Spain's Non-Lucrative Visa or Digital Nomad Visa: Which Suits You

Does buying a house in Spain give you residency?

No. The property Golden Visa stopped being granted on 3 April 2025 under Organic Law 1/2025. Permits already granted remain valid, but new applications through that route are no longer accepted.

Your home does help in one way: it proves you have accommodation, one of the visa requirements. But it does not replace the income you must show. We explain more in what happened to the Golden Visa.

Non-lucrative visa in Spain: requirements and money needed

It is for people who want to live in Spain without working here: retirees, people with rental or investment income, or those living on savings. It does not allow you to work, either employed or self-employed.

IPREM has stayed at €600 a month since 2023. Some consulates want to see a full year's balance in the bank, while others accept pensions or monthly income. Ask yours how they calculate it.

Digital nomad visa: if you keep working remotely

If you work for companies outside Spain, this visa lets you live here and keep your job. If you are self-employed, you can have Spanish clients as long as they stay under 20% of your work.

• Income: 200% of the minimum wage. With the 2026 minimum wage that is about €2,849 a month or €34,188 a year.
• Family: add 75% of the minimum wage for your partner and 25% for each child.
• Qualifications: a university degree or three years' experience in your profession.
• Track record: at least three months working with your employer or clients before applying.
• Where to apply: at the consulate, or from Spain if you are here legally.

It also has a tax advantage. If you have not been a Spanish resident in the previous five years, you can apply for the impatriate regime and pay 24% on employment income up to €600,000.

Non-lucrative visa or digital nomad visa: comparison

If you are retiring on a pension, the non-lucrative visa is the natural choice. If you are still working, the digital nomad visa is more flexible and usually better for tax.

How to apply for the non-lucrative visa, step by step

1. Gather bank statements or pension statements for recent months.
2. Take out health insurance with no co-payments and ask the insurer for a certificate.
3. Request your criminal record certificate and have it apostilled or legalised.
4. Have anything not in Spanish translated by a sworn translator.
5. Book an appointment at the Spanish consulate in your country of residence and submit the application.
6. When you arrive, register on the padrón and apply for your TIE within the first month.

To renew, the rules in force since May 2025 require you to have lived in Spain more than 183 days a year. If you only plan to spend the winters here, the 90-in-180-day rule may be enough for you.