at a specific Police Station to have fingerprints taken; and be added to the padron at the town hall. Approx. 5 weeks after this, I collected my TIE from the Police Station.

This NLV lasts for a year, then you have to renew for 2 years, then a further two years, then you can get permanent residency. I have already had my first & second renewals and the process was similar ('means of maintenance' & private healthcare, but I didn't need the Police check or the medical certificate).

Hope this helps - and happy to answer any questions you may have.


KT 2022

Posted: Wed Jan 1, 2025 3:30pm

Posts: 22

28 helpful points

Joined: 5 Aug 2022

Posted: Wed Jan 1, 2025 3:30pm

You say that "This NLV lasts for a year, then you have to renew for 2 years, then a further two years, then you can get permanent residency. I have already had my first & second renewals and the process was similar ('means of maintenance' & private healthcare, but I didn't need the Police check or the medical certificate)."

Re the renewals, I have been reading some information online in the last week or so that after the first year the renewal will now be for 4 years, which means providing proof of income for the full 4 year period.  If people are using savings in addition to income then they may need higher levels of savings for the renewal to be granted.

I have seen Royal Decree 1155/2024 mentioned, but haven't found this online yet.

crissywissy

Posted: Thu Jan 2, 2025 9:30am

crissywissy

Super helpful member

Posts: 2562

1696 helpful points

Location: Mar Menor

Joined: 26 Sep 2015

Posted: Thu Jan 2, 2025 9:30am

Go and see QML in the 525 square and they will help you through the whole process

RichT

Posted: Thu Jan 2, 2025 2:08pm

RichT

Super helpful member

Posts: 1271

1441 helpful points

Location: Lorca

Joined: 13 Sep 2019

Posted: Thu Jan 2, 2025 2:08pm

KT 2022 wrote on Wed Jan 1, 2025 3:30pm:

You say that "This NLV lasts for a year, then you have to renew for 2 years, then a further two years, then you can get permanent residency. I have already had my first & second renewals and the process was similar ('means of maintenance' & private healthcare, but I didn't need the ...

...Police check or the medical certificate)."

Re the renewals, I have been reading some information online in the last week or so that after the first year the renewal will now be for 4 years, which means providing proof of income for the full 4 year period.  If people are using savings in addition to income then they may need higher levels of savings for the renewal to be granted.

I have seen Royal Decree 1155/2024 mentioned, but haven't found this online yet.

I've seen quite a few articles online about this new decree, which covers several areas.

I've only found one article that mentions the 4 year renewal issue and that implies that you 'can' make a 4-year renewal after the first year on an NLV, as this would provide greater stability for the applicant and also reduce paperwork, resources, etc. required by the state. It doesn't say you 'must' though...

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Mike123

Posted: Sat Jan 4, 2025 3:03pm

Mike123

Original Poster

Posts: 12

2 helpful points

Location: Cartagena

Joined: 18 May 2024

Posted: Sat Jan 4, 2025 3:03pm

RichT wrote on Wed Jan 1, 2025 3:06pm:

Hi

The below applies to UK passport holders wanting to move permanently to live in Spain, on a Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) - this is sometimes informally called the 'retirement visa', as it does not permit the holder to work. If you have an EU passport (for example an Irish passport) or want to work in...

... Spain, then there are different routes to follow...

Firstly, if you want to move to live in Spain from the UK, you need a visa. If you are retired you need a Non Lucrative Visa (NLV). I successfully completed the NLV process in May 2021. This visa is for people who want to move to live in Spain permanently. I have heard of some solicitors touting this as a way round the 90 in 180 day rule, but this is not the case.

You need to apply for your visa at the appropriate embassy / consulate in the UK. Broadly speaking, London serves the south of England; Manchester from the Midlands to the North West and Edinburgh for the very north of England and all Scotland. The consulate websites, visas sections, provide the list of requirements, as per below - with my added comments in bold.

LIST OF REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR A NON LUCRATIVE RESIDENCY VISA (NLV)

1 Passport or travel document valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended arrival to Spain with at least two blank pages to affix the visa.

2 One completely filled and signed National Visa Application Form.

3 Ex-01 form and 079-052 fee form to be paid at the Consulate on the day of your appointment. The visa and appointment fee totals approx. £600 per person.

4 One recent passport colour photograph. (No more than six months old)

5 For non-British citizens: A UK residence permit valid for at least 3 months. It can be either in form of Visa stamped on the applicant’s passport or a Residency Card. If you are a 'normal UK subject / citizen, this doesn't apply.

6 Medical (Health ) Certificate signed and stamped by a registered doctor. This Certificate must literally state that the Applicant does not suffer of any illness which represents a risk or a danger for the public according to the International Health Regulations of 2005. The document must be translated by a Sworn Translator only, and with the Hague Apostille if the country is a member. Otherwise the document must be verified by the Spanish authorities in the country of issuance. My doctor charged £25 per certificate, using a template provided by our Spanish solicitor.

7 Certificate of Good Conduct issued by the country or countries where the applicant has resided in the past five years. The document must be translated by a Sworn Translator only, and with the Hague Apostille if the country is a member. Otherwise the document must be verified by the Spanish authorities in the country of issuance. This is a Police Certificate which is obtained from the ACRO website, at a cost of, I think, £55 per person - turnaround time was about 10 days.

Note - docs 6 & 7 had to be notarised (my UK solicitor charged £25 to do all our documents). The Hague Apostille is an additional government service, which costs £30 per document and has a turnaround time of about 10 days.

