The non-lucrative visa Spain offers is the residence route most often chosen by non-EU citizens planning to settle in Mallorca on their own means, without taking up work in Spain. Retirees, owners of investment portfolios and families with passive income use it to move to the island for the long term. The application looks simple on paper, but consulates read the financial evidence strictly, and a refusal usually costs several months. This page explains how the route works today and what we check before a file is lodged.
What the non-lucrative visa allows
The visa leads to a temporary residence authorisation that lets you live in Spain without carrying out any employed or self-employed activity here. It is governed by the Organic Law 4/2000 on the rights of foreign nationals and by its implementing Regulation, approved by Royal Decree 1155/2024, which has applied since 20 May 2025. Once you hold the residence card, you can also travel within the Schengen area under the general rules.
The key limit is work. You cannot take a Spanish job or invoice Spanish clients. If your plan is to keep working for an employer or for clients outside Spain while you live in Mallorca, the digital nomad visa is normally the right instrument instead. Choosing the wrong route at the outset is one of the most common reasons for later trouble at renewal.
Non-lucrative visa requirements
The Ministry of Inclusion lists the core conditions. In practice, a complete file shows the following:
- Sufficient financial means. The rule is expressed as a percentage of IPREM, the Spanish public income indicator: 400 % of IPREM per month for the main applicant, plus 100 % of IPREM per month for each family member included.
- Private health insurance with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, giving cover equivalent to the public system.
- A criminal record certificate from your country of origin, or from the countries where you have lived during the last five years.
- A medical certificate confirming that you do not suffer from a disease with serious public health implications.
- A passport with at least one year of remaining validity.
- Not being in Spain irregularly at the time of the application.
Foreign public documents must carry the Hague Apostille or consular legalisation and must be accompanied by a sworn translation into Spanish. The euro amount of the means test changes when IPREM is updated, so we calculate it against the figure in force on the day you apply rather than relying on numbers quoted online.
How the application works, step by step
The first application is made in person at the Spanish consulate that covers your place of legal residence, or at the visa centre it designates. British residents, for example, apply through the consulate responsible for their part of the United Kingdom. The sequence is broadly this:
- Preparation of the file: form EX-01, evidence of means, insurance, certificates and translations.
- Submission at the consulate and payment of the fee (form 790, code 052) within the period indicated.
- Decision by the immigration authority, followed by collection of the visa within one month of notification.
- Entry into Spain while the visa is valid, which is never more than three months.
- Application for the foreigner’s identity card (TIE) within one month of arrival, at the police office that handles foreigners’ affairs in Mallorca.
The initial authorisation lasts one year from your entry into Spain. You will also need to register on the municipal census (padrón) in the town where you live.
Proving your means: where most files fail
The financial evidence is where consulates differ most. Some prefer funds already held in a bank account; others accept regular pension or rental income if it is properly documented. What matters is that the documents are recent, consistent with each other and clearly show availability of the funds for the whole period.
Common weaknesses we see include balances that appear only days before the appointment, income from a business the applicant still runs, policies with co-payments or exclusions, and certificates whose dates or names do not match the passport. We review the file line by line before anything is lodged, so that the consulate receives one coherent picture.
Renewal, absences and long-term residence
A renewal can be requested during the two months before the card expires, and late applications are accepted within three months afterwards, although a penalty procedure may follow. A renewed authorisation currently lasts two years. You must still show sufficient means and insurance, and the current rules require you to have actually lived in Spain for over 183 days during each calendar year.
After five years of continuous legal residence you may apply for long-term residence, which no longer depends on the non-lucrative conditions. That is why we look at the five-year horizon from the first file, not only at the first year.
Tax consequences of living in Mallorca
Immigration status and tax status are separate questions. Spending over 183 days of a calendar year in Spain generally makes you a Spanish tax resident, taxed on your worldwide income and potentially subject to wealth tax. Double tax treaties, the timing of your arrival and the way your pensions and investments are held can change the result considerably. Our guide to tax residency when moving to Spain explains the points to plan before you move.
Many applicants also buy a home in Mallorca. Remember that a purchase no longer gives residence on its own: the investor visa was abolished in 2025, as explained on our page on residency after the golden visa. If you plan to buy, you will need an NIE number and a proper legal review of the property.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work remotely on a non-lucrative visa?
No. The authorisation is granted on the basis that you will not carry out work or professional activity. If you intend to keep working remotely for foreign employers or clients, the digital nomad route is the one designed for that situation.
How much money do I need?
The rule is 400 % of IPREM per month for the main applicant and 100 % of IPREM per month for each family member, shown for the period requested. We calculate the exact euro figure against the IPREM in force when you apply and check how your consulate wants it evidenced.
Can my family come with me?
Yes. A spouse or partner, children and certain dependent relatives can be included, provided the means test is met for each person and each of them has the required insurance and documents.
Does buying a property in Mallorca help my application?
Owning or renting a home shows where you will live, which is useful, but it does not replace the means test and does not grant residence by itself. The visa and the purchase are separate procedures that we coordinate.
Next steps
If you are considering the non-lucrative visa for Spain, write to info@raso.law. Tell us your nationality and current country of residence, who would move with you, how your income or savings are held and whether you already own or plan to buy property in Mallorca. Each enquiry is reviewed individually and answered in writing.