Moving to Spain with a Non-Lucrative Visa
Updated: 6 days ago
House moves finances and the steps before and after approval
Expay
Updated 13 October 2026
A move to Spain often starts with a house viewing or a plan to retire.
Soon there are bigger questions: when to sell, how much money to keep available, how to transfer it and what happens once the visa is approved.
Planning these decisions together helps you build a move that works financially and gives you time to prepare the paperwork.
Plan the house move before committing your money
Decide whether you will sell your current home, keep it or rent it out.
Allow for sale delays, removals, temporary accommodation and the possibility of paying running costs in two countries for a while.
For a Spanish purchase, budget for taxes, legal fees, registration and any repairs alongside the advertised price.
Use an independent lawyer for the property checks.
If you need a mortgage, confirm the lender's requirements, deposit and repayments before making a binding commitment.
Visa approval does not guarantee mortgage approval. [1]
Before putting savings into a property, recalculate what you will have available for living costs and the NLV.
Keep enough flexibility to deal with a delayed sale or visa decision.
Prepare your finances for the NLV
The non-lucrative visa allows eligible applicants to live in Spain without carrying out work or professional activities.
Plan to support yourself through savings or qualifying income without working from Spain.
A remote job is not covered by this permission. [2]
The financial minimum is linked to Spain's IPREM income indicator: 400% for the main applicant plus 100% for each dependent. With the 2026 monthly IPREM of €600, the first-year figures are: [2, 3]
Applicant or household
First year minimum
Main applicant
€28,800
Each additional dependent
€7,200
Couple with one dependent spouse
€36,000
These are immigration minimums.
Add your actual housing, healthcare and moving costs to your own budget, and check the figures again when you apply.
Request financial evidence early.
For overseas accounts, the rules require bank and account identification, opening details, the previous 31 December balance and the average balance over the last year. Prepare current statements and income evidence too, following your consulate's checklist. If funds come from a house sale, retain the completion statement and the bank trail. [2, 4]
Review tax before selling a house or withdrawing a pension
The date you physically move is only part of the tax picture.
Spanish tax residence can arise through spending more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year or through other tests, including your main economic interests.
Spain generally determines residence for the whole calendar year, subject to the relevant tax treaty. [5]
This means selling your UK home before the moving date does not automatically remove it from Spanish tax consideration that year.
Review house sales, pension withdrawals and investment disposals before committing to them.
Spanish residents are generally assessed on worldwide income, with treaty rules and any applicable reliefs taken into account. [6]
If you keep a UK rental property, review the obligations in both countries.
Owning Spanish property while you are still a non-resident can also create separate tax obligations, including a Modelo 210 return where applicable. [6, 7]
Plan banking and money transfers
Check which bank accounts you can keep after changing your country of residence and how you will pay Spanish bills.
When comparing transfer services, look at the total euros you will receive after the exchange rate and fees, plus transfer limits and delivery times.
Keep records showing where the money came from and how it moved between accounts.
Include exchange-rate movement in your budget if your savings or income are in pounds.
Specialist mortgage or investment advice should sit alongside your tax and visa planning.
Prepare the NLV application before your move
Apply through the Spanish consulate responsible for where you legally live, following its
current appointment and submission process.
The usual application pack includes: [4, 8]
A passport with at least 12 months' validity remaining on the date of the visa appointment
Evidence of sufficient funds and any qualifying regular income
Accepted healthcare cover or the required evidence of S1 registration if eligible
Criminal record certificates for adult applicants covering the relevant countries of residence
A medical certificate with the required wording
Arrange apostilles and sworn translations where required, and check document expiry dates before ordering everything. London, for example, requires the medical certificate to be issued within the three months before applying.
Evidence that you have stopped working may also be relevant to your circumstances. [4]
After approval and before travelling
Check the details and validity dates on your visa, then coordinate travel, removals and accommodation.
Keep your passport, visa, approval papers and key originals in your hand luggage. Retain evidence of arrival and check any entry-documentation requirements for your route, especially if travelling through another Schengen country.
Make sure your healthcare arrangements cover your arrival.
Where you are using an S1, distinguish the evidence used for the visa from completing healthcare registration in Spain. [4, 9]
Once you arrive in Spain
Register each household member on the municipal register at your local town hall, known as the padrón.
Check the town hall's address-evidence requirements. [10]
Apply for your physical foreigner identity card, the TIE, as soon as you can upon entering Spain.
Prepare your passport and visa or approval evidence, the EX-17 form, photographs, the paid 790 code 012 fee and any address documents requested by the police.
Begin arranging the appointment promptly. [8, 11]
If you have S1 entitlement, complete registration with the INSS social security office and then register with your local health centre once it is processed.
Confirm your cover while the administration is being completed. [9]
Update your bank, utility and tax details and arrange a digital certificate for online administration.
This makes it easier to access official services, manage applications and check notifications without unnecessary visits to government offices.
Your first Spanish tax year needs planning too.
At Expay, we review your circumstances, explain which income and documents need to be included and prepare and submit your annual Spanish income tax return, known as La Renta, where required.
We also handle Modelo 720 overseas asset declarations when applicable. Keeping records from the start makes these returns easier to prepare. [6]
If you drive on a UK licence, arrange the exchange before the six-month period ends. We can manage the application paperwork and help organise the required appointment too. [10]
Having one familiar team looking after these arrangements helps you keep track of deadlines and gives you a point of contact for questions as you settle into life in Spain.
Keep the first renewal in your plans
The initial NLV residence permission lasts one year. Renewal normally covers two years, so the finances need to support that longer period.
At today's IPREM, a couple relying entirely on savings would have a two-year calculation of €72,000; qualifying regular income may also be used to demonstrate support. [2, 12]
Keep financial records, healthcare evidence and a travel log from the start.
Current renewal rules refer to real and effective residence in Spain for more than 183 days during the calendar year.
Check how this applies to your arrival and travel plans, and prepare to submit during the two months before expiry. [12]
How Expay can help
We’re a family-run team who have lived in Spain for over six years. We manage the visa, tax and settling-in paperwork for you, with clear explanations in plain English throughout.
Before your move, we prepare your NLV application, check and organise your documents, coordinate apostilles and sworn translations and help with the appointment process.
We also review your Spanish tax position so you understand what to consider before making financial decisions around the move.
Once you arrive, our support continues with town hall registration, TIE appointments and paperwork, S1 healthcare registration where eligible, digital certificates and driving licence exchanges.
We also look after NLV renewals and Spanish tax returns, giving you a familiar team to turn to as life in Spain gets underway.
We handle the administration and keep you informed about what’s happening and anything you need to do personally.
Planning your move? Contact Expay to discuss your plans and how we can take care of the paperwork for you.
Official sources
Guidance checked on 13 October 2026. Application details should be checked against the responsible consulate and the rules in force when submitting.
1 UK Government guidance on buying and renting property in Spain
2 Spanish immigration regulations Articles 61 to 64
3 Spanish Embassy in Washington NLV guidance and 2026 IPREM
4 Spanish Consulate in London Non working residence visa
5 Spanish Tax Agency Tax residence for individuals
6 Spanish Tax Agency UK income and overseas asset reporting
7 Spanish Tax Agency Modelo 210 instructions
8 Spanish Immigration Ministry Initial non lucrative residence permission
9 UK Government Healthcare for UK nationals living in Spain
10 UK Government Living in Spain
11 Spanish National Police Initial and renewed residence cards
12 Spanish Immigration Ministry Non lucrative residence renewals
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