# Retirement Visa



## lorort (Dec 24, 2015)

Any Americans on the forum know if savings can also be used to meet the minimum income of 25,560 euros monthly requirement to retire in Spain? Is it Gross Income that they will look at? Thanks.


----------



## Melissa58275 (Apr 14, 2014)

Lorort: A few weeks ago my application for a long-term non lucrative visa (i.e.. retirement visa) was "accepted" by the Spanish consulate in Frankfurt, Germany, where I am now living. Accepting it meant that they had looked through all my paperwork, including the financial documents, and everything I needed was there, so they would send it on to Madrid. 

For my financial docs, I showed them both records of my savings/investment accounts and regular deposits from those accounts into my checking account for monthly living expenses. I'm an early retiree (62 now), and don't intend to claim Social Security or my private pension until I'm at least 65, so I'm living off savings now. Based on what they looked at for me, what they asked for my clarification on, yes...they'll accept savings. BUT, they wanted to see regular deposits shifted from my savings into my checking account. And they needed more than online statements, which they felt were too easy to fake. 

There's always the possibility, too, that Madrid will determine that what I've provided still isn't sufficient. But the general consul in Frankfurt signed off on it anyway.
Hope this is helpful.

Melissa


----------



## lorort (Dec 24, 2015)

Melissa, Thanks for your response. I will be going through Spanish Embassy in Houston, TX. I will be living off my teacher pension and eventually social security which I will probably do at age 62. It is good to know that I can also use savings to meet the minimum requirement of euros for visa. Your information did help and good luck with your move. Loretta


----------



## expatgal (Mar 4, 2013)

lorort said:


> Any Americans on the forum know if savings can also be used to meet the minimum income of 25,560 euros monthly requirement to retire in Spain? Is it Gross Income that they will look at? Thanks.


Hello Lorort,
I've been in Germany for just about two years.
You mentioned 25,560 euros monthly. Is this a typo? Did you mean annual? My sister is seriously thinking of retiring to Spain.


----------



## ptjd (May 27, 2015)

Expatgirl, its per year and another 6390 per year for each additional person in the family. I have my appointment at the Spanish consulate in Houston later in January. Lorort, you should read this as it applies to the consulate in your region, I had read each Consulate could have slightly different criteria.
http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consul...ents/Visado de residencia no lucrativa EN.pdf


----------



## lorort (Dec 24, 2015)

Yes, I meant yearly. I think Houston is the where I need to go since I live in NM.


----------



## lorort (Dec 24, 2015)

ptjd, I do have that I just found it this evening but thanks all help is always welcomed.


----------



## expatgal (Mar 4, 2013)

ptjd said:


> Expatgirl, its per year and another 6390 per year for each additional person in the family. I have my appointment at the Spanish consulate in Houston later in January. Lorort, you should read this as it applies to the consulate in your region, I had read each Consulate could have slightly different criteria.
> http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consul...ents/Visado de residencia no lucrativa EN.pdf


Thanks for the link. It's one of the few where it's stated minimum amount required. I know it may change and each Consulate may require more. 
My sister is in the San Francisco area and will apply from the nearest Consulate there.

Happy New Year and I'm wishing you a wonderful new life in Spain.


----------



## expatgal (Mar 4, 2013)

lorort said:


> Yes, I meant yearly. I think Houston is the where I need to go since I live in NM.


It's certainly an amount which many will be able to pony up. 
I'm following your thread, my sister is single and will be making the move by herself, I may follow her. 

Happy New Year!


----------



## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Yes, we just got our financial group in Houston to write a statement for us in Spanish. I think the 25 grand is too high though. You will need the statement to be less than 90 days old. The newer, the better. Your teacher pension will count also. To apply, every document must be in Spanish by an official translator with an aposhilla. This can be done online as well. Where did all these Americans here now come from. I had to rely on the information savvy Brits for info here a few years back. ,


----------



## Dionysus (Jan 4, 2016)

*Experience*



lorort said:


> Melissa, Thanks for your response. I will be going through Spanish Embassy in Houston, TX. I will be living off my teacher pension and eventually social security which I will probably do at age 62. It is good to know that I can also use savings to meet the minimum requirement of euros for visa. Your information did help and good luck with your move. Loretta


Hello Loretta... I am from Houston, and my wife and I are doing our homework now to be able to move to Spain in 2017, or early 2018. I'd be curious to hear about your experience once you've gone through it.

