Non-Lucrative Visa Spain from Nigeria

Spain Non-Lucrative Visa Overview

Spain’s non-lucrative visa is a residency permit, not a tourist visa. It grants you and your family the right to reside in the country for an extended period, offering certain benefits.

As a legal resident of Spain, you enjoy the right to freedom of movement across Europe. Like other Spaniards, you enjoy unrestricted travel within the 26 countries of the Schengen Area. 

Obtaining a non-lucrative visa can also be the first step on the pathway to moving to Spain permanently. 

Purpose and Restriction on Spain Non-Lucrative Visa

The main purpose of the non-lucrative visa is to allow financially self-sufficient, non-EU citizens a simple and direct pathway to living in Spain. The most important restriction to the non-lucrative visa is that visa holders are strictly forbidden from working in the country, be it for a Spanish company or for clients in Spain.

This restriction on Spanish working includes both employment and self-employment and includes remote work. Spanish authorities are extremely strict on this, which is why you must evidence that the funds you will be using to support yourself in the country must come from passive income or savings. If you would be relying on income from remote work, you’d be better exploring other visa options.

Validity and Renewal for Spain Non-Lucrative Visa

The initial residence authorisation granted by the non-lucrative visa is for one year. Upon arriving in the country, you need to apply for your Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE), also known as a Foreigner Identity Card. This is your physical proof of legal residency in Spain. 

Note that your one-year residency clock may legally begin from the date your visa is issued. Historically, the residence period has begun from the date you enter Spain, but some interpretations of recent Spanish legislation have the residency period starting from the date the visa is issues by the consulate.

Before this one-year validity period is up, you must apply for a renewal from within Spain if you intend to renew. A successful renewal is granted for two years. After this renewal, you can renew again for another two years. In order to maintain or renew your non-lucrative visa, you must reside in Spain for at least 183 days per year as this establishes your tax residency in the country.

Following five years of legal, continuous residency in Spain, you become eligible to apply for long-term or permanent residency. 

Who is Eligible for a Non-Lucrative Visa to Spain?

Securing a non-lucrative visa basically involves demonstrating four key eligibility criteria: that you’re a non-EU national, that you possess a clean legal record, that you’ve secured comprehensive health cover, and that you have adequate, stable financial means to be self-sufficient in the country without working.

There are no official age restrictions associated with the visa, meaning it is suitable for both retired and younger individuals alike, if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Nationality 

This visa pathway is only accessible to individuals who are non-EU, non-EEA, or non-Swiss citizens.

Clean Legal Record

In order to successfully apply for a non-lucrative visa, you must provide an official police certificate (officially translated into Spanish) from Nigeria and any other country you have lived in over the past five years, demonstrating that you have a clean criminal record. This documentation must be legalised (apostilled, if applicable) and recent. It cannot be older than six months, and some consulates may require it to be no older than 90 days from the issue date

Health Cover

You must also secure comprehensive private health insurance cover from a company authorised to operate in Spain and provide official medical certification (officially translated into Spanish) following examination from a doctor confirming you do not suffer from any diseases that could pose a risk to public health.

Financial Requirements for Spain Non-Lucrative Visa: How Much Money Do You Need?

Arguably, this is the most important aspect of the eligibility criteria for a non-lucrative visa. You need evidence that you have funds that meet a minimum required amount. This amount is based on Spain’s IPREM (Indicador Público de Renta de Efectos Múltiples, or Public Multiple Effects Income Indicator). For the main applicant looking to complete the initial, one-year non-lucrative visa application, you must demonstrate that you have funds equivalent to 400% of the IPREM per year, i.e., €28,800.

For each additional family member you wish to include in the visa application (spouse, dependent children, etc.), you need to evidence an additional 100% of the IPREM yearly income per person, which equates to an extra €7,200 per dependent.

Proving Your Financial Means

The main thing you need to be able to prove when applying for the visa is that you have the financial means to properly support yourself and any dependents. These funds must be held in an accessible, liquid format, such as a savings account. You can evidence these funds by providing official, stamped bank statements clearly showing a stable balance meeting the required threshold. These statements typically need to cover the last 6 to 12 months. If you have other relevant liquid assets, you’ll need investment certificates showing their value. 

Alternatively, you need to demonstrate you have a guaranteed source of passive, non-labour income that meets the required thresholds for self-sufficiency. You’ll need relevant proof of this passive income, such as documentation regarding:

• Pensions
• Rental income
• Dividends from investments
• Annuities
• Trust fund disbursements

Application Process for a Spain Non-Lucrative Visa

The non-lucrative visa cannot be initially applied for from within Spain; you need to initiate the application process while you are legally residing in Nigeria. You do so through the Spanish Embassy or consulate responsible for your region.

