Frequently Asked Questions
Spain Non-Working Residency
What is a Non Lucrative Visa ?
A non-lucrative residency visa is a unique type of residency permit in Spain for non-European citizens who wish to move to Spain for long term stay. This residence permit is non-profit in that you will not be permitted to do any economic and professional activities in Spain.
The Non-lucrative Residency visa (NLV) is the most preferred type of visa among expats, since there is no need to invest in the country to obtain it. However, the applicants must prove their financial capabilities of supporting their stay in Spain for at least one year without working.
Besides, Spain’s NLV visa allows you to bring your family members as long as you have the financial means to sustain them.
Why should I use a lawyer?
An experienced lawyer will know the secrets of the trade. He or she will guide you in every step. If anything goes wrong the lawyer will know how to solve the problem and overcome any obstacle.
Will I pay more if I do it through you?
You can always try to apply directly to the embassy but it’s not a straight forward process and acceptance is not always guaranteed. However through a Spanish lawyer your application will be flawless and if you meet the requirements then you are almost certain to be granted the visa. If the embassy reply was negative our lawyer knows how to appeal and overturn the decision. But keep in mind that if our lawyer deems that you are not eligible, he will not accept your file from the beginning and spare you money, time, efforts, and wasted hopes.
Do you need help in getting the required documentations?
You must provide the basic documents as required by the Spanish Embassy . But once you have them, we can help you translate and legalize them as required by the embassy (service only available in Lebanon ). We can also help you secure a Spanish health insurance certificate at the best possible rate.
What is the cost ?
It depends on the size of your family and we are offering 2 types of services to match your need and budget :
A: Basic Service offered by a local Spanish law office for about 5000 euros ( for family of 4 ) and it includes application filling , document preparations , and booking appointments at the embassy and immigration services .
OR
B: Premium Service offered by a prestigious international law firm in Marbella and it includes the above + eligibility interview, full dossier preparation in Spain and couriered to your home address, thorough visa interview prepping, follow up and intervention with the embassy if needed, and finally escorting you to the immigration offices in Spain
( Malaga region only )
Not included are Spanish government fees (if any ) or courier expenses . There is also approx. $100 per visa application payable to the Spanish embassy. These are the only costs you will have to pay. (other than the cost of getting the required documents and have them translated and legalized by the proper authorities.)
What are the required documents ?
All required documents are posted on the Spanish embassy official website . However in short, these are : a bank account with at least 34.000 euros(for the first 2 applicants), Spanish private health insurance, health certificate, police records, & family register. Also you need to fill few other forms .
How much time the whole process takes ?
The minute you have all the proper documents on hand and are verified by the lawyer we will book you an appointment at the embassy . The embassy will give you an answer in about 4-12 weeks time . Once you get a positive answer you can stamp the visa and travel to Spain instantly .
What Are My Rights as an Non Lucrative Resident?
You have many rights. You and your family can stay as much as you want in Spain, as long as it’s more than 183 days per year. You can own or rent properties or cars, work remotely, and travel anywhere as much as you need back and forth. You can also visit visa free any Schengen country with your Spanish residency ID. Sure enough your children can attend schools or universities in Spain.
What's Next?
Once in Spain you must secure an address. After that the lawyer will fix an appointment with the police to apply for the residency card (takes 45 days). In the mean time you can stay and live normally in Spain and be considered a resident. One year later, if you still fulfil successfully the NLV Spanish residency requirements you can apply in Spain for a 2 years extension of the NLV. 2 years after the 1st extension and if you still fulfil the requirements, you can apply for another 2 years extension. After 5 years of being a Non Lucrative Visa Resident in Spain ( if you are not away for more than 10 months ) you can apply for regular Spanish residency that will allow you to live, work, and benefit from all Spanish health care benefits. few years after that, you are eligible to apply for the Spanish passport !!!!
Some Extra Information
The 30 days period to gain the NLV is considered from the day you present your documents to the Spanish embassy up to the day you hopefully get awarded the visa . It does not include the time for preparing your documents nor any delay to get the visa appointment at the embassy . Once awarded the NLV, you can travel immediately to Spain or within about 90 days from getting it.
Even with our help and guidance getting the NLV is not a guaranteed affair. After all it’s up to the discretion of the Spanish Consul to grant or withhold it . However, we will try our best to help you getting the visa as long as you fill all the requirements . If your application is rejected, the lawyer will decide if your file is suitable for appealing the consul’s decision.