Spain Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) 2026: Requirements for UAE & India Applicants

Spain NLV Guidance for UAE, GCC & India

We work with passive-income applicants in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Doha, Kuwait City, Muscat and Manama, and across India. Since Spain ended its Golden Visa in April 2025, the non-lucrative visa has become the main residence route for people who want to live in Spain on income they do not have to work for, and it is the Spain question we hear most often.

Before you gather a single document, we check two things: whether your income is the right type, and whether it clears the threshold with room to spare. The assessment is free.

Who the Spain NLV is for, and who it is not for

The NLV suits people who are ready to stop working, or who already have. The four profiles below are general examples of applicants who usually fit, not client stories.

Four typical profiles

• A retiree drawing a state, company or private pension that is paid every month.
• A landlord whose rental income from property in the UAE, India or elsewhere covers the threshold on its own.
• An investor who lives on dividends, interest or other returns from a portfolio they no longer manage as a job.
• An early retiree with enough savings in the bank to cover the first year in Spain, and a plan to show the same again at renewal.

When the NLV is the wrong route

If you are salaried, run a business day to day, or plan to keep a remote job or freelance clients, the NLV does not fit as things stand. That income is earned, not passive, and the visa does not allow work. Remote workers should compare the Spain Digital Nomad Visa instead. If your aim is residence through an investment rather than income, see our residence by investment options.

What income do you need for the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa in 2026?

The Spanish Embassy in Abu Dhabi sets the minimum at 400% of IPREM (Spain's public income indicator) for the main applicant, plus 100% of IPREM for each family member in your care. IPREM is EUR 600 a month, so the main applicant needs about EUR 2,400 a month, or EUR 28,800 for the year.

How 400% of IPREM works out by family size

The EUR 600 figure was set in Spain's 2023 State Budget law (Ley 31/2022). No new national budget has been approved since, so that budget has been carried over and the IPREM figure with it. As of 26 September 2026 we have not found a newer IPREM figure in the BOE. A future budget could raise it, so treat these amounts as the floor and aim above it.

Savings or recurring income?

Either can work. The embassy asks for proof that you have enough money to cover your expenses in Spain for the first year of the permit, or proof that you have a regular source of income. A pension or steady rent shows the second. A bank balance large enough for the year shows the first. Many applicants use a mix, and it helps to show where the money came from, not only that it is there today.

Adding a spouse and children

Family members in your care can apply with you. Each adds 100% of IPREM (EUR 600 a month) to the amount you must show, and each files their own application forms. Check whether your income qualifies with a free assessment.

Can you work remotely on the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa?

No. The Spanish Embassy in Abu Dhabi describes the NLV as a visa to live in Spain "without carrying out any gainful (work or professional) activity", and adds that it "does not constitute a work permit". The text does not name remote work specifically. It does not need to: a laptop job for a foreign employer is still work you would be doing while living in Spain, and it is the most common mismatch we see.

Some Spanish consulates now go a step further and ask applicants for evidence that they are no longer employed. This has been reported at the Spanish Consulate General in New York since March 2025. It is consular practice, not a national rule, and the Abu Dhabi embassy's published checklist does not list it. The embassy can still ask for extra documents or call you for an interview, so if you left a job recently, keep the paperwork that shows it ended. If you want to keep working online, look at the Digital Nomad Visa instead.

NLV vs Spain Digital Nomad Visa

The two routes are often confused. The short version: the NLV is for people who have stopped working, and the Digital Nomad Visa is for people who work remotely for companies outside Spain.

Current Digital Nomad Visa income figures are on our digital nomad visas page.

Spain NLV documents checklist for UAE residents

This is the list published by the Spanish Embassy in Abu Dhabi. Bring originals and copies.

1. The national visa application form, completed and signed by each applicant.
2. The EX-01 form (non-working residence application), completed and signed by each applicant.
3. A recent colour passport photo on a light background.
4. A passport valid for at least 1 year with two blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago are not accepted.
5. Proof of financial means for the first year, or of a regular income, for you and any family members coming with you.
6. Public or private health insurance from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, covering all the risks covered by Spain's public health system.
7. A criminal record certificate from every country you have lived in over the past 5 years (adults only).
8. A medical certificate confirming you do not have a disease that could seriously affect public health under the 2005 International Health Regulations.
9. Proof that you live in the embassy's consular district. For UAE residents this is usually your UAE residence visa and Emirates ID.
10. Payment of the residence permit fee using form 790 code 052. The embassy confirms the amount, and some nationalities pay a different rate.

Foreign documents must be legalised or apostilled and, where needed, come with an official translation into Spanish. For UAE-issued papers such as a police clearance, confirm the legalisation steps with the embassy before you book appointments, because redoing a certificate costs weeks. If you moved to the UAE within the last 5 years, you will also need a certificate from your previous country, for example India.