Here’s a step-by-step guide for how you go about making your application.

Check Consulate Requirements

The first step of your application should be to confirm the exact visa requirements, list of required documents, and appointment booking procedure with the Spanish Consulate General in Nigeria. It’s advisable to do this as there can be slight variations between consulates.

Gather Supporting Documents

With the details confirmed, next gather all the required documentation necessary to evidence you meet the visa requirements (bank statements, etc.). Ensure all foreign-language documents are officially translated into Spanish by a sworn translator and legalised or apostilled, where necessary.

Secure Health Insurance Coverage

Ensure also that you purchase the mandatory, comprehensive private health insurance coverage that is part of the visa eligibility criteria. Whatever insurance coverage you purchase must meet the strict Spanish government requirements (i.e., full coverage with no co-payments and no deductibles).

Book and Attend Your Consulate Appointment

With all your supporting documentation collected, schedule your in-person appointment at the Spanish consulate or official visa application centre. Be sure to book this appointment well in advance of your intended travel dates as wait times can be long.

It’s at this appointment that you will submit all your original documents, any relevant copies, completed application documentation, and pay the visa fee. This appointment must be attended in person.

Await a Decision, Collect Your Visa, And Travel

After this appointment, your application will be reviewed by the consular office and then sent to the immigration office in Spain for a final decision. If your application is approved, you must collect your stamped visa from the Spanish consulate in Nigeria within one month of receiving notification of the decision.

With your visa secured, you can travel to Spain. Once in Spain, you must then apply for your TIE (Foreigner Identity Card) within 30 days of arrival in the country. This can be done at a local police station.

Required Documentation for a Spain Non-Lucrative Visa

Gathering all the correct paperwork is an essential part of the visa application process. A single missing or improperly prepared document could be the reason for denial of your visa. Here are the main pieces of documentation you need to ensure you have ready ahead of your consulate appointment:

• Valid passport
• Two recent, passport-sized colour photographs that meet the Schengen visa requirements.
• Proof of sufficient financial means (e.g. bank statements, investment documentation etc.)
• Private health insurance certificate 
• Medical health certificate 
• Criminal record check certification
• Visa application documentation, downloadable from the official Spanish consulate/Embassy for Nigeria website, namely:
  • National Visa Application Form 
  • EX-01 application form for a non-working residence permit 
  • Modelo 790-052 form for the initial residency authorisation fee

It’s also advisable you provide proof of accommodation documentation indicating where you will be living in Spain. Indeed, some consulates may require you to provide proof of a rental contract or property ownership in Spain as part of your application.

For your own records, you might also wish to keep a receipt for the visa application and the initial residence permit fee that you pay.

Key Visa Application Submission Tips

All applications in Nigeria are submitted at the Spanish consulate or through a designated visa application centre and official partner institute of the Embassy of Spain.

Firstly, be prepared to physically attend your visa appointment. You will almost certainly be required to submit your application in person, and biometric data (i.e., fingerprints) may also be collected at this in-person appointment.

Also be mindful of the fees involved. The visa fee itself is generally consistent wherever you make your visa application, but the specific application centre will also charge a service/ administrative fee, and this may vary between different institutions. Also be sure to check the accepted payment methods for the application centre beforehand. 

Finally, be thorough with your application to give it the best possible chance of success. Ensure you bring all required original documents and official translations to your appointment, along with a complete set of photocopies for each. Consular officials will keep these copies and verify them against the originals. 

If you’re uncertain about the documentation required, how to go about getting official translations, or any aspect of the application process, talk to one of the expert immigration lawyers at IAS. Call us on +44 (0)333 414 9244 or contact us online today.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Non-Lucrative Visa for Spain?

The legal period Spanish authorities have to reach a decision regarding your application is two months (60 days) from the day your application is submitted. However, this decision period can sometimes be extended if, for example, the consulate requests any additional documents or for you to attend an interview.

Once your application is reviewed, you’ll be notified by the consulate. You’ll then typically have one month to return to the consulate to collect your passport and visa.

Non-Lucrative Visa Spain Cost

The total cost of a non-lucrative visa involves various separate fees. There is, of course, the visa fee of €516. This is a non-refundable fee charged by the consulate. You will also need to pay a small fee for the initial residence permit in Spain. 

There will also be a service/administrative charge charged by the consulate or application centre for processing your visa application and handling logistics. There are also ancillary costs related to the mandatory documentation required for your visa application. Your private health insurance, medical examination, criminal record checks, and any official translations or legalisation/apostille of documents will all have an associated cost.

