What is the Spanish non-profit residence visa?
The non-profit residence visa allows people without a job to reside in Spain. You can request it while you’re still in the UK, as long as you can provide all the necessary documentation.
What documentation do I need for the Spanish non-profit residence visa?
- You must provide proof that your income level is at least £2,000 per month. In most applications for this type of visa, your pensioner’s certificate and a bank statement should be sufficient proof.
- Private health insurance in place with a Spanish insurer.
- Health certificate that states that you do not suffer from any illnesses or diseases that could have serious public health repercussions.
- Demonstrate that you don’t have a criminal record.
- Prove that you have no “irregular” situation in Spain that could hinder your application (this does not apply to 99% of applicants – if you’re in doubt, talk to your solicitor).
- Pay the procedure fee.
Keep in mind that you must provide original documents and translations into Spanish. Download Spanish visa documentation and the non-profit residence visa (Ex-01) from the Spanish Consulate website.
What are the benefits of the Spanish non-profit residence visa?
The non-profit residence visa will allow you to live legally in Spain for one year. Once that period ends, you can renew the permit for another two years, and then another two years after that (as long as you still meet the initial requirements each time).
After 5 years of living in Spain, you can apply for permanent residence.
What about tax?
The Spanish non-profit residence visa will immediately make you a tax resident in Spain, so you will be required to pay tax, just like any other Spanish resident. This means you will have to pay:
- Income tax or “IRPF”. Please note that you will have to pay taxes on ALL of your income (not just income obtained in Spain). Income tax is currently between 19% and 45%, depending on your income.
- Capital gains tax. This is between 19 and 23% of the profit you make from selling assets, such as property.
- Wealth tax or “IP”. You will pay between 0.2 to 2.5% on assets valued at more than €700,000.
Don’t forget that there are other taxes you will need to pay in Spain too, such as council tax, tax on motor vehicles etc. Find out more about Spanish International tax rules in our moving to Spain guide section.
Discover everything you need to know about retiring to Spain in our guide, the Pros & Cons of retiring to Spain: your pension, healthcare, and more explained.
32 comments
Add your voice22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
22 Jul. 2022
07 Jan. 2023
Non-profit residence visa - As a married couple does each person have to have an income of E30,000? or can it be a combined income? Is this before or after UK tax? If we pay tax in Spain do we have to pay UK tax also?
25 Jan. 2023
I am looking to retire to Spain within the next year, My pension is around £18000, and I will have the proceeds of my house sale to purchase a Spanish property and around 200K to invest, will I meet the requirements for a residence visa? I will also be looking to complete a S1 form for transfer of healthcare, will this satisfy the visa requirements for health cover? I look forward to your reply. Kind regards. Dave W.
21 Mar. 2023
Hi Dave, you would need to use your pension and also show funds in your bank or other savings to prove you have the required income of approximately €30,000, this changes each year. For the S1 you can visit the gov.uk site 'Register your S1 form in Spain online', you will need to have your residence card. Thank you for your questions.
25 Jan. 2023
Hi, My wife has her UK state pension but I do not get mine for another 5 years. However we have a good level of savings and the proceeds from selling our house in the UK. Therefore we do not have a direct income of £30000 at the moment so would we be able to ask for a non profit visa?
21 Mar. 2023
Hi Andy, thank you for your question, if you have savings, you would need to prove by bank statements. Good luck with your search for your dream property in Spain.
05 Apr. 2023
We will have our state pension and cash to buy property outright our only other cash would be a 20000 pension pot does this mean after it being our life long dream we cannot now live out the rest of our life in the sun ty
06 Apr. 2023
Thanks for your question Lynn, we have sent you an email with additional information. Good luck with your search for your dream property!
05 Apr. 2023
Hi We are a married couple whose only income is provided from state and private pensions which do not quite amount to €30000 . We would like to move to live in Spain. We currently live permanently in France with French residency granted. We can top up our income by depositing money in the bank when we move to Spain from our house sale (eg €35000). Would this money have to stay in the bank for the next 5 years as proof we have enough income? Do we apply for a non-lucrative visa here in France, in the UK, or can it be done in Spain when we arrive? Thank you
06 Apr. 2023
Thanks for your question Annie, we have sent you an email with additional information. Good luck with your search for your dream property!
29 Apr. 2023
Hi, I am a single father with a 3 year old and am due to retire from the Military in just over 2 years time. I will have a pension of at least £1500 per month (I will be 55 so at age 67 will also get the UK govt pension) and enough capital to purchase a property. What are my options? Thanks.
03 May. 2023
Hi Aaron, thanks for your question. The visa looks at your yearly income and number of dependents when assessing your eligibility. If you believe you meet the criteria, we recommend contacting the Spanish Consulate as they provide detailed visa information. Best of luck!
29 Apr. 2023
Hello, I have a monthly private pension and £30,000 in savngs. Would I be eligible to apply for the non profit residence visa? I would be applying as a single person.
03 May. 2023
Hello Denice, thanks for your question! The visa really depends on your annual income – so your pension and any other income streams you have would have to equate to the required amount or more. For more detailed information on this visa, we recommend contacting the Spanish consulate as they are the approving body of the visa. Best of luck!
18 Jun. 2023
If I buy a property in Spain and have savings over £90,000 plus private pensions for myself and wife would we be able to get residency in Spain if we retired at 55
19 Jun. 2023
Hi Christopher, thanks for your question! Without knowing your private pension amount, it seems your savings plus this income will be enough to qualify for the visa. Your financial situation will be re-assessed every time you renew (after 1 year, then every 2 years). As long as you continue to meet the threshold, then you will be ok! Good luck with the move, reach out to us if you have any other questions!