How to apply for the Spain NLV from the UAE, step by step

1. Check the fit. Confirm your income is passive and work out the amount for your family size using the table above.
2. Collect and legalise documents. Order criminal record and medical certificates early, then have them legalised and translated into Spanish.
3. Arrange Spanish health insurance. Choose an insurer authorised in Spain whose policy covers everything the public system covers.
4. File at the Spanish Embassy in Abu Dhabi. The embassy accepts applications from people living in its consular district. The initial residence authorisation is processed at the same time as the visa.
5. Answer any follow-up. The consulate may ask for more documents or invite you to a personal interview.
6. Receive the decision. The immigration office has up to one month to decide the residence authorisation once the consulate forwards your file, and the consulate then has up to one month to issue the visa. If it is granted, collect the visa and travel to Spain while it is valid.
7. Apply for your TIE card. Within one month of entering Spain, apply in person at the relevant police station.

After you arrive: the TIE residence card

The visa lets you enter and live in Spain, but for stays longer than six months you also need a TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero). Real Decreto 1155/2024 says you must request it in person at the competent police station within one month of entering Spain. The TIE is the document that proves your legal status in Spain day to day, so book the appointment as soon as you have an address.

Renewing the NLV after year one

The first authorisation lasts one year. A renewed authorisation lasts two years, unless you qualify for long-term residence by then. Under Real Decreto 1155/2024 (article 64), you need to:

• Apply in the two months before your authorisation expires. An application made up to three months after expiry is still accepted, but it can lead to a penalty.
• Show enough money to support yourself and your family for the renewal period without working.
• Show that you kept health insurance throughout the first year and still have it.
• Show that you actually lived in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year.
• Show that any school-age children in your care are enrolled in school.

The immigration office should decide within three months of your renewal application. If it does not, the law treats the renewal as granted. Keep your bank statements, pension slips and insurance receipts from the first year in order, because they are what the renewal is judged on.

How long does the Spain NLV take, and what is the path to PR and citizenship?

Under Real Decreto 1155/2024 the immigration office has up to one month to decide the residence authorisation after the consulate forwards your file (no answer in that time counts as a refusal), and the consulate then has up to one month to issue the visa. It can run longer if the consulate asks for more documents or an interview. The first authorisation is valid for 1 year, then renews in 2-year blocks as long as you keep meeting the income and insurance conditions.

You become eligible for permanent residence after 5 years of continuous legal residence and for citizenship after 10 years. A 2-year citizenship route exists for Ibero-American and certain other nationals, but not for Indians.

Common reasons NLV applications are refused

Most refusals trace back to one of the requirements on the checklist not being met in the way the consulate expects.

• The income is not passive. A salary, business drawings or freelance fees presented as "income" will not satisfy the no-work condition.
• The funds fall below 400% of IPREM, or below the higher figure once family members are added.
• The health insurance is from a company not authorised in Spain, or does not cover all the risks the public system covers.
• Documents are not legalised or apostilled, or arrive without an official Spanish translation.
• The file suggests you are still working, for example a current employment contract or recent salary credits.
• The applicant cannot prove residence in the embassy's consular district.

Tax residency: a general note

Under Spain's income tax law (Ley 35/2006, article 9) you are treated as tax resident if you spend more than 183 days of the calendar year in Spain, and sporadic absences still count towards those days unless you prove tax residence in another country. Living in Spain on the NLV will usually mean crossing that line, and the renewal rules themselves expect you to have lived in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year.

How Cosmos supports a Spain NLV application

Cosmos Immigration holds no Spanish or EU immigration licence, so on this programme we act as a facilitator. Your application is prepared and submitted through government-authorised agents and regulated legal practitioners in our network, while Cosmos coordinates the eligibility check, documentation and case management end to end.

• We read your income honestly against the passive-income rule and the IPREM threshold.
• We give you a document roadmap covering income proof, savings, health cover and clearances.
• We coordinate with authorised agents and regulated practitioners in Spain.
• We track milestones through each decision stage and later renewals.

Notes for Indian and UAE-based applicants

For Indian and UAE-based applicants, the NLV works only with genuinely passive income: pensions, rent, dividends or investment returns. Salaried income, business-owner income and remote work do not qualify. UAE residents file in Abu Dhabi, and anyone who lived in India during the last 5 years will also need an Indian police clearance, legalised and translated.

If you take the 5-year PR and 10-year citizenship path, remember that Indian law does not permit dual citizenship. Renunciation of Indian citizenship would be required at the citizenship stage, with OCI as the fallback, and OCI is not citizenship; it is a long-term visa and status. The 2-year citizenship fast track applies to Ibero-American nationals, not Indians.

