Spain's non-lucrative visa: the income requirement and the steps
The 2026 income requirement for Spain's non-lucrative visa (400% of IPREM), in euros and dollars, the health insurance rules, the steps and the renewals, for American retirees.
Updated · Expat Academy · Education, not advice
The non-lucrative residence visa is how most American retirees move to Spain, especially since Spain's golden visa ended in April 2025.
The money test
Spain measures it against IPREM, a public reference income of €600 (about $672 today) a month in 2026:
| Household | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| One person (400% of IPREM) | €2,400 (about $2,686 today) | €28,800 (about $32,236 today) |
| A couple (plus 100%) | €3,000 (about $3,358 today) | €36,000 (about $40,295 today) |
| Each further family member | plus €600 (about $672 today) | plus €7,200 (about $8,059 today) |
Social Security, pensions, regular IRA withdrawals, investment income and savings all count. Because the test is in euros and your income is in dollars, a weaker dollar narrows your margin: check it with the free Spain Visa Income Checker.
What counts as income
Consulates look for money that arrives without you working: Social Security (the award letter and recent statements), pensions, regular IRA or 401(k) withdrawals, dividends and interest, and rent from property you own. Savings and investment balances can make up for income below the line: many consulates accept a year of the requirement held in savings, and some prefer a mix. Bring statements for the last several months, translated where the consulate asks.
Couples and families
The main applicant shows 400% of IPREM, and each family member adds 100%: a couple needs €3,000 (about $3,358 today) a month in 2026. A spouse applies as a family member, on the main applicant's means, with a marriage certificate (apostilled and translated). Each person still needs their own health insurance and record checks.
The other conditions
- Private health insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain, with full cover and no co-payments or waiting periods.
- No work, in Spain or remotely for anyone abroad.
- A criminal record certificate (an FBI check, apostilled and translated) and a medical certificate.
The steps
- Apply at the Spanish consulate that serves your state, in person, with the full file.
- Collect the visa and travel within its validity.
- Register on the padrón at your town hall, then apply for your residence card (TIE) with fingerprints within a month.
- Renew after one year, then every two years. After five years, apply for long-term residence.
Where applications go wrong
- Insurance with co-payments or a waiting period, or from an insurer not authorised in Spain.
- Documents out of date: record checks and medical certificates usually need to be recent, and apostilles take weeks.
- Signs of work: a consulting business, a remote job or a website selling services.
- Income just at the line, with the exchange rate moving against you before the appointment.
After you arrive
The visa makes Spain your home, and living there more than 183 days in a calendar year makes you a Spanish tax resident for the whole year: plan your arrival date with that in mind. See Spain's tax residency rules and how to retire in Spain as an American.
Questions
How much income do I need for Spain's non-lucrative visa?
400% of IPREM for the main applicant, about €2,400 a month or €28,800 a year in 2026, plus 100% of IPREM (about €600 a month) for each family member. Income and savings both count.
Can I work remotely on a non-lucrative visa?
No. The visa doesn't allow work in Spain or for clients abroad. People who work remotely use Spain's digital nomad visa instead.
How long is the non-lucrative visa valid?
The first residence authorisation lasts one year, then renewals are for two years at a time. After five years of legal residence you can apply for long-term residence.
Does a non-lucrative visa make me a Spanish tax resident?
Not by itself, but it's a residence permit for people who live in Spain, and living there more than 183 days in a calendar year makes you tax resident.
Go deeper
- S2 The non-lucrative visa, step by step: Spain's route for retirees who won't work: 400% of IPREM a month for the main applicant and 100% for each family member, private health insurance without co-payments, and a residence card renewed after one year, then every two.
- S10 The NIE, the TIE, the padrón and banking: Spain runs on a few numbers and registrations: the NIE (your foreigner's number), the TIE (residence card), the padrón (town-hall register) and a Spanish bank account. What each is, the order to get them, and how banks treat Americans.
Sources
- IPREM 2026 for Spain's non-lucrative visa, CostaLuz Lawyers
- Non-lucrative visa renewals under the 2025 reform, CostaLuz Lawyers
- The only visa Americans can now apply for to retire to Spain, The Local
Education, not advice. This guide explains general rules as of the date above. Rules change every year; confirm your own situation with a qualified adviser in the US and in France.