8 Full health cover for applicant and, if applicable, family member. There are specific private health insurance policies, which must not include 'co-payments', which are acceptable for the NLV. Many companies offer these. I used Sanitas (which is part of BUPA), as my bank had a linked offer. I have seen DKV recommended by other people on this forum. The policy needs to be paid up front for a year and be 'live' at the date of the NLV application. I was 50, with no pre-existing conditions and the policy cost around £700, including dental cover. I have seen people with pre-existing conditions getting quotes as high as £6,000 pa each. It's important to shop around as prices vary significantly.

9 Means of maintenance in Spain of €2400 € per month for the main applicant. Each additional family member will need €600 per month. In general, €37,000 pa for a couple.

10 All documents must be translated into Spanish (and where it specifies a 'Sworn Translator', these are specific translation companies that charge a lot of money (however, our Spanish solicitor included this in her price)).

Although I would say that I am quite confident and competent in completing forms, gathering evidence, etc.; as many forms needed to be completed in Spanish (and mine is very limited) we used a Spanish solicitor (Raquel at BeGlobal Attorneys) to assist in preparing all the paperwork, making the appointments, etc. but there is still quite a bit of work you need to do yourselves. I would certainly recommend Raquel.

For the 'means of maintenance' I provided evidence of cash in the bank, shares, premium bonds, rental income from a property I own and rent out in the UK, and my pension pot.

In total, the process took about 12 weeks and cost around £1,600 (excluding the cost of the private health insurance) - of which the solicitor's fees were approx. £1,000. When you get the NLV, you then have to enter Spain within 3 months and then start the rest of the process (below) within 1 month of entering.

When I got to Spain, I then had to attend the Foreigners' Office at a specific Police Station to have fingerprints taken; and be added to the padron at the town hall. Approx. 5 weeks after this, I collected my TIE from the Police Station.

This NLV lasts for a year, then you have to renew for 2 years, then a further two years, then you can get permanent residency. I have already had my first & second renewals and the process was similar ('means of maintenance' & private healthcare, but I didn't need the Police check or the medical certificate).

Hope this helps - and happy to answer any questions you may have.


Hi Mr T,

Many thanks for your very comprehensive reply. Because our ages over 75 we have had a aquote of over E3000 each per annum to obtain the required insurance. Now ae doing the sums.

Best Regards

Mike and Cathy

Mike123

Posted: Sat Jan 4, 2025 3:05pm

Mike123

Original Poster

Posts: 12

2 helpful points

Location: Cartagena

Joined: 18 May 2024

Posted: Sat Jan 4, 2025 3:05pm

crissywissy wrote on Thu Jan 2, 2025 9:30am:

Go and see QML in the 525 square and they will help you through the whole process

???

KevS

Posted: Sat Jan 4, 2025 3:56pm

KevS

Helpful member

Posts: 128

128 helpful points

Location: Camposol

Joined: 25 Jul 2023

Posted: Sat Jan 4, 2025 3:56pm

RichT wrote on Thu Jan 2, 2025 2:08pm:

I've seen quite a few articles online about this new decree, which covers several areas.

I've only found one article that mentions the 4 year renewal issue and that implies that you 'can' make a 4-year renewal after the first year on an NLV, as this would provide greater stability for the applicant and also reduce paperwork, resources, etc. required by the state. It doesn't say you '...

...must' though...

It was in the draft legislation but didn’t make it to the formal legislation due to be in place on 20th May 2025.


The requirement remains passive income (pensions etc) or savings totalling 28,800 euros per year for an individual or 36,000 per couple for one year.  Renewing a 2 year visa means that requirement is doubled.  Your passive income is treated monthly and the savings will need to be in place for the entire two years on day 1.


As an example, let’s say your passive income as a couple is 1,000 euros per month.  Over 2 years that will total 24,000 euros.  Take that away from 72,000 euros and you need to have 48,000 euros in the bank.


Note, these figures are based on the current legislated requirement which is 4 x IPREM for a non EU citizen which is currently set at 7,200 euros and is reviewed annually.  Hence multiplied by 4 it becomes 28,800 today.   It never goes down only up or remains the same.  It has stayed the same for 2 years so I reckon we are in for an uplift somewhere in the next 3 years.

Rubio61

Posted: Sun Jan 5, 2025 9:31am

Posts: 58

36 helpful points

Location: Mar De Cristal

Joined: 26 Jun 2021

Posted: Sun Jan 5, 2025 9:31am

Mike123 wrote on Sat Jan 4, 2025 3:03pm:

Hi Mr T,

Many thanks for your very comprehensive reply. Because our ages over 75 we have had a aquote of over E3000 each per annum to obtain the required insurance. Now ae doing the sums.

Best Regards

Mike and Cathy

Hi both,

If you are applying for a Non lucrative visa and are over 75 years of age you don’t need private healthcare unless for some reason you would prefer to have it. You can use an S1 and go on to the Spanish health care system which is very good. You can apply up to 90 days before you move to Spain, use Gov.uk website it does not cost anything. We phoned the number & the person we spoke with was very helpful. He had copies sent electronically immediately and followed up by postal paper copies within a week or so to the uk & when we arrived in Spain we had another copy in our post here. Very good service. You then register the form in Spain, get another certificate and then register at your local health centre in Spain.

RichT

Posted: Sun Jan 5, 2025 1:28pm

RichT

Super helpful member

Posts: 1271

1441 helpful points

Location: Lorca

Joined: 13 Sep 2019

Posted: Sun Jan 5, 2025 1:28pm

Mike123 wrote on Sat Jan 4, 2025 3:03pm:

Hi Mr T,

Many thanks for your very comprehensive reply. Because our ages over 75 we have had a aquote of over E3000 each per annum to obtain the required insurance. Now ae doing the sums.

Best Regards

Mike and Cathy

Hi

You didn't mention your ages, so please see the response from Rubio61 above, which is correct and applies to people over UK state pension age who are claiming their state pension.

Good Luck!

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