I will make a post in a week to ask questions after going through the myriad of other posts so I can get as many answers as I can without having to ask redundant questions about the process.

In a nutshell, I am not near retirement, but have the means to retire early if we live a frugal life, I am 53 now. My wife is a Norwegian citizen, but was born and raised in Spain until the age of ten when her family immigrated to the US, Houston. She would like to go back, she has family there still. We have children who are fluent in Spanish, and can read and write it fluently as well. She grew up around Sitges/Barcelona, but I know now we cannot afford that area.  Also, when she was in school, Catalan was still in the process of being implemented in the schools, so she knows a little, but not fluent in it. My wife, being a Norwegian citizen, would like to work, knowing of course that she would be giving up a nice salary working for an Oil company, but we both are willing to sacrifice the income for a better quality of life, which I hope we will get in Spain.

It always sounds like a great idea, a fairy tale if you will, until you start to really think about it, and get concrete answers! We are now making plans to slowly shed all our belongings and selling things, I know some people do it quickly, but because it is a big change, for me anyway, we will go slow, but steady! Thanks


----------



## lorort (Dec 24, 2015)

Hi Dionysus,
You have come to the right place to get your questions answered. The folks on this website are knowledgeable and helpful. Don't worry about asking redundant questions someone will always help. I will not be making the move for another two years, but I have found so many answers here about the process. I will be going through the Houston Spanish Embassy for my Retirement Visa and must show proof of income (25,560 euros yearly) and a bank account in Spain showing deposits plus Private Health Insurance. Which I hear is pretty affordable. I've taken a lot of notes from this website and if I don't see something I just ask. Here is the link to Spanish Embassy in Houston http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consula...ativa EN.pdf if you need it. Best of Luck and if I can help let me know, loretta


----------



## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Dionysus said:


> Hello Loretta... I am from Houston, and my wife and I are doing our homework now to be able to move to Spain in 2017, or early 2018. I'd be curious to hear about your experience once you've gone through it. I will make a post in a week to ask questions after going through the myriad of other posts so I can get as many answers as I can without having to ask redundant questions about the process. In a nutshell, I am not near retirement, but have the means to retire early if we live a frugal life, I am 53 now. My wife is a Norwegian citizen, but was born and raised in Spain until the age of ten when her family immigrated to the US, Houston. She would like to go back, she has family there still. We have children who are fluent in Spanish, and can read and write it fluently as well. She grew up around Sitges/Barcelona, but I know now we cannot afford that area.  Also, when she was in school, Catalan was still in the process of being implemented in the schools, so she knows a little, but not fluent in it. My wife, being a Norwegian citizen, would like to work, knowing of course that she would be giving up a nice salary working for an Oil company, but we both are willing to sacrifice the income for a better quality of life, which I hope we will get in Spain. It always sounds like a great idea, a fairy tale if you will, until you start to really think about it, and get concrete answers! We are now making plans to slowly shed all our belongings and selling things, I know some people do it quickly, but because it is a big change, for me anyway, we will go slow, but steady! Thanks


 Prior to moving to the Mountains of Wyoming, we did a brief stint in the Houston area. Myself for over 30 years and my wife 15. Two of my Alma maters are in and around Houston. She was a VP of a large energy firm there and I worked in the mental health field. I have never missed Houston at all. Living in Wyoming gave us a taste for mountains and quality skiing. One day, while walking our dogs in the snow I mentioned that I would probably work till I was 70 and her response was "Over my dead body!" We started the idea of early retirement to Spain. We started making more trips to Northern Spain, looking for suitable peaceful locations. We came across Jaca by accident and later learned of a local connection to a very small Protestant church here to our Presbyterian church in the US. We took our time and got rid of real estate, cars, and 90% of our personal belongings. We ended up giving a bunch away as well. We pared down to 16 boxes and made the plunge. My wife gained German