Spain Non-Lucrative Visa 2026: Requirements, Income and Buying a Home on the Costa del Sol

The Spain non-lucrative visa lets a non-EU citizen live in the country without working, as long as they can show sufficient financial means and hold health insurance. In 2026 the minimum is 400% of IPREM, which means €2,400 a month or €28,800 a year for the main applicant, plus €600 a month for each dependent family member. You apply at the Spanish consulate in the country where you live, the first permit lasts one year and it is then renewed for two-year periods.

It is the route most often used by British and American buyers who want to spend more than 90 days out of every 180 on the Costa del Sol. Buying a home does not give you the right to live here, but it does change how the process works for you. Below we explain the requirements, based on the official sources, and where the purchase fits in.

What is the Spanish non-lucrative visa and who is it for?

It is a residence visa that comes with a non-lucrative temporary residence permit, governed by articles 61 to 64 of Spain's Immigration Regulation (Royal Decree 1155/2024). It is designed for retirees, people living off investments and anyone with savings who will not work in Spain. The holder can bring a spouse or registered partner, minor children and adult children with a disability who depend on them.

The key condition is in the name: it does not allow you to work, either as an employee or as a self-employed person in Spain. The Spanish consulate in London states it plainly: the visa is not a work permit. If your income comes from working remotely for foreign companies, the route for you is the remote work visa, not this one.

How much money do you need for the non-lucrative visa in 2026?

The regulation sets the required means as percentages of IPREM, Spain's public income indicator. Its value was set at €600 a month by the 2023 Budget Act (Law 31/2022), and it still applies because that budget has been rolled over into 2026, as no new budget has been approved. The amounts are minimums and are calculated per month multiplied by the length of the permit.

You can prove it with regular income, such as a pension or rental income, or with available assets. The regulation accepts any lawful means of proof, and for foreign accounts it asks for a bank certificate showing the bank, the account, the balance on 31 December of the previous year and the average balance over the last year. On renewal, your means must cover the new period, which is two years. If a new budget raises IPREM, these figures will rise with it.

Non-lucrative visa Spain requirements and documents

The official fact sheet from Spain's Ministry of Inclusion and the consulate pages agree on the essentials. Each consulate publishes its own checklist, so the one that counts is yours.

• A passport valid for at least one year and the signed official EX-01 form.
• Proof of financial means for the amounts in the table above.
• Public or private health insurance with an insurer authorised in Spain. The London consulate requires it to cover every risk covered by the Spanish public health system and also accepts a registered S1 form.
• A criminal record certificate from every country you have lived in during the last five years, apostilled and with a sworn translation. In the UK this is the ACRO certificate.
• A medical certificate stating that you do not suffer from any disease with serious public health implications under the 2005 International Health Regulations.
• Payment of the fee with form 790 code 052 and proof that you live within the consulate's district.

On insurance, ask the consulate before you buy a policy whether it accepts co-payments or waiting periods: the regulation only says health insurance, and practical criteria can differ from one consulate to another.

Where do you apply and how long does it take?

You cannot apply from Spain as a tourist: the initial application is filed at the consulate of the country where you live. To renew, you must have actually lived in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year and kept your insurance throughout.

Can you live in Spain if you buy a home?

Buying does not make you a resident. The property investor visa, the so-called golden visa, was abolished by Organic Law 1/2025, and no new applications have been accepted since 3 April 2025. A British buyer can purchase without restrictions today, but without a visa they can only stay 90 days in every 180, even in a home they own.

What owning a home does is make everything else easier. You have a stable address to register on the town hall roll (padrón) and to apply for your TIE at the right police station, and you avoid hunting for a long-term rental, which is expensive and scarce on the coast. If you also own another property that is let out, that rent can be presented as regular income; check with the consulate how it wants you to prove it.

You do not need residency to buy, but you do need an NIE. Many of our non-EU clients complete the purchase during their 90-day stay and apply for the visa afterwards, from home. For reference, these are the median asking prices for November 2026 in some of the towns most often chosen by people relocating, from our market report.

These are asking prices, not sale prices, and they vary a lot within each town. You can see every town and the methodology in our Costa del Sol market report, which we update every month.

What taxes do you pay once you become a resident?

Immigration residency and tax residency are different things, but here they usually go together. According to the Spanish Tax Agency, you are tax resident if you spend more than 183 days of the calendar year in Spain or if the main centre of your economic interests is here. Since renewal requires living in Spain for more than 183 days a year, the visa holder will normally pay Spanish income tax (IRPF) on their worldwide income.

That changes how your pension, your investments and the home itself are taxed, and it depends on the double taxation treaty with your country. Before applying for the visa it is worth talking to a tax adviser who knows both systems.

Conclusion

The non-lucrative visa is the way to live on the Costa del Sol without working if you are not an EU citizen: €28,800 a year in means for one person, health insurance, a clean record and an application at your consulate. Buying a home does not replace it, but it gives you a stable address from day one. At EVS Property we help you choose the area, find the home and coordinate the NIE with the notary and the bank.

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