In this post, we will tell you about our process to apply for the Non-Lucrative Visa at the Consulate General of Spain in Los Angeles. Why L.A.? As we told you in our intro, the past year we lived in Denver, Colorado and it belongs to the jurisdiction of Los Angeles, California because there is no Spanish consulate in Denver.
The first thing was to obtain the information and requirements that the Spanish Consulate in Los Angeles requested, it is important to follow the information of the consulate or embassy that applies to you, since they vary and (hopefully soon) are not standardized. SIDE NOTE: You will realize that in Spain, the requirements may vary according to the jurisdiction, city, town, etc. Exercise patience and remember all the good things about Spain!
You can find the requirements for the Consulate General of Spain in Los Angeles here.
We will explain each requirement step by step and what we submitted for each one and/or we will focus on certain items, that we have seen in Facebook groups, are the ones that generate the most doubt and confusion. We hope to be as clear as possible – because we know that many questions arise in the process and we hope that our experience can help you!
1- National visa application form
- Item #11: Number of National Identity Document (DNI)
Leave blank if you do not have a DNI number. In theory, for this type of visa you should not have a Spanish DNI, since you cannot be a Spanish citizen to apply for i
- Item #17: Postal address
Write your current address
- Item #19: Current occupation
Write your occupation, even if you are not going to practice it in Spain
- Item #20: Main Purpose of the Journey
Mark “Non lucrative residence”
- Item #21: Intended Date of Entry into Spain
Write the date you want to travel to Spain. We wrote April 1st (our appointment was February 1st) and the visa was issued effective April 1st
- Item #22: Number of entries requested
This item was not very clear, we chose the “one” option, however, in our passport it was issued with “multiple”
- Item #23: Applicant’s address in Spain
We used the address of the Airbnb that we had booked for our arrival in Barcelona.
- The photo will be attached to this application by them
DO NOT do it, they will
There are certain items that do not apply to this type of visa and can be omitted when completing it.
2- Non-lucrative residence authorization application form (form in Spanish only)
This document contains an instruction sheet that is very helpful to complete it correctly
- Section 1 – Address in Spain:
Here we wrote our US address, as indicated in the instructions
- Section 2 – Representative Data
Does not apply, unless someone else is applying for you
- Section #3: Address for notifications
Current US address, or where you reside
- Section #4: Type of Authorization Requested
Write “Inicial”. We did not mark any other additional boxes
*All documents were signed with the date of the appointment, in our case February 1, 2022.
3- Photograph
We took two (2) passport size photographs 2” x 2” (51cm x 51cm)
4- Valid and non-expired passport (minimum validity period of 1 year and two blank pages)
We took our original US passports and a copy of the page with the biometric data and the page with the signature, in our case.
5- Proof of means
This item is one of the most critical and which generates the most doubts, since the information they request is extensive and does not specify how many months are required and/or if the money comes from other non-bank sources, how should be submitted, etc. In our case, this is what we took:
- Bank statements for the last 12 months (we were only asked for the last 3 months). They were the originals sent by the bank (since we usually receive them only electronically), they did NOT have a stamp as indicated in the instructions, because our bank is digital and they were accepted without problem. They were translated by a sworn translator but not notarized.
- A letter from the bank indicating the balance of our 3 bank accounts and the average balance of the last 6 months. Translated, too.
*The amounts that we had to have had to be or exceed 400% of the IPREM for the main applicant and for the additional spouse or relative(s), 100% of the IPREM for each one.
**This indicator changes every year but in 2022 it is €579.02 (100%).
In our case, being my husband and I, the amount has to be as follows:
Applicant (husband): €2,316.08 per month – €27,792.96 per year
Me (additional relative): €579.02 per month – €6,948.24 per year
Total for both minimum: €34,741.20 per year
- A sworn and notarized statement where we declared that, being self-employed, we undertook not to work while we reside in Spain.
- Last income tax. We submitted the two main pages and sworn translations as well.
* The Los Angeles consulate is the only one that indicates that you must not have/leave any mortgage in the United States. Tax returns may or may not show mortgage information, but beyond that document – they don’t ask for any other proof.
6- Health insurance
We contracted the insurance with Adeslas through the Agent Carlos Andrés Blanco Rey, it was effective as of March 1st, because our appointment was on February 1st and it was not clear if it should be valid on the date of the appointment or the date of entry to Spain.
Once the appointment passed, we changed the effective date to April 1st without problems.
We paid with a bank transfer from the US for the full year of insurance, and since the policy was generated in Spanish, it was not necessary to translate it.
7- Criminal record certificate
This process was the most time consuming and we suggest to do it FIRST. The processing time was approximately almost 6 weeks.
Due to the fact that in the last 5 years we had lived in Colorado and Florida, we chose to obtain the Certificate from the US Department of Justice – FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation.
- FBI certificate
- Complete the application directly with the FBI, here.
- After completing it, it will generate a confirmation (eDO), which you will have to take to your closest authorized post office to do your fingerprints.
- Once you do your fingerprints, they will send them directly to the FBI. We got the certificates electronically the next day.
- The cost of the FBI certificate is $18.00 each and the cost of fingerprinting is $50.00 each.
- Processing time 2 business days. But on their website it says it can take 3-5 days.
- Hague Apostille – FBI Certificates
This document can ONLY be apostilled with the U.S. Department of State, as it is a federal document.
The process is for each document and must be sent separately:
- Complete the DS-4194 application
- Send a check or money order for $20 for each document NOT per page
- The original document to be apostilled
- A pre-paid mailing envelope with tracking number. We send a USPS Priority Mail envelope.
My husband’s certificate took about 3 weeks, from when it was sent to when we received it, and mine took 5 weeks. Although the two were received at the same time, they were processed separately.
* At the end of the 3 weeks, if you have not received it, I suggest you call to ask for the status at 202-485-8000
- Sworn translation
The certificate and the apostille (electronic copies) were sent to be translated by the sworn translator Sergi Castañeda, suggested by the Spanish consulate. His translation time usually does not exceed 2-3 business days but it is always better to confirm with him.
IMPORTANT: DO NOT REMOVE THE STAPLES FROM THE APOSTILLE, NOT EVEN TO MAKE COPIES OR SCAN, AS IT INVALIDATES THE APOSTILLE.
8- Medical certificate
We use the format suggested here and it was completed by our Primary Doctor. He didn’t put it on a letterhead but he did sign and seal it. Being in English and Spanish, it was not necessary to translate it.
9- I.D. Card that proves your place of residence is within the jurisdiction
With our Colorado driver’s licenses, our residence in that state was verified and that it belongs to the jurisdiction of the Consulate of Spain in Los Angeles.
10- Payment of fees
The fee paid was $153 ($140 + $13) each, with a money order for each of us for the total amount of $153. The cost in 2022 varied to $140 + $12.
11- Letter of Intent
This letter is not part of the requirements, however we were asked for it and brought it due to some Facebook groups suggest having it. Thank you Facebook!
This letter indicates the intention for which you want to reside in Spain, preferably specify the city where you will arrive, the reason you want to reside there (sabbatical year, learn about its culture, etc.) and I will also reconfirm that you have the financial means, health insurance and no criminal records. In our case, we confirmed that we would not work while we were in Spain. IMPORTANT: omit to say that you want to travel throughout Europe or something similar, since it is a residence visa in Spain.
Documents needed for family members
We followed all the steps mentioned above, and in the financial part we only provided a copy of what we already had, since the account belongs to both of us.
Additionally, we attach as proof of relationship, our marriage certificate, which in our case had to be notarized and apostilled by the Colorado Secretary of State, being from abroad. If you are from the US, the process is much simpler.
This process took us about 2 weeks, once the notarization was approved, which was a mess not worth mentioning, that it took us about 2 more weeks before it was apostilled.
12- Appointment
Wrongly thinking that the apostille process was faster, we made the first appointment in the first days of January (not even 3 weeks since we started the paperwork) seeing that this did not work by “our times”, we postponed it two more times until the 3rd one and with all the documents ready, which was February 1st.
The “citas previas” or appointments are access on this link and made available exactly at 12:00 PM (PST – Los Angeles time) for the following month. After entering many days exactly at 12, we realized that the system can be more than frustrating, sometimes there were simply no appointments, or there was only 1 and we needed to get 1 for each of us. Yes, if you are a family of 5, you will need 5 appointments.
NOTE: We had more success visiting the page at random times and especially on weekends.
I know that the process can be a bit intimidating, but it really is a matter of following the steps, doing it with time and having patience because there are many entities involved and yes, bureaucracy too! Here are some tips that can help or facilitate the process.
TIPS:
- Make a checklist of all the documents you need, according to your specific case
- Indicate if you need originals/copies/apostilles and/or translations
- Contact the sworn translator ahead of time and determine their delivery times and cost
- Join Facebook groups, since many will clarify doubts that the consulate does not. They have an email that they almost never answer.
- Plan about 4 to 6 weeks to collect all the documents and from there calculate the “ideal” date for the appointment. Take into account that all documents are accepted with a validity of 90 days.
- Organize all your documents in the same order the Consulate has them, as most likely – it was in our case — they will ask for them in that order.
The process, depending on each case, can be a roller coaster of emotions – it was for us, but I think that if you do it with time and patience, it will be less dizzying. We wish you success in this process!
