🇪🇸Spain
Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV)
Classic retirement / private-means visa — no work in Spain, but full residency rights.
Required documents
- ·Bank statements showing recurring passive income
- ·Private health insurance (Spanish-licensed insurer, no co-pay)
- ·Criminal record (apostilled) for last 5 years
- ·Medical certificate (free of quarantinable disease)
Things to know
- ·183-day minimum presence to renew.
- ·Cannot perform any economic activity, even remote, under this visa.
Apostille & legalization
Apostille routeApostille only — both United States and Spain are parties to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.
Documents that must be apostilled
- ·Police / criminal-record clearance
- ·Document explicitly flagged for legalisation
- ·Medical certificate
Bank statements, employment contracts, photos, passport copies and the application form itself do not need an apostille.
- Obtain originals or certified copies of each civil/criminal record (birth certificate, marriage certificate, police clearance, diploma, etc.).
- Have each document apostilled by the competent authority in United States (U.S. Department of State — Office of Authentications).
- Translate the apostilled document into the official language of Spain — the apostille itself is also translated.
- Submit the apostilled + translated bundle directly to the Spain immigration authority or consulate; no further consular stamp is required.
Translation: Spain only accepts translations from a court-sworn / officially recognised translator — agency translations are routinely rejected.
Issuing authority in United States: U.S. Department of State — Office of Authentications
Documents older than 3–6 months are often rejected. Plan to obtain fresh originals shortly before your visa application.
Last verified 31 May 2026 — reconfirm on the official portal before applying.
Other residency programs in Europe
