Spain Non-Lucrative Visa for South Africans

What Is Spain's Non-Lucrative Visa?

The Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) is Spain's long-stay visa for non-EU nationals who want to live in Spain without working there. It's designed for retirees, people with passive income, and anyone who can demonstrate they can support themselves financially without employment in Spain.

The NLV is valid for one year initially and renewable in two-year increments. After five years of continuous legal residence, you can apply for long-term EU residency, and after ten years you may be eligible for Spanish nationality.

Key Requirements for South Africa Applicants

The core requirements are the same regardless of nationality — but there are country-specific documents you'll need:

Income: Approximately €2,400/month for a single applicant (400% of Spain's IPREM index). Each additional family member adds around €600/month.

Health insurance: A comprehensive private policy with no co-payments, no excess, and coverage equivalent to Spain's public health system. Standard travel insurance and EHIC/GHIC cards are not accepted.

Criminal record certificate: A national police certificate from your home country, apostilled and officially translated into Spanish. This is one of the most time-sensitive documents — allow 4–8 weeks to obtain it.

Medical certificate: A GP letter confirming you are free from contagious diseases — apostilled and officially translated.

Proof of accommodation: A property deed, rental contract, or letter of invitation from a resident in Spain.

How the Application Works

You apply for the NLV through the Spanish Consulate in your country. South African applicants apply through the Spanish Embassy in Pretoria or the Spanish Consulate in Cape Town. The process involves booking an appointment, assembling a dossier of documents, attending the appointment in person, and waiting for a decision — typically 1–3 months.

Once approved, your visa is stamped in your passport and you travel to Spain within the visa validity window. You then register with the local town hall (empadronamiento) and collect your TIE residence card.

How We Help

My Spanish NLV is operated by Platinum Legal Spain. We handle the entire NLV application process on your behalf — from your free eligibility check through to visa approval. Our service fee is €1,499 for a new application, paid in three milestones so you only pay in full on approval.

We include up to €100 of sworn translations in our fee, and we have specialist relationships with compliant health insurance providers so you can get the right policy sorted quickly.