Non-lucrative Visa (NLV)

The non-lucrative visa is the most common, and easiest, visa that British people apply for.

The process must start at one of the Spanish Consulates in your country of residence. For the UK these are in London, Manchester and Edinburgh.

The Pros:

  • It is the easiest route for a British National to obtaining residency in Fuerteventura.
  • The spouse or de facto partner, children and dependents who are part of the family unit can obtain the visa as a dependent.

The Cons:

  • 1,2 You will not be allowed to work either in Spain or anywhere else in the world, including UK
  • 3 In order to obtain permanent residence, you will only be allowed to be outside of Spain for no more than 6 months in a period of one year, and a total of 10 months in your first 5 years. In exceptional cases the total period of absence can be up to 12 months.

2Necessary Documents to apply for Non-Lucrative Visa

If you are a couple or a family applying, create a folder with the following documents for each family member and ensure your appointment with the consulate for the number of people applying.

Whilst the original plus a copy is required of documents, I would advise having at least two copies in order that you can retain one.

  1. Application form. Online form or download form. Each applicant must complete all sections and sign a copy of the application form.
  2. Photograph. A recent passport-size photograph, in colour, with a light background, taken from the front. Your eyes must be seen clearly, if you wear glasses ensure they are not tinted, clear and with no reflections. Clothing must not hide any part of your face.
  3. Valid and current passport. The original and a photograph of the page(s) with biometric data. The passport must have a minimum validity of 1 year and two blank pages, and must have been issued less than 10 years ago.
  4. Proof of the availability of financial means. The original plus a copy of any documents that prove that the applicant has the required sufficient financial means for both the applicant and their dependent(s). The minimum amount required is the 6equivalent to 400% of the IPREM for the applicant (currently 28,800€), plus 100% of IPREM (currently 7,200€) for each family member dependent. The financial means can be savings or income from savings, investments or rental income, or a mixture of both. It can not be from lucrative activity (work or professional). Foreign documents must be legalised or apostilled and, where appropriate, must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish.
  5. Health Insurance. The original and a copy of the public or private health insurance certificate. If you are a pensioner you will be entitled to apply for an S1 from Department for Work and Pensions in Nottingham. An S1 will cover all your health requirements and allow you to sign on to the Spanish National Health System. If you are not yet of pension age then you must obtain private health insurance with a company that is authorised to operate in Spain. The health insurance must cover all risks and have no excess.
  6. Criminal record certificate. Applicants who are of legal age must present the original and a copy of the criminal record certificate issued by the country, or countries, of residence in the past 5 years. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where appropriate, must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish.
  7. Medical certificate. The original plus a copy of a medical certificate certifying that the applicant does not suffer from diseases that may have serious repercussions for public health in accordance with the International Health Regulations. Foreign documents must be legalised or apostilled and, where appropriate, accompanied by an official translation into Spanish.
  8. Proof of residence in the consular demarcation. To do this you must prove your UK address; this can be by any means, utility bills, bank statements, etc.
  9. Payment of fees. To pay the residence authorization fee at the Consular Office, you must complete all fields and sign two copies of form 790 code 052, section 2.1 This fee can also be paid online, through the link to model 790-052. In that case, proof of payment obtained through the same web page will be attached.

Each family member must present the following.

  • All the requirements mentioned above, except for (4) proof of financial means, which is only provided by the applicant. For minors the application must be signed by one of their parents.
  • Documents that prove your relationship with the applicant; birth or marriage certificates issued by the civil registry, registration certificate as a de facto couple or any other document that proves the relationship as an unregistered couple. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where appropriate, must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish.
  • In the case of children of legal age, documents that prove economic dependence, the marital status of the child and that they continue to form part of the family unit. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where appropriate, must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish.
  • In the case of ascendants, documents that prove economic dependence and that they are part of the family unit. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where appropriate, must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish.

When necessary to assess the application, the Consular Office may request additional documents or data and may also call the applicant for a personal interview.

What next?

Once you have your visa you will be allowed to travel on the date permitted. From your date of arrival you then have one month in order to apply for your TIE (residence permit). The first step in this is to register on the Empadonmiento (Padron) of the local Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) of where you will be living. Once you have your certificate you can then go to the Immigration offices to apply for TIE.

4Renewal of the non-lucrative temporary residence permit

Towards the end of your first year you must renew your residence permit. This must be done at the Immigration Office during the 60 calendar days prior to the expiration date of your TIE or within a 90 day period after the expiration date. However, we advise that it is renewed prior to expiration.

Once again you must prove the following:

  • That you have sufficient financial means for you and your dependents
    • 5As the renewal is for 2 years, you must show 2 years of financial means. However, it may be that if your means are from a regular passive income, not savings, you may only be required to show 1 year. If you know you will only have one year to show on renewal, then I would advise clarifying the situation.
  • Have public or private health insurance
  • If you have dependent children of school age, that they’re enrolled in a school
  • That you have paid the appropriate fee
  • A copy of complete valid passport(s)

On renewal your non-lucrative visa temporary residence permit will then be valid for a further two years. At the end of your third year as a resident, you will then have to repeat the procedure. After 5 years you become a permanent resident and your TIE will last for a further 10 years.

Resources

You might also like...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *