Renewing a non-lucrative residence and proving funds, insurance and days in Spain

Key rules

• Presence: You must spend at least 183 days per year in Spain during the permit.
• Fix deadline: If the office asks you to fix or complete your file, you have 10 working days to respond.
• Insurance: Private health cover must be full, with no copayments or waiting periods, and paid up when you file.
• Funds shortfall: New evidence of means may be accepted, but funds that did not exist at the relevant time will not cure a real shortfall.

What gets re-checked

Renewal is not a formality. The office re-tests three things: you still have enough money, you still have valid private health cover, and you really spent time in Spain. The comparison below shows how this differs from other permit types.

Renewals filed since 20 May 2025 are processed under the new immigration rules. A permit granted earlier stays valid until it expires, but your renewal follows the new rules. If your case is unusual, check the transitional rules with your local immigration office (Extranjería).

Funds

You must show continued sufficient means for the renewal period. The benchmark is a multiple of IPREM, a yearly public reference amount: 400% of IPREM per year for the main holder and 100% of IPREM per year for each dependent. Check the current IPREM figure and the exact basis with your local Extranjería office before you file.

Usual proof is recent bank statements, pension or income certificates, or proof of assets or income covering the renewal period. The documents list below has the detail.

Private health insurance

Keep valid private health insurance, unless you are covered by the public system. The policy must come from a company authorised to operate in Spain. It must have full cover, with no copayments or waiting periods, and be valid for the renewal period.

It must be current when you file, and you need proof that you paid the premiums. Some offices ask for a new policy covering the whole renewal period plus a payment receipt, so ask before you file.

Days in Spain

You must have spent at least 183 days per year in Spain during the permit. Keep proof as you go: passport stamps, travel tickets, rental contract, utility bills, bank card movements, medical visits and your empadronamiento. Accepted proof varies by office. Justified absences may be considered, so explain and document any long trip.

If you fall short

A shortfall may be fixable if you handle it correctly. If the office finds missing or defective documents, it can send a requerimiento de subsanación. You then have 10 working days to respond. Do not miss this: if you do not answer, the file can be archived or refused.

• Missing paperwork: add the bank statements, income proof or insurance receipt the office asks for.
• A real money shortfall: the office may accept new evidence of valid means. It cannot be cured with funds that did not exist at the relevant time, and the office may refuse if the requirement is not met.

The timeline below shows the order of steps.

What each permit type must prove at renewal

A side-by-side view of what a renewal checks for each type of residence permit. It is for readers renewing a non-lucrative permit who want to see how it compares with other routes.

The short answer

A renewal re-tests the same conditions that got you the permit in the first place. The conditions differ by permit type, so the proof you bring differs too.

How the routes compare

How to use this table

Find your own row and gather proof dated close to your application. Old documents from your first application rarely count as current proof.

The exact documents and amounts depend on your permit and your province. Ask your local immigration office what it expects for your case before you file.

The non-lucrative route is the one this section covers in detail. The other rows are there so you can see how it differs.

Renewal documents and amounts vary by permit type and province, so confirm the current list with your local immigration office.

Timeline and deadlines

• Gather proof of funds, insurance and presence: Before you file, so the file is complete from the start

• Answer the office if it asks you to fix or complete your file: Within 10 working days of the notice

• Add new evidence of means if funds were the problem: Within the same 10 working days; it only helps if the money existed during the relevant period

• Expect an archived or refused file if you do not answer: After the 10 working days pass without a reply

Documents you need

• Recent bank statements, pension or income certificates, or proof of assets or income that cover the renewal period, to show you still have enough money.

• A private health insurance policy or certificate from a company authorised to operate in Spain, with full coverage (no copayments or waiting periods) and valid for the renewal period. Not needed if you are covered by the public system.

• Proof that you paid the insurance premiums, current at the time you file.

• Proof of your days in Spain, such as passport entry and exit stamps, travel tickets, a rental contract, utility bills, bank card movements or medical visits.

• Your empadronamiento, the certificate of registration at your town hall, which also helps show you live in Spain.

Quick answers on renewing by permit type

Do I need private health insurance to renew a non-lucrative permit?

Yes, you need valid private health insurance when you renew a non-lucrative permit, unless you are covered by the public system.

How long is a non-lucrative permit granted for when I renew it?

Your first non-lucrative renewal is granted for two years, and later renewals are also for two years. After five years of legal residence, you can apply for long-term residence.

How long is an employee work permit after the first renewal?

An employee work and residence permit is renewed for two years on the first renewal, and later renewals are also for two years. Shorter periods may be granted in specific cases.

Must a remote worker keep the same employer or clients to renew?

No, a digital nomad permit holder does not have to keep the same employer or clients to renew. The work must stay remote for companies outside Spain, it must continue, and the legal conditions, such as the share of income from Spanish clients, must still be met. Show your new contracts at renewal.

Can I work as a student while my renewal is pending?

Yes, you can work on a student permit without a separate work permit if the job is compatible with your studies, and a timely renewal application generally keeps that right valid while it is pending. The limit is up to 30 hours a week, raised from 20 in 2025. The job must not make your studies secondary.