What You Need to Know

Applying for visas

Navigating Spanish Visa Requirements

What are the visa requirements to live in Spain?

visa requirements to live in Spain

​Non-Lucrative ​Long Stay Visa

Most people without EU Passports apply for the Non-Lucrative-Visa (NLV) which is effectively a resident visa without permission to work in Spain though you can still earn a passive 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 3-12 weeks to have your visas approved. The timing of the visa process is such that you must enter Spain within 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 Information
– Los Angeles Spanish Consulate Visa Information
– Australian Spanish Consulate Non-Lucrative Visa Checklist:
– Non-Lucrative Visa in Spain (NLV) – Information

​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.

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 application process for EU citizens 

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

Spanish Visa Applications Made Easy

Official Spanish Translators for your visa application

The Spanish government requests most of the documents you’ll provide for the visa application to be translated by the sworn translator. Every year they actualize their list of ofcial translators. At YYIS we mostly work with two of them:

José Sergio Pajares Nievas is a certied sworn translator and researcher from Granada, Spain, specializing in the translation of legal documents for visa applications and medical-healthcare content. With extensive academic qualications and over a decade of professional experience, he has been delivering high-quality translation services to families relocating to Spain for many years.

SEND EMAIL TO José: tradu.jspn@gmail.com Website: https://traducciones-jspn.blogspot.com/

Rafaela Wiss is a professional translator based in Comunidad Valenciana, Spain, specializing in English to Spanish and German to Spanish translations. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Universidad Europea de Madrid and has
over 15 years of experience in the translation industry. Raphaela is a sworn translator, ofcially recognized by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and offers services in various elds, including international development, legal contracts, and certicates

SEND EMAIL TO Rafaela: rafaelawiss@gmail.com

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