Permanent Residence in Spain
One documented route of this kind in Spain, with its conditions, documents, official government fees and process.
Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) - passive income, no work
Total Spanish government fees are $13 (residence permit authorization) + $106 (visa fee for most nationalities) or $140 (US citizens) = $119–$153 in government fees. The previously displayed figure of ~$2,052 bundles third-party and legal service costs, which are not government fees. Official fee schedule per exteriores.gob.es Houston consulate (January 2026).
- Processing time
- Legal decision period 3 months
- Validity
- 1 year initially, renewable
- Language requirement
- None for the visa itself; required for eventual naturalization
- Permanent residence
- After 5 years of continuous legal residence
- Citizenship
- Generally after 10 years of legal residence (reduced periods for certain nationalities)
Requirements
- Sufficient passive income/savings: 400% of IPREM (approx. EUR 28,800/year) for main applicant; +100% IPREM (approx. EUR 7,200/year) per dependent
- No work or professional activity in Spain (including remote work)
- Private or public health insurance with full coverage in Spain (no copay, no deductible, no waiting period, 1-year validity)
- Clean criminal record covering the last 5 years
- Medical certificate issued within 90 days
- Legal residence in the consular district at time of application
Required Documents
- National Visa Application form (signed) + recent color passport photo (white background) required
- Valid passport (original + copy, at least 1 year validity, 2 blank pages) required
- Form EX-01 (residence authorization request) + Form 790-052 (permit fee form) required
- Proof of legal residence in the consular district required
- Proof of financial means: bank statements (3 months), bank certificates, tax return/income documentation required
- Private or public health insurance authorized in Spain with full coverage, no copay/deductible/waiting period, 1-year validity required
- Medical certificate issued within 90 days required
- Criminal background check covering last 5 years, Hague Apostille + sworn Spanish translation required
- Notarized affidavit of non-work commitment + Spain address required
Official fees
- Residency permit fee (approx.) 13 USD
- Visa fee - US nationals 140 USD
- Visa fee - UK nationals 691 USD
- Visa fee - Canadian nationals 789 USD
- Visa fee - Australian nationals 313 USD
- Visa fee - other nationalities 106 USD
Process Steps
-
1
Confirm jurisdiction
Confirm you live in the consulate's jurisdiction.
-
2
Prepare documents
Gather and apostille/translate documents.
-
3
Book appointment
Book an appointment (e.g., via BLS center where applicable).
-
4
Submit
Submit the application in person.
-
5
Await decision
Await decision (SMS notification).
-
6
Collect visa
Collect the visa in person.
-
7
Enter Spain
Enter Spain within 1 year (365-day entry window, in force since 2025).
-
8
Obtain TIE
Apply for the TIE (Foreigner Identity Card) within 1 month of arrival.