Dream of moving to Spain? Here’s how to get an NLV
Moving to Spain is perfectly possible and also very popular after Brexit. The Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) is the most popular visa for Britons making the move, especially those not planning to work in Spain – for at least a year – and especially retirees.
But how to get one? If you get the paperwork right it doesn’t have to be difficult, as many happy movers have testified, but many suggest that paying for expert help is money well spent. It’s got easier since 2021.
Here are the key things useful to know before speaking to an expert.
The NLV is designed for those not currently working (and you may need to prove this). But it can be used as a ‘stepping stone’ to self-employment or other visas if you are taking a sabbatical and maybe working out how to set up a business in Spain.
You apply from the UK before you leave via the Spanish consulates and applications are processed through the third-party company BLS International.
Timing is key
Ideally plan a year in advance. Begin gathering your paperwork around three months before you apply. You might wait between 10 days to eight weeks for an answer once you have applied. When you first receive your visa, you have 365 days to move to Spain.
If you are selling your UK home do so before you apply for your visa so you will not be liable for Spanish capital gains tax when you have become a Spanish tax resident.
Financial resources
You will need to show you are financially independent. This means €28,800 per year for the main applicant plus €7,200 for each dependent. DO NOT assume you will fall short if you only have a UK state pension: financial resources can also take into account private pensions, savings, buy to let income, credit cards.
Documents!
Aside from the above you will need a passport, recent photos, a criminal record check, a medical certificate (cheaper to obtain in Spain), and marriage certificate (of applicable) issued within three months. All foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and translated into Spanish.
Healthcare
Cover is required and you will need to show proof of private insurance from a recognised Spanish company. However those over UK state pension age can apply for the S1 Certificate and access the Spanish public healthcare system.
One-year renewable visa
The visa lasts for one year, allowing you upon entry to Spain an initial temporary residence permit for a year, then you renew for two years, and repeat. Or you apply for a different visa. After five years of residency you can apply for a longer five year residency card.
Want to kick-start your move to Spain?
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