This Consulate General of Spain has outsourced the NON-WORKING RESIDENCE visa applications.
The management of NON-WORKING RESIDENCE visas will be carried out by:
BLS International Houston
Address: 2500 West Loop South 3rd Floor, Suite 350 Houston, Texas 77027
Phone Number: +1 516-888-1169
Email: info.houes@blsinternational.net
You can apply for the visa in person by making an appointment on the website or by postal mail at the address indicated above.
WEBSITE: https://usa.blsspainglobal.com/Global/account/login
BLS Spain Visa Application Center Website: https://usa.blsspainvisa.com
General information
Visa to reside in Spain without carrying out any gainful (work or professional) activity, provided that the applicant has sufficient and guaranteed means to live on. This visa does not constitute a work permit.
The following family members may also obtain the visa:
Required documents (ORIGINAL AND COPY OF EACH DOCUMENT)
- National visa application form
. Each applicant must complete and sign a visa application, filling in each of its sections. Photograph. It has to be glued to the application form. A recent, passport-size, 2x2 inches, with white background. The face should be clear and visible.
Passport or Official Travel Document. Original and copy of the page or pages of the passport that contain biometric data. The passport must have a minimum validity of 1 year and cannot be issued more than 10 years ago. Please, make sure that the passport has two consecutive blank pages to affix the visa. The passport will remain at the Consulate during the visa process.
Proof of residency in the Consular jurisdiction: State ID, Driver´s Licence or Student ID from one of the following States: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.
Proof of legal residence in the United States (Non-US Passport holders):
Original and notarized copy of Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) or valid US Visa. Holders of B‐1/B‐2 visas cannot apply in the United States. They must apply in their country of residence.
Form EX 01: Non-working residence visa application form. Each applicant must complete and sign a copy of the form with the address in Spain.
- Form 790 code 52: Each applicant must complete and sign a copy of this form with the address in Spain, and ticking the box “Autorización inicial de residencia temporal”. The fee for 2025 is USD 11.00
Affidavit:. Applicants must provide a sworn statement before a notary, including the following information:
- A brief explanation of their professional background, the reasons why they have decided to live in Spain, how long are planning to stay and any other reason to support the visa application.
- The postal address in Spain, where the applicant will live, at least, the first three months.
The commitment of not doing any gainful work, by any means, either on-site nor remotely (online), while residing in Spain.
If the applicant is of working age, must provide a letter of termination from the employer stating that he/she will no longer work for that company or, a sabbatical year acceptance letter from the employ.
Proof of financial means. Applicants must prove that they have sufficient financial means to support themselves during their residence in Spain. The minimum required annually amount is equivalent to 400% of the IPREM (by 2025 approx, USD 30,000) and adding 100% of the IPREM additional for each family member (approx USD 7,800).
Submit bank statements of the last 12 months from checking/savings accounts with a stable balance reaching the minimum required.
-In the case of retirees, proof of enough periodic income: Social Security Benefits or/and Private of Public retirement benefit (Army Veterans, Teacher´s unión, etc)
Proof of Health insurance: from an insurance company recognized and authorized to operate in Spain. The insurance must include all risks covered by the National Health System in Spain, and for the whole intended period of stay in Spain. The Health insurance must not have any deductible, copayment or coverage limit; it must cover 100% of the medical, hospital and out-of-hospital expenses. An insurance card will not be accepted as proof of coverage. Travel insurance will not be accepted.
Criminal record check certificate. Stating that the applicant has no criminal record in the place where he has resided for the last five years. Applicants over 18 must present original and copy of the criminal record check certificate issued by the FBI and legalized with the Federal Apostille of the Hague Convention requested to the Department of State in Washington DC. It cannot be older than 6 months from the application date and it must be translated into Spanish by a sworn translator.
Local State background checks and Apostilles are not valid.
Bilingual Medical certificate. Original and copy of a medical certificate, issued within the three months preceding the submission of the visa application, accrediting that the applicant does not suffer from any disease that could cause serious repercussions for public health pursuant to the 2005 International Health Regulations. medical certificate template Consular visa fees: Money order out to the Consulate General of Spain in Houston.
Required documents for family members.
The following family members may also obtain the visa:
- The spouse or unmarried partner that is legally registered.
- Dependent children and dependent relatives in the ascending line who form part of the family unit.
For each family member it will be necessary to submit:
All the required documents specified in sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,10, 11, 12 y 13.
Documents constituting proof of family relationship with the applicant:
- Children: Birth Certificate apostilled and translated into Spanish by a certified translator.
For minors who travel with only one of the parents with joint custody, the non traveling parent must provide a copy of his/her ID along with a notarized authorization, which will be legalized with the Apostille of the Hague.
- Spouse: Marriage Certificate apostilled, translated into Spanish by a certified translator and issued in the last 6 months. Commom-law marriage (informal marriage) also apostilled and translated into Spanish by a certified translator will also be accepted.
- Relatives in the ascending line: Birth certificate translated into Spanish by a certified translator, and documents proving financial dependence and that they are part of the family unit. US and non US documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
Procedure
- Who can apply for a visa: This Consulate is competent to accept only visa applications from individuals residing in the consular district (Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas).
- Place of submission: NON-WORKING RESIDENCE visa appointments will be requested from BLS International Houston through this website: https://usa.blsspainvisa.com/houston/non-lucrative_residence_visa.php
- BLS International Houston Address: 2500 West Loop South 3rd Floor, Suite 350 Houston, Texas 77027
- Phone Number: +1 516-888-1169
- Email: info.houes@blsinternational.net
- Rectifying the application: The Consulate could ask the applicant to submit any missing documents, or to provide additional documents or data that are necessary for a decision regarding the application. The applicant may also be called in for a personal interview.
- Decision period: The legal period for reaching a decision is three months from the day after the application submission date, but this period may be extended if an interview or additional documents are requested.
- Refusal of the residence permit or visa: Refusals of the residence permit or visa will always be notified in writing, setting forth the grounds on which the decision adopted was based.
- Appeals: If a residence permit or visa is refused, the applicant may submit an appeal for reconsideration to this Consulate within one month of the day following the date on which notification of the refusal is received. An application for judicial review may also be filed with the High Court of Justice of Madrid within the two-month period beginning the day after the date on which the applicant receives notification of the refusal of the visa or residence permit or of the dismissal of the reconsideration appeal.
- Validity period of the visa: The visa will be valid for 90 days. Once in Spain, a Foreigner Identity Card must be applied for within a period of one month from the applicant's entry into Spain, at the Foreign Nationals' Office or the corresponding Police Station.