The Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa, often called the NLV, is one of the most popular residence routes for retirees, financially independent applicants and people who want to live in Spain without working. To apply successfully you need to meet several requirements — sufficient financial means, a clean criminal record, a medical certificate, apostilled documents and private health insurance that meets Spanish visa standards. One of the most important, and most commonly rejected, requirements is your health insurance.
Overview
The Non-Lucrative Visa is a residence visa for non-EU citizens who want to live in Spain without working or carrying out professional activity in Spain. It is one of the most popular long-term routes for people who can support themselves from savings, pensions or passive income.
It is especially well suited to retirees, early retirees, people with savings, people with pensions, people with passive income, families relocating to Spain, people taking a lifestyle break and homeowners who want to live in Spain long-term.
The NLV is not designed for people who want to work remotely for foreign clients or employers. Those applicants may need to consider the Digital Nomad Visa health insurance route instead.
Requirements
To apply for the Non-Lucrative Visa you normally need to meet several requirements. Consulates can differ slightly in how they apply them, so always confirm the checklist for the consulate where you will apply. Here is what is usually required.
Applicants must hold a valid passport, normally with sufficient validity beyond the visa period and available blank pages. Check your passport's expiry date early — if it is close to running out, renew it before you apply, because a short-dated passport can hold up the whole application.
Applicants normally complete the national visa application form required by the Spanish consulate in their country of residence. Forms and supporting checklists can differ slightly between consulates, so always use the version published by the consulate where you will apply.
Applicants must prove they have enough income, savings or passive resources to live in Spain without working. Financial evidence may include bank statements, pension letters, investment income, rental income, savings certificates or other documents showing stable and accessible funds. The financial threshold is normally linked to Spain's IPREM and can change each year, so always check the latest figure with your Spanish consulate or immigration adviser before submitting.
Health insurance is not just a supporting document — it is one of the core NLV requirements and one of the areas where applications most often run into problems if the policy does not meet Spanish consulate standards. Official consulate requirements specify insurance from an entity authorised to operate in Spain, covering the risks insured by Spain's public health system, normally without deductible, copayment, waiting period or coverage limit.
Applicants normally need a medical certificate confirming they do not suffer from diseases that could have serious public-health implications under the International Health Regulations. Many consulates specify particular wording for this certificate, so check the exact format your consulate expects.
Applicants usually need a criminal record certificate from the countries where they have lived during the relevant previous period, apostilled or legalised and translated where required. These certificates often have a limited validity window, so request them at the right point in your timeline — not too early and not too late.
Many consulates ask applicants to prove they legally reside in the area covered by that consulate. Applying at the wrong consulate is a common, avoidable reason for delay, so confirm which consulate covers your address before booking an appointment.
Applicants normally pay the relevant visa and residence-authorisation fees. Fee amounts and accepted payment methods vary by consulate and nationality, so check the current fee and how it must be paid.
Health insurance
Health insurance is not just a supporting document. It is one of the core NLV requirements and one of the areas where applications can run into problems if the policy does not meet Spanish consulate standards.
NLV health insurance requirements — what your certificate must show
Placed with Sanitas — a DGSFP-registered Spanish insurer
Sanitas is authorised by Spain’s Dirección General de Seguros y Fondos de Pensiones (DGSFP) and issues a bilingual EN/ES certificado de seguro accepted at Spanish consulates. We are an Exclusive Sanitas Insurance Agent and a recognised Sanitas International Expert — DGSFP registration C0320Y2155969D — and prepare your visa-ready certificate.
About the “€30,000 minimum” you may have read: that €30,000 figure is the Schengen short-stay travel insurance minimum — it is not the standard for the Non-Lucrative Visa. The NLV requires full private medical cover equivalent to the Spanish public system, not a €30,000 cap. A policy that only shows a €30,000 limit looks like travel insurance and can be refused.
What your NLV insurance certificate should show
The consulate reads the wording on your certificado de seguro, not the brochure. A visa-ready Sanitas certificate should state:
We prepare your Sanitas certificado de seguro with all of the above, ready for your consulate or BLS submission.
Related Non-Lucrative Visa insurance guides
For the Non-Lucrative Visa, your private medical insurance usually needs to be:
Travel insurance is not accepted for NLV applications. Some consulate guidance states specifically that travel insurance with medical-assistance cover will not be accepted. You can read more in the Official Spanish consulate Non-Lucrative Visa requirements.
Not accepted
Even if a policy looks comprehensive, it may still be rejected if it does not match the specific standards applied by the Spanish consulate. The following types of cover are usually not suitable for the Non-Lucrative Visa:
If you are unsure whether your current or proposed policy meets the requirements, ask us to check it before you apply. It is far easier to fix this before submission than after a refusal.
Financial means
Applicants must prove they can support themselves in Spain without working. The amount is usually based on a percentage of Spain's IPREM for the main applicant, plus an additional amount for each dependent family member. The IPREM figure can change each year, so always check the current threshold with your consulate or immigration adviser.
Types of evidence can include:
Different consulates may apply slightly different expectations around the number of months of bank statements, formatting, translations and supporting evidence, so check the requirements of the consulate where you will apply.
Documents
Your application file may include the following. Documents issued outside Spain often need to be apostilled or legalised and translated by a sworn translator before submission.
Couples & families
If you are applying as a couple or family, every applicant must be included in the application and each person needs suitable cover. Financial requirements also increase for each additional family member.
Common problems
Many NLV problems are avoidable. These are the issues applicants run into most often:
The health insurance requirement is one of the easiest problems to avoid if you arrange the right policy before applying.
Timing
Applicants should usually arrange their health insurance before submitting the visa application, because the policy certificate forms part of the visa file. The policy must normally cover the first year of residence in Spain and should be valid from the intended start date required by the consulate.
S1 route
Some applicants, particularly certain state pensioners, may be able to use an S1 form instead of private health insurance if they are entitled to healthcare cover through another country and the Spanish authorities accept it for their situation.
However, not every applicant qualifies for an S1, and many NLV applicants still need private health insurance. You should confirm your position before relying on the S1 route. To understand the differences, see our guide to the S1 form vs private health insurance.
Renewal
After the first year, NLV holders usually renew from inside Spain. Renewal requirements are different from the initial consulate application and may include continued financial means, valid healthcare cover and proof that the applicant has complied with residence conditions.
If you need to renew your NLV, your health insurance should remain active and suitable for Spanish residence purposes. See our pages on the NLV health insurance certificate and NLV renewal certificate, and our guide to health insurance for Spanish residency.
Get insurance
Spanish Health Insurance helps Non-Lucrative Visa applicants arrange private medical insurance suitable for Spanish visa applications. We work with visa-focused applicants every day and can help you understand which policy is most appropriate based on your age, application type, family situation and consulate requirements.
Tell us about your Non-Lucrative Visa application and we'll arrange visa-compliant private health insurance suitable for your situation — with the documentation prepared for your visa submission. Acceptance and exact terms depend on the insurer's rules.
Free, no-obligation advice from English-speaking advisers who understand visa requirements.
FAQs
Common questions about the Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa requirements and the health insurance you need to apply.