01How much money do I need to show in 2026?
The rule is set by Royal Decree 1155/2024: 400% of IPREM per month for the main applicant and 100% of IPREM per month for each family member who depends on you. IPREM (Indicador Público de Renta de Efectos Múltiples) is the public benchmark Spain uses for income tests, and it is €600 a month in 2026. The amounts cover the whole period of the permit, which is one year at first.
| Household | Per month | First year (1-year permit) |
|---|---|---|
| Single applicant | €2,400 | €28,800 |
| Couple | €3,000 | €36,000 |
| Couple with one child | €3,600 | €43,200 |
| Couple with two children | €4,200 | €50,400 |
| Couple with three children | €4,800 | €57,600 |
You can prove the amount with regular income (pensions, rent, dividends, interest) or with savings that cover the full sum, or a mix of both. The Edinburgh consulate's own table puts the main applicant at approximately £2,041 a month, about £24,500 a year, and each family member at approximately £510 a month, but the legal figure is in euros and the exchange rate moves. Leave a margin.
Accounts abroad are accepted. The regulations ask for the bank's name and address, the account details, opening date, the balance at 31 December of the previous year and the average balance over the last year. In practice consulates ask for 12 months of statements and an explanation of any large recent deposit, such as a property sale or a pension lump sum.
02What are the government fees for UK and US citizens?
Two official fees are paid when you apply: the visa fee, which depends on your nationality because Spain applies reciprocity, and the residence permit fee (form 790, code 052), which is small and the same for everyone. Consulates that use BLS International add a service charge. None of these is refunded if you are refused or withdraw.
| Fee | British citizen applying in the UK | US citizen applying in the US |
|---|---|---|
| Visa fee | £516 | $140 |
| Residence permit fee (790-052) | About £9 | $13 |
| Service provider charge | About £15 (BLS) | Varies by consulate |
| Approximate total per person | About £540 | About $153 plus any service charge |
| Residence card (TIE), paid in Spain | Form 790, code 012 | Form 790, code 012 |
These are the figures published at the time of writing by the consulates in Edinburgh, Los Angeles and New York. Each family member pays their own set of fees. Because the visa fee follows your passport rather than where you live, an American applying in London pays a different amount from a British applicant at the same desk. The fee for the TIE card is paid in Spain before your fingerprint appointment; it is a modest sum, and the amount should be checked when you pay it.
03What do the documents cost?
After the official fees, the real spending is on documents. None of these costs is fixed by Spain, so get quotes, but plan for each of the following:
- Police certificate: the ACRO certificate in the UK or the FBI Identity History Summary in the US, each with its own fee.
- Apostilles: in the UK the FCDO charges £45 per document on the standard paper service or £35 for an e-apostille. In the US, FBI records need the federal apostille from the Department of State, and state documents need a state apostille.
- Sworn translations into Spanish: police certificate, medical certificate and, for families, marriage and birth certificates. Sworn translators usually charge per page or per document.
- Medical certificate: a private appointment with a doctor who will sign the required wording.
- Health insurance: a full year with an insurer authorised in Spain, no co-payments. This is usually the biggest single cost and rises with age. British state pensioners with a registered S1 form can use it instead in the UK consulates.
- Travel and courier: a trip to the consulate city for the appointment and the return of your passport.
04How long does the non-lucrative visa take?
There are two parts: preparation, which depends on you, and the official process, which has legal time limits. This is how the stages fit together.
| Stage | Time |
|---|---|
| Gathering documents, apostilles and translations | Depends on you; the UK standard apostille takes up to 25 working days, the e-apostille up to 2 |
| Consulate appointment | Depends on availability at BLS or the consulate |
| Decision after you apply | Legal maximum of 90 days (Edinburgh) or 3 months (Los Angeles); longer if more documents are requested |
| Immigration office decision on the permit | 1 month, inside the consular period |
| Entering Spain | Within the validity of the visa sticker |
| Applying for the TIE card | Within 1 month of arrival, in person, with fingerprints |
Two documents have short shelf lives: the police certificate must be less than six months old and the medical certificate less than three months old when you apply. Order them so that both are still valid on the day of your appointment, and so that the apostille and translation are done in time.
