Spain Non-Lucrative Visa 2026: Financial Requirements + the Health Insurance Rule
The two boxes that decide the application — how much money you must show, and the exact health policy that qualifies.
Quick Answer (TL;DR)
The non-lucrative visa needs two things proven: passive income of €2,400/month (€28,800/year) for a single applicant plus €600/month (€7,200/year) per dependent — you cannot work in Spain — and a full private health policy from a DGSFP-authorised insurer, with no copay on basic care or hospitalisation, valid 12 months and paid up front. You apply on your passport; no NIE needed yet.
- Income: €2,400/month (€28,800/year) single; +€600/month (€7,200/year) per dependent (official IPREM figures)
- Must be passive income or savings — no working in Spain on this visa
- Health policy: full cover, no copay on basics + hospitalisation, DGSFP-authorised, 12 months prepaid
- Repatriation ≥ €30,000 if applying from outside Schengen
- Apply on your passport — NIE is added later
The two requirements that decide it
The non-lucrative visa (residencia no lucrativa) is for people who want to live in Spain without working here — living on passive income or savings. Two boxes decide the application: proving you have enough money, and holding the right health insurance. Get both right and the rest is paperwork.
1. The money: how much you must show
The requirement is tied to Spain's public IPREM index. For 2026 the official figures are:
| Applicant | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Main applicant (400% IPREM) | €2,400 | €28,800 |
| Each dependent (+100% IPREM) | +€600 | +€7,200 |
So a couple would show roughly €3,000/month (€36,000/year), a family of three about €3,600/month (€43,200/year), and so on. These are the figures set out in Spain's official immigration guidance from the Ministerio de Inclusión — Ministerio de Inclusión — non-lucrative residence authorisation. Because they track IPREM, they can change year to year — always confirm the current figure before applying.
Income or savings — it's the same amount
You can meet it with regular passive income (pension, rental, dividends, investment returns) or with savings held and available. Either way it must be clearly evidenced (bank statements, pension letters, etc.) and it must be yours. The one hard line: this visa does not allow you to work in Spain.
2. The health insurance that qualifies
Alongside the money, you must hold a private health policy that meets a specific bar. The official consular wording requires insurance from an entity "authorised to operate in Spain" that "covers all the risks insured by Spain's public health system." In practice:
Full cover from a DGSFP-authorised insurer
Regulated to operate in Spain — check the DGSFP register. Travel insurance and thin international plans don't qualify.
No copay on basic care + hospitalisation
Core care and hospital stays must be copay-free (a copay can be acceptable on peripherals like psychology).
No waiting periods (exención de carencias)
All services usable from day one, or a written waiver.
12 months, prepaid, non-cancellable
One annual receipt proving the year is fully paid and can't be cancelled — monthly is refused for first issuance.
Repatriation ≥ €30,000 (from outside Schengen)
Required if you apply from outside the Schengen area.
Confirm an insurer is authorised on the DGSFP register. Our visa health-insurance guide covers the policy details (and real prices) in full — a compliant Madrid policy runs about €46/month at 18, €60 at 30, €93 at 55 (islands and Barcelona higher).
You apply on your passport, not an NIE
You don't need an NIE to arrange the insurance for the visa — you apply on your passport. The NIE is issued after your visa and simply added to the policy later. This is the one insurance in Spain where that's the case, so don't let a missing NIE hold up your application.
A note on the Digital Nomad Visa
The DNV is a different route — for people working remotely for non-Spanish employers or clients. Its income threshold is set differently (tied to Spain's minimum wage, not IPREM), so the NLV figures above don't apply to it. Be wary of pages quoting tidy "digital nomad" numbers: many are non-official and inconsistent — check the official source for the DNV specifically. The health-insurance requirement, though, is identical to the NLV's.
How we help
We arrange the compliant health policy
DGSFP-authorised, no copay on basics + hospitalisation, no waiting periods, 12 months prepaid, repatriation if you're outside Schengen.
Documents ready for the consulate
Policy certificate, paid receipt and coverage letter in Spanish — usually within 24–72 hours.
On your passport, before your NIE
So the insurance never blocks your appointment timeline.
The insurance box, ticked properly
You handle the income proof; we handle the health policy — DGSFP-authorised, no copay on basics, no waiting periods, annual prepaid, with repatriation where you need it, and the Spanish certificate your consulate expects.
Plain English, and you apply on your passport — no NIE needed to start.
Written and reviewed by licensed insurance agents.
Written and reviewed by licensed insurance agents Maya Kallio and Marco Elsinger, who have helped over 15,000 expats in Spain since 2012.
Maya Kallio
Licensed Insurance Agent · Since 2012
Marco Elsinger
Licensed Insurance Agent · 10+ years
Languages: English, Finnish, Spanish, German, Swedish · DGSFP License: C0031B93323293
Frequently asked questions
Still have questions? Check these answers or get in touch.
How much income do I need for the non-lucrative visa?
The official figure is €2,400 per month — €28,800 per year — for a single applicant, plus €600 per month (€7,200 per year) for each dependent family member. This comes from the IPREM index (400% of IPREM for the main applicant, 100% per dependent) and is set out on the Spanish consular pages. It must be passive income or savings: you cannot work in Spain on this visa.
Can I use savings instead of monthly income?
Yes. You can meet the requirement with regular passive income (pension, rental income, dividends, investments) or by showing sufficient savings — typically the annual figure held and available. Consulates look at the same underlying amount (€28,800 for one applicant, plus €7,200 per dependent); the form the money takes (income vs savings) is flexible, but it must be clearly evidenced and yours.
Does the digital nomad visa have the same income figure?
No — the DNV's income threshold is set differently (it's tied to Spain's minimum wage, not IPREM). Be careful with pages quoting neat 'digital nomad' numbers: many cite non-official, inconsistent figures. Check the official source for the DNV specifically. The health-insurance requirement, however, is the same for both visas.
What health insurance do I need alongside the income?
A full private policy from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain (DGSFP), covering everything the public system covers, with no copayment on basic care or hospitalisation, no waiting periods, valid 12 months and paid a year up front (non-cancellable). If you apply from outside the Schengen area, add repatriation cover of at least €30,000.
Do I need an NIE for the visa insurance?
No — you apply on your passport. The NIE doesn't exist yet at the application stage; it's issued after and added to the policy later. This is the one insurance where a passport is enough.
Does the income requirement change each year?
It can — it's tied to the IPREM index, which the government can update annually. The figures here are the 2026 values (€2,400/month single, €600/month per dependent). Always confirm against the official consular page before you apply.
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