Spain: non-lucrative residence, arraigo, NIE/TIE and renewals

This guide covers non-lucrative residence, arraigo, NIE and TIE, switching from student status to a work permit, residence for family members of Spanish citizens, and renewals. Updated October 2026.

1. Non-lucrative residence: for financially independent people

This temporary residence permit is for non-EU nationals who want to live in Spain but do not plan to work there. It suits people with passive income, savings, a pension, rental income, dividends or investments outside Spain. Spain grants residence if you and your family can support yourselves without working.

Who it suits

• retirees who want to spend most of the year in Spain;
• families with savings and passive income;
• business owners who will not work directly in Spain;
• people with income from rentals, dividends, interest or investments;
• anyone who wants to move without an employer, a school or a business project.

It is not for you if you plan to work in Spain, look for a job right after arriving, or provide services to Spanish clients. For work, freelancing or remote work there are other routes: a work permit, the Digital Nomad permit or entrepreneur residence.

Finances

• main applicant: 400% of IPREM per month;
• each family member: an additional 100% of IPREM per month;
• normally for the entire period of residence you are applying for.

IPREM has been €600 per month since 2023 and is unchanged in 2026. That puts the reference at €2,400 a month (€28,800 a year) for the main applicant and €600 a month (€7,200 a year) for each family member. Amounts are checked against the IPREM in force on the date you apply. A strong case shows not only the balance but also where the money comes from: rent, a pension, dividends, regular payments, the sale of property or savings.

Health insurance must come from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, and each family member needs their own policy. In practice, consulates usually expect cover comparable to the public health system, with no co-payments and no waiting periods.

Documents

• national visa application form, passport, photos;
• criminal record certificate with apostille and translation;
• medical certificate;
• health insurance;
• bank statements and proof of the origin of funds;
• documents proving passive income;
• proof of legal residence in the country where you apply, if it is not your country of nationality;
• civil-status documents, translations and legalisation.

Where to apply and timelines

The first non-lucrative permit must be requested in person at the Spanish consulate covering your place of residence. That is usually in your home country, or in a third country where you hold residence. It cannot be requested from inside Spain during a visa-free visit. This applies to UK citizens and Latin Americans who can travel to Spain visa-free. Once approved, you collect the visa, enter Spain and apply for your TIE within one month of arrival. The initial permit is valid for one year.

You renew from Spain during the two months before your card expires, or within three months after it expires (a late application may lead to a fine). If you apply on time, your previous status remains valid until a decision is made. A renewed non-lucrative permit is valid for two years. To renew, you must have actually lived in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year. Later on, you can move to a work, self-employment, family or long-term residence permit.

Common reasons for refusal

• insufficient funds or an unclear origin of funds;
• the insurance does not meet the requirements;
• the applicant actually intends to work;
• errors in translations, apostilles or certificate validity dates;
• at renewal: not enough time spent in Spain.

2. Arraigo after the 2025 reform

Arraigo (literally "roots") is a residence route for foreign nationals who are already in Spain and can prove a lasting connection to the country. That connection can be social, family, work or training-related, or a previous legal status. It is not a visa for coming from abroad.

The new Regulation on Foreign Nationals (Royal Decree 1155/2024, in force since 20 May 2025) overhauled the system. Most types now require two years of continuous presence in Spain instead of three, the types are more clearly defined, and every arraigo permit gives access to work.

Types of arraigo

• Arraigo social: family ties with foreign residents in Spain (spouse, registered partner or first-degree relatives) plus funds of at least 100% of IPREM. If you have no such ties, an integration report from the regional authorities can be submitted instead.
• Arraigo sociolaboral: one or more employment contracts paying at least the minimum wage (or the collective-agreement wage), totalling at least 20 hours a week.
• Arraigo socioformativo: enrolment in eligible training, together with an integration report. It replaced the former arraigo para la formación. It allows work of up to 30 hours a week.
• Arraigo familiar: for parents or carers of a minor, or of a person with a disability, who is an EU, EEA or Swiss national. It has no minimum stay requirement. Relatives of Spanish citizens have their own scheme (see section 5).
• Arraigo de segunda oportunidad: for people who held a residence permit during the previous two years but were unable to renew it for reasons other than public order, security or health.

Updates in 2026

• Since 16 April 2026 (Royal Decree 316/2026) you cannot apply for arraigo if you already hold a stay or residence permit, or have another application for one pending.
• For arraigo sociolaboral, once the application is admitted for processing you are provisionally allowed to live and work for an employer until a decision is made.
• In 2026 there was also a one-off extraordinary arraigo for people who were in Spain before 1 January 2026. Applications for it closed on 30 June 2026.
• Arraigo permits are granted for one year (five years for arraigo familiar). To extend them, you generally have to be actively looking for work and registered with the public employment service, unless you have a justified reason such as illness, disability or retirement age.

Documents

• full copy of your passport;
• proof of presence in Spain: padrón (municipal registration), medical records, bank documents, official letters, rental contracts, courses;
• criminal record certificates from the countries where you lived during the five years before entering Spain;
• depending on the type: proof of family ties, a contract or job offer and employer documents, or proof of enrolment;
• social integration report (informe de integración social), if required;
• payment of the government fee, translations and apostilles.

How to prove your presence. The padrón alone may not be enough. Collect documents covering the whole period: medical records, bank transactions, receipts, rental agreements, courses, letters and your children's school records.

Where to apply: in Spain, at the Oficina de Extranjería, either in person or electronically through an authorised representative. Processing takes a few months, and the office may ask for more documents.

Common mistakes

• choosing the wrong type of arraigo;
• no proof of continuous presence;
• a contract or course that does not meet the requirements;
• a missing or incorrectly legalised criminal record certificate;
• requesting the social integration report too late;
• applying while another residence application is still pending.

3. NIE and TIE: what is the difference

The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is the foreigner's number used for tax, banking, notarial and administrative procedures. It does not give you the right to live in Spain. The TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) is a plastic card for foreign nationals with a long-stay visa or residence permit. It shows your NIE, the type of permit and its expiry date.

• You need an NIE to buy property, open a bank account, register a company or work as self-employed, pay taxes, deal with an inheritance or sign contracts. The usual form is EX-15.
• You need a TIE after receiving a D visa, after approval of a residence permit applied for in Spain, after a renewal or change of permit, or to replace a card. The usual form is EX-17.

Documents

• NIE: form EX-15, passport and copy, a document showing why you need the number, appointment confirmation, fee payment, and a power of attorney if a representative applies for you.
• TIE: form EX-17, passport, the residence decision or visa, empadronamiento (if required), photo, fee payment, appointment confirmation, and the old card for renewals or replacements.

You can request an NIE in Spain or, in some cases, through a Spanish consulate. The TIE is issued only in person, at the police station for your place of residence, and you usually have to apply within one month of entering Spain or of being notified of the approval. The main difficulty is getting an appointment. In popular provinces slots run out quickly, so prepare your documents in advance.

UK citizens: if you lived in Spain before 1 January 2021, you are entitled to a specific TIE as a beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement, which is different from the standard card. If you arrived later, you get the standard TIE for non-EU nationals.

Common mistakes

• thinking the NIE gives you the right to live in Spain;
• confusing the NIE, the TIE and municipal registration;
• arriving without paying the fee or with the wrong type of appointment;
• not bringing the originals;
• missing the deadline to apply for the TIE after arrival or approval.

4. Switching from student status to a work permit

This is one of the most popular routes: first a student stay, then, once you have a job or a project, a residence permit that allows you to work. The 2025 reform made the rules clearer.

Options

• Employment: you have an employer in Spain and a contract.
• Self-employment: your own professional or business activity.
• Residence exempt from a work permit: for certain categories.
• Job search or business project: for graduates who need time to find work or launch a project.
• Family residence: for the student's family members.

Documents

• Employment: passport, valid student status, proof of completing your studies, contract, employer documents, job description, proof of qualifications, criminal record certificate, fees, translations.
• Self-employment: passport, student status, proof of completing your studies, business plan, qualifications and experience, proof of funds, licences, criminal record certificate, fees.

Regulated professions may require homologación (official recognition) of your degree. You apply from Spain, online or through a representative, during the two months before your student stay ends or within three months after it ends or after you obtain your degree. If you apply within that window, your previous authorisation stays valid until a decision is notified. Once approved, you apply for a TIE.

Important: student status does not turn into a work permit automatically. The best strategy is to prepare the switch before you finish your studies.

Common mistakes

• applying before the programme or qualification is actually completed, when the chosen route requires it;
• a contract that does not meet the requirements, or an employer unwilling to provide documents;
• not taking degree recognition into account;
• missing the filing window;
• a weak business plan for self-employment.

5. Residence for family members of Spanish citizens

Since Royal Decree 1155/2024, relatives of Spanish citizens have their own scheme, separate from family reunification with a foreign resident. It is a residence permit for non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals who live with a Spanish citizen in Spain, or who are joining them there.

Who it suits

• a spouse, or a registered or stable unregistered partner (generally at least 12 months of living together, unless you have children together);
• children of the Spanish citizen or of their partner under 26, or older if they are dependent or have a disability;
• dependent parents, and other relatives in the cases provided for by law;
• children of a parent who is or was Spanish by origin. This often applies to people of Spanish descent in Latin America.

Spouses must prove a valid, genuine marriage. Unmarried couples must prove a real relationship through cohabitation, children, trips, correspondence and shared expenses. For children you need birth certificates, consents and custody documents. For parents you need proof of the relationship and of dependency.

Documents

• the relative's passport and the Spanish citizen's DNI or passport;
• marriage or birth certificates, or partnership documents;
• proof of the relationship and of living together;
• criminal record certificate, insurance and proof of income, if required;
• translations and apostilles, proof of address in Spain.

Where to apply: from Spain, online, if both of you are in Spain. Otherwise the procedure includes a consular stage, in the relative's country of residence or a third country where they hold residence. Since April 2026, once an application filed in Spain is admitted for processing, the relative is provisionally allowed to live and work until a decision is made. The permit is generally granted for five years. After approval you apply for a TIE, which is a separate step.

Common mistakes

• applying under the wrong family scheme;
• weak evidence of a stable relationship;
• civil-registry documents without an apostille or sworn translation;
• names, dates or spellings that do not match across documents.

6. Renewing your residence permit

You can lose your first permit by missing a deadline, submitting an incomplete file, not having enough income, or making mistakes with your taxes. Plan your renewal well in advance.

What can be renewed

Non-lucrative, employment and self-employment permits, family residence, student stays, Digital Nomad and other special statuses, and permits obtained after a change of status or through arraigo.

When to apply

For many temporary permits, you apply during the two months before the card expires or within three months after it expires (a late application can lead to a fine). If you apply on time, your previous status remains valid until a decision is made.

Why not to leave it late

• certificates, tax records, insurance and bank documents take time to gather;
• you may need translations and apostilles;
• there can be problems with your empadronamiento;
• you need to check your trips abroad and your income for the relevant period.

Documents

Passport, current or expired TIE, proof of address, financial documents, insurance, documents on work, business or studies, tax records, family documents, proof that you have not been away for long periods, fee and forms.

• Non-lucrative: prove your funds and insurance again, plus more than 183 days in Spain per year. The renewal is usually for two years.
• Employment: employment, tax and social security contributions are checked. The renewal is usually for four years and allows employed and self-employed work anywhere in Spain.
• Family residence: the family relationship, living together, income and insurance must be maintained.
• Arraigo: extensions are for one year (five years for arraigo familiar), generally with proof of an active job search.

Renewals are filed online or through a representative. After approval you book a separate fingerprint appointment and collect your new TIE.

Common mistakes

• missing deadlines or paying the wrong fee;
• not checking electronic notifications;
• insufficient funds or unsuitable insurance;
• too many or too long absences from Spain;
• the employer having tax or social security problems;
• forgetting to get a new TIE after approval.

How Via Globally can help

• choose the right route and procedure for you;
• check your income, documents, deadlines and risks;
• prepare your file, translations, forms and the online application;
• monitor notifications, respond to requests from the authorities and support you through getting your TIE.

Via Globally is a private visa agency, not a government body. We work online and in Moscow and Barcelona. The final decision is always made by the Spanish authorities.

Free consultation: WhatsApp +34 691 527 216 · viaglobally.com