05How long is the visa valid and when do I renew?
The first permit lasts one year. You apply to renew in the two months before it expires; you can still apply up to three months after expiry, but a fine may be imposed. Renewals are filed online with the immigration office and must be decided within three months. If no decision arrives in time, the renewal is treated as granted.
A renewal lasts two years. After that comes another two-year renewal, and once you reach five years of continuous legal residence you can apply for long-term residence. To renew you must have lived in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year, still have the money and the health insurance, and show that any school-age children are enrolled in school.
06Do I need more money at renewal?
The monthly rate does not change, but the period does. The regulations say the money must cover the length of the permit being requested. For a two-year renewal that is 24 months: €57,600 for a single applicant and €72,000 for a couple. People who live on a pension or other regular income meet this by showing that the income continues. People who rely on savings need to plan for the larger sum.
Insurance must have been kept up without gaps during the first year and must continue. A lapse in cover, even for a month, is a common reason renewals get questioned.
07What does a lawyer charge, and what should the fee include?
There is no official scale, so compare what each fee covers rather than the headline figure. A complete service usually includes an assessment of whether the non-lucrative visa is right for you, an exact calculation of what you must show, review of every document before it is apostilled or translated, completion of the visa and EX-01 forms, a covering letter and indexed bundle for the consulate, follow-up on requests for more documents, and guidance on the TIE appointment once you arrive.
Ask whether renewals are included or priced separately, and whether family members cost extra. We prepare non-lucrative visa applications online for clients in the UK, the US and elsewhere, and we give a fixed quote after a first review of your case.
08Frequently asked questions
Does the money have to be in a Spanish bank account?
No. Accounts in the UK, the US or elsewhere are accepted, provided the bank certificates and statements identify the bank, the account and the balances. Opening a Spanish account before you have residence is not a requirement.
Can I count the value of my home or other property?
Property can be evidence of your means, but consulates look mainly at income you receive and money you can use. A house you live in does not pay your bills. Rental income from a property, on the other hand, counts as income.
Are the fees refunded if the visa is refused?
No. Visa and permit fees are paid when you apply and are not refunded if you withdraw or the application is refused. That is one reason to check the file thoroughly before you submit it.
Will the IPREM go up?
It can. The IPREM is set in Spain's state budget law and has stayed at €600 a month since 2023 because no new budget has been approved. The threshold that applies is the one in force when you apply, so check it again shortly before your appointment.
Can I work in Spain to cover the costs once I arrive?
No. The non-lucrative permit does not allow any work in Spain or remote work for employers abroad. If you need to earn, look at the digital nomad visa or a work permit instead.
Does each family member need their own health insurance?
Yes, every person on the application needs cover that meets the requirements, children included. Family policies are fine as long as each person is named and fully covered.
··Official sources
- boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2024-24099
- sepe.es/HomeSepe/prestaciones-desempleo/Cuantias-anuales.html
- exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/edimburgo/en/ServiciosConsulares/PublishingImages/Paginas/Consular/Visado-de-residencia-no-lucrativa/Non%20lucrative%20visa.pdf
- exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/londres/en/ServiciosConsulares/Documents/Checklist%20NON%20LUCRATIVE%20VISA%20RES.pdf
- exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/losangeles/en/ServiciosConsulares/Paginas/Consular/Visado-de-residencia-no-lucrativa.aspx
- exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/nuevayork/en/ServiciosConsulares/Documents/Consular%20Fees%202025%20NY.pdf
- gov.uk/get-document-legalised
Information reviewed on 03.10.2026 against the law in force. This page is for general information and is not a substitute for advice on your own case.