What changed recently

• IPREM in 2026: still EUR 600 a month, the figure set by the 2023 budget law, because no new national budget has been approved. NLV thresholds are therefore unchanged from 2025.
• 20 May 2025: Real Decreto 1155/2024, Spain's new immigration regulation, came into force. It sets a 1-year initial NLV authorisation followed by 2-year renewals.
• Since March 2025 (some consulates): the Spanish Consulate General in New York has been reported to ask NLV applicants for evidence that they are no longer employed. This is a local consular practice, not a nationwide rule, and it does not appear on the Abu Dhabi checklist.
• April 2025: Spain ended its Golden Visa, leaving the NLV as the main passive-income residence route into the country.

← View all long-term residency visas on our residency hub page. Comparing investment-based residence instead? See the Portugal Golden Visa and Greece Golden Visa.

Spain Non-Lucrative Visa: quick answers

What is the Spain non-lucrative visa (NLV)?

It is a residence visa for people who want to live in Spain without working there, supported by passive income or savings. The Spanish Embassy in Abu Dhabi describes it as a visa to reside in Spain without carrying out any gainful work or professional activity, and it is not a work permit.

Can I apply for the Spain non-lucrative visa from the UAE, and where?

Yes. UAE residents apply to the consular section of the Spanish Embassy in Abu Dhabi, which accepts applications from people living in its consular district. You will need proof of UAE residence, usually your residence visa and Emirates ID.

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

The main applicant needs 400% of IPREM, which is about EUR 2,400 a month or EUR 28,800 a year. Each family member you support adds 100% of IPREM, EUR 600 a month or EUR 7,200 a year. IPREM has stayed at EUR 600 because Spain's 2023 budget has been carried over, and it could rise when a new budget passes.

Is the NLV a 1-year visa, and how is it renewed?

Yes. The first residence authorisation is issued for 1 year. Under Real Decreto 1155/2024 you can then renew for 2 years at a time, as long as you still have enough funds without working, have kept health insurance throughout, and have lived in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year.

Can I work remotely on the non-lucrative visa?

No. The visa does not allow any gainful work or professional activity, and a remote job for a foreign employer is still work. Some consulates, such as New York since March 2025, also ask for evidence that you are no longer employed. That is local practice, not a national rule. If you want to keep working online, look at Spain's Digital Nomad Visa.

What documents do I need for the NLV?

The Abu Dhabi embassy lists the national visa form, the EX-01 form, a photo, a passport valid for at least 1 year, proof of funds, health insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain, a criminal record certificate covering the last 5 years, a medical certificate, proof of residence in the consular district and the residence permit fee on form 790 code 052. Foreign documents must be legalised or apostilled and officially translated into Spanish.

What is the difference between the NLV and the digital nomad visa?

The NLV is for people living on passive income or savings and does not allow work. The Digital Nomad Visa is for people working remotely for companies outside Spain. The NLV threshold is based on IPREM (400%), while the Digital Nomad Visa is based on 200% of Spain's minimum wage.

Does the NLV lead to permanent residence and citizenship?

Yes. After 5 years of continuous legal residence you can apply for permanent residence, and after 10 years for citizenship. A 2-year citizenship route applies to Ibero-American and certain other nationals, but not to Indians, and India does not allow dual citizenship.

Will I become a Spanish tax resident?

Probably. Under Spain's income tax law you are tax resident if you spend more than 183 days of the calendar year in Spain, and most NLV holders do. This is general information, not tax advice; speak to a Spain-qualified tax adviser before you move.

Why are NLV applications refused?

The usual reasons are income that is not passive, funds below the IPREM threshold, health insurance that is not from an insurer authorised in Spain or does not match public-system cover, documents that are not legalised or translated, and signs that the applicant is still working.

Official sources

• Spanish Embassy in Abu Dhabi: Non-working residence visa (accessed 26 September 2026)
• Real Decreto 1155/2024, immigration regulation (BOE), articles 61, 64 and 209 (accessed 26 September 2026)
• Ley 31/2022, 2023 State Budget (BOE), additional provision 90 on IPREM (accessed 26 September 2026)
• Ley 14/2013 (BOE), articles on international telework (accessed 26 September 2026)
• Ley 35/2006, personal income tax (BOE), article 9 (accessed 26 September 2026)

Cosmos Immigration is a private immigration consultancy in Dubai, operating since 2014. We work with a team of registered practitioners: 4+ CICC-registered consultants for Canada and 3+ MARA-registered agents for Australia. We have offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hyderabad and Oakville. We hold no Spanish or EU immigration licence: for the Spain NLV your application is prepared and submitted through government-authorised agents and regulated legal practitioners in our network, with Cosmos coordinating eligibility, documentation and case management. Verify Our Credentials

Cosmos Immigration is a private consultancy, not a government body. Program criteria and figures are set by the relevant governments and are subject to change; verified against official sources as of the date shown.

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