What are the visa requirements to live in Spain?

​Non-Lucrative ​Long Stay Visa

Most people without EU Passports apply for this visa which is effectively a resident visa without permission to work in Spain though you can still earn an income in your home country while residing in Spain.

As part of the visa process, you must prove that you can support yourselves financially for the period you reside in Spain. 

The visa application which must be submitted to your nearest Spanish Consulate in your home country prior to departure, requires much form filling, collation of official documents and translating them all into Spanish. Just some of the documents required are: police security check, health check, bank statements or pay slips and private health insurance.

Gathering the documents can take quite a while however once you have successfully lodged all your paperwork it should take between 3-6 weeks to have your visas approved.
The timing of the visa process is such that you must enter Spain withing 90 days of receiving your visa hence you cannot lodge your paperwork more than 3 months ahead of your planned arrival in Spain.  Information about the process can be found in the links below:
- San Francisco Spanish Consulate non-lucrative visa fact sheet
- Los Angeles Spanish Consulate Visa Information Page
- Australian Spanish Consulate Non Lucrative Visa Checklist 
- Bucking the trend (a US family's step by step experience)

​EU Passport Holders

If you have EU passports then you can arrive in Spain without the need to have applied in advance for a residency visa however once you arrive, you have three months in which to register as a resident (and obtain the all important NIE card).

​You must prove that you have sufficient income to live in Spain and also demonstrate that you have private health insurance cover.

Spouse or Dependent Visa 

If one member of your family has an EU passport then you can sponsor your spouse or dependents to stay in Spain.

​This can be done within three months of your arrival. You must prove the family connection with a notarised and translated marriage certificate (spouse visa) and birth certificate (dependent visa).

You must also be able to prove that you can financially support your dependents while living in Spain

Further detailed information on the residency and spouse/dependent application process for EU citizens 

Official Spanish Translators for your visa application

All visa applications require official translation into Spanish. Translators whom my clients and I work with regularly and have experience working with Spanish visa processes are:

Translator in Spain: Maria Castellano is a Spanish certified sworn Translator-Interpreter. Her main area of expertise is visa application. She has been working for years to provide thorough and accurate translations for expats moving to Spain. She regularly provides translations for the Consulate of Spain in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London, as well as for other countries’ consulates in Spain. Regarding her education, she is a graduate in Translation and Interpreting by the University of Granada, Spain, an MA graduate in Linguistics by SJSU in California and a former Fulbright grantee. She has lived in the US, the UK and Belgium, and is well aware of the challenges anyone faces when moving abroad.  www.mariacastellano.com. Email: castellano.mariamar@gmail.com

Translators in the USA: 
 - Maritza F. Cardoso-Vicente produces translations that are in keeping with the original format of the document (birth certificate, FBI background checks, etc.)  She can also provide a notarized affidavit attesting to her credentials. For the Health certificates, the Consulate provides the exact language on its web site that you should follow. You can email her scanned copies of your documents that she can translate and post back to you in hard copy. Email: mitziecat1@sbcglobal.net Tel. +1 323-363-5663

​- Debora Eizips-Dreymann is an attorney based in California. Her main area of expertise is immigration and visa applications. For many years, she has been assisting US-based clients who wish to retire in Spain, or to seek a non-lucrative visa or a sabbatical year in Spain. In addition to legal assistance and guidance with the collection of supporting documents, Debora provides thorough and accurate document translations for expats moving to Spain. She regularly provides assistance and translation services for the Consulates of Spain in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Texas and Washington DC. 
Read other people's testimonials,  Email: debora@dreymann.net . Phone: +1-650-224-0076

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