Finally, while not strictly speaking a cost, be mindful always that your budget as relates to securing your visa needs to consider the mandatory finances to support yourself and any dependents you must evidence, which must be liquid and available in your accounts.

Including Family Members on the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa

Nigerian nationals applying for the non-lucrative visa can include immediate family members on their application, as long as they can demonstrate the additional financial capacity to support each individual added to the application. 

Eligible dependents you can include as part of your visa application include:

• Spouse or registered partner
• Dependent children under the age of 18
• Parents/grandparents, as long as you prove financial dependency

Each dependent added to your application will need they own completed application form and relevant supporting documentation, i.e., passport, photos, medical certificate, and criminal record check (if of legal age). You must also submit official, legalised, and translated documentation proving your familial relationship to prove dependency. Such documentation includes birth certificates and marriage certificates, for example.

Permanent Residency in Spain with the Non-Lucrative Visa

The non-lucrative visa offers a clear pathway to long-term Spanish residency. This residency is granted in a 1 year + 2 years + 2 years format, i.e.:

• Year 1: The initial term of the non-lucrative visa granted by the consulate is one year.
• Years 2 & 3: The first renewal of the non-lucrative visa (which must be done in Spain) is for two years.
• Years 4 & 5: The second renewal (which again must be done in Spain) is for another period of two years.

After two successful renewals and five years of legal, continuous residency in Spain (i.e., have been in the country for at least 183 days of each year), you become eligible to apply for long-term/permanent residency. This permanent residency card removes the requirement to prove financial means at subsequent renewals.

After ten years of legal residency in Spain, Nigerian nationals become eligible to apply for Spanish citizenship.

Common Reasons for Denial of a Spain Non-Lucrative Visa

Understanding the common application pitfalls and reasons for visa denial can help you avoid these mistakes when making your application. It can also help you have the best chance for success should you have the frustration of a visa denial and need to reapply.

Given this is a non-working visa, the biggest reason for a non-lucrative visa being denied is insufficient financial means. The funds evidenced in support of your application need to not only meet the minimum value threshold but also be stable and readily available and accessible for the entire one-year duration of the visa. You’re asked to provide bank records going back several months to show stability; it’s not enough to simply have the threshold funds in your account at the time of application. Indeed, funds only appearing in your accounts just before making the application may raise suspicion and be seen as grounds for visa refusal.

Relatedly, you must be travelling to Spain with the understanding that you cannot and will not work. If the consulate suspects you plan to work in Spain, your visa will be denied. Indeed, any such work would be illegal under the terms of the visa. If your intentions seem unclear in any way to consulate staff or there are previous employment documents that cast suspicions on your intentions, this may raise a flag and lead to visa denial.

The other common reasons for visa denial all relate to the main eligibility criteria and associated evidence you need to supply:

Health Insurance

There are specific criteria for acceptable health insurance policies. If your policy doesn’t meet these requirements, your application may be denied. If a policy has co-payments/deductibles, doesn’t sufficiently cover all medical eventualities, or is not from a Spanish-authorised insurance provider, it doesn’t meet visa requirements.

Ensure also you are getting the correct private medical cover. Travel insurance is not sufficient.

Criminal Records

A recent criminal record from any of your countries of residence over the past five years could be grounds for refusal. Similarly, if you have a history of violating visa terms, such as overstaying visas in the Schengen Area, this could be valid grounds for refusal.

Incomplete or Inappropriate Documentation

If any relevant supporting documentation is missing from your application, missing an apostille or other legalisation, or does not include an official translation by a sworn translator, this can lead to denial. All documents you submit must also be appropriately up to date. Outdated and expired documents, like a criminal record check that is not sufficiently recent, can also be grounds for refusal.

How IAS Can Help

Applying for an extended stay in a foreign country can be a complex process. With the specific requirements of Spain’s non-lucrative visa and the supporting documentation you need to provide, making an application can seem like a daunting process. This is where the team at IAS can help.

Our immigration specialists can offer bespoke support at every step of the application process, helping to provide a clear assessment of your eligibility for the visa (including financial eligibility), ensuring you have all the necessary documentation and that everything meets Spanish consular requirements, and guiding you through completing the complex application forms accurately. Should your visa be denied and you wish to exercise your right to appeal or reapply, we can analyse the reasons for your denial and help you craft an appeal or reapplication that has the best possible chance of success.

Call our legal team on +44 (0)333 414 9244 or contact us online today to discuss your situation, arrange a visa consultation, and see how IAS can help you secure a Spanish non-lucrative visa.