Non-lucrative residence when funds fall or you want to work

Terms used

• IPREM — The IPREM is Spain's yearly public reference income figure, set in the budget laws and used to calculate the funds you must show.
• Convenio especial — The convenio especial is a special agreement that lets you pay into the Spanish public health system if you are entitled to it.
• Oficina de Extranjería — The Oficina de Extranjería is the local immigration office that handles residence permits and changes.
• Arraigo — The arraigo is a residence route based on your ties to Spain, such as social arraigo.

Key rules

• Renewal funds: You must show 400% of the IPREM for the year for yourself and 100% for each dependant, usually covering the two-year renewal.
• Health cover: A private policy must be comprehensive, with no co-payments or waiting periods, and last the whole renewal period.
• Working: A non-lucrative permit does not allow you to work in Spain, and working can lead to fines and refusal of renewal.
• Changing route: Apply to change to a work permit before your non-lucrative permit expires.

The short answer

Your non-lucrative permit does not let you work, and it only renews if you still show enough money and proper health cover. If you want to work, you must change to a permit that allows it. Do not start first.

What you must show at renewal

Funds. You must show 400% of the IPREM for the year for the main applicant, and 100% of the IPREM for each dependant. With the 2025 IPREM of 600 euros a month (7,200 a year), that was 28,800 euros for you and 7,200 euros for each dependant. Funds usually must cover the whole renewal period of two years, so in practice plan for double those amounts. The IPREM is reset each year, so check the current figure before you apply.

Proof of money. Bring recent bank statements or a bank certificate in your own name, covering several months. Investment statements, proof of pension or rental income, and proof of assets in Spain also count. Some offices look at whether the money has been held steadily, so avoid moving large sums in just before you apply.

Health insurance. You need cover for the whole renewal period. There are two ways to have it:

• A private policy with a company authorised to operate in Spain. It must be comprehensive, with no co-payments and no waiting periods.
• Public cover, if you are entitled to it, for example through a convenio especial.

Offices differ in how strictly they apply these rules. Ask your local Oficina de Extranjería what it expects.

What happens if you work

You cannot work in Spain on this permit, whether employed or self-employed. Working can lead to fines and refusal of renewal. In some cases it can lead to expulsion proceedings. Your employer is fined too. It can also harm later applications.

Remote work for a foreign company is not a safe option. It is tolerated only in a marginal form and is never a basis for the permit. If remote work is your main income, this is the wrong permit for you.

Legal ways to work or leave

After at least one year of legal residence, you can apply to change your permit to one that allows work. File with the Oficina de Extranjería or electronically, before your non-lucrative permit expires. Your options:

• Employee permit. You need a job offer that meets the requirements for the job.
• Self-employment permit. You need a business plan and the required funds.
• Arraigo, such as social arraigo, if you meet its conditions.

The residence period and documents depend on the permit type, so confirm them with the Oficina de Extranjería before you apply.

If you cannot meet the funds or insurance tests and do not want to change route, the remaining option is to let the permit end and leave Spain. Do not stay on after it expires.

The decision, documents and warnings below help you pick a route and prepare your file.

Choosing between options

Do you stay on non-lucrative residence or change to a route that lets you work?

• Renew non-lucrative and do not work: You can still show the funds and health cover at renewal, and you do not need to earn money in Spain. Cover can be a comprehensive private policy or public cover you are entitled to.

• Change to an employee permit: You have a job offer that meets the requirements for the job and at least one year of legal residence.

• Change to a self-employment permit: You want to work for yourself, have a business plan and the required funds, and at least one year of legal residence.

• Apply for an arraigo, such as social arraigo: You meet the conditions of that route, which are separate from the non-lucrative permit.

If you want to work, apply to change before your non-lucrative permit expires, once you have at least one year of legal residence. If not, renew with the funds and health cover shown.

Documents you need

• Recent bank statements or a bank certificate showing your balance, in your own name and covering several months.

• Other proof of funds if you have it: investment account statements, proof of pension or rental income, or proof of assets in Spain.

• A private health insurance policy with a company authorised to operate in Spain, comprehensive, with no co-payments and no waiting periods, valid for the whole renewal period.

• Proof of public health cover, such as a special agreement (convenio especial), if you are entitled to it and use it instead of a private policy.

• A job offer that meets the requirements for the job, if you apply to change to an employee permit.

• A business plan and proof of the required funds, if you apply to change to a self-employment permit.

What to watch out for

• Working without the right permit: Working, whether employed or self-employed, is a serious infringement. It can bring fines, refusal or non-renewal of your permit and, in some cases, expulsion proceedings. Your employer is fined too. Do not start any paid work until you hold an authorisation that allows it.

• Counting remote work as a safe option: Remote work for foreign companies is tolerated only in a marginal form. It is not a basis for your permit, so building your income on it can put you at risk. Ask the Oficina de Extranjería before relying on it, or change to a permit that allows work.

• Damage to later applications: A breach can harm future applications, including a request to change to a work permit. Keep your record clean and move to a work permit through a proper application before you work.

Frequently asked questions

How much money must I show when I renew non-lucrative residence?

You must show funds of at least 400% of the IPREM per year for the main applicant and 100% of the IPREM for each dependant. The IPREM is the yearly reference income figure Spain sets in its budget. With the 2025 figure of 600 euros a month, that was 28,800 euros for you and 7,200 euros for each dependant. Because renewal covers two years, the amount is usually doubled in practice.

Do offices check how long my money has been in the account?

Some offices do check that your funds have been held steadily over the period, so a balance that appears just before filing may not be enough. Bring recent statements covering several months, in your own name. Practice varies by province, so ask your Oficina de Extranjería (the immigration office) what it expects.

Can I use Spanish public health cover instead of a private policy at renewal?

Yes, public cover is accepted at renewal if you are entitled to it, for example through a special agreement (convenio especial). If you use a private policy instead, it must come from a company authorised in Spain, with no co-payments and no waiting periods.

Can I keep working remotely for a foreign company on this permit?

No, remote work for a foreign company cannot be the basis of your permit, and it is tolerated only in a marginal form. If work is a real part of your plan, look at changing to a permit that allows work instead of relying on that tolerance.