Changing from a non-lucrative visa to a long-term residence permit in Spain

Like most temporary residency permits in Spain, they can be made permanent after five years if the criteria are met.

A non-lucrative residence visa allows successful applicants to reside in Spain without engaging in any remunerated activity during that time.

However, circumstances can and do change. Luckily, after five years, those who meet the criteria are eligible for permanent residence and gain the right to live and work as any Spaniard.

So how is it done? And what are the criteria?

Conditions for the non-lucrative residence visa

To obtain the non-lucrative residence visa, the interested party must apply for it in person in their country of origin.

To obtain the non-lucrative residence visa, the applicant must meet certain requirements. Primarily they cannot be an EU citizen, have a criminal record or be banned from entering Spanish territory or the EU. Additionally, they must have medical insurance and provide proof of financial means.

Importantly, the latter must be sufficient to cover the costs of their stay, livelihood and maintenance, both for themselves and for the rest of their dependent family members.

As with most residency permits, this initial authorisation is of a temporary nature, granted for a period of one year and then extended every two years.

Holders of this card must at the time of renewal prove that they still meet the requirements to maintain their residence permit.

Changing to long-term residence

Once five years of legal and continuous residence in Spain have been reached, the holder of a non-lucrative residence visa (as well as most temporary residence permits) can be granted a long-term card. This means that they would be granted a permanent permit, allowing them to reside and work in Spain indefinitely, under the same conditions as Spaniards.

To access this new card, applicants don’t have to comply with each and every one of the previous requirements (such as financial means), but they will have to be able to prove legal and continuous residence in Spain for five years (not having left the country for more 180 days a year) and that they do not have a criminal record.

Maria Luisa Castro

Director and Founder

María founded CostaLuz Lawyers in 2006 and is the Firm’s Director. María is registered Lawyer number 2745 of the Cadiz Bar Association and is licensed to practice in all areas of law throughout Spain. Working closely with her team, María has developed the firm into one of the most highly regarded and trusted Spanish Law Firms acting for English-speaking clients with legal problems in Spain. We’re here to help. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation, initial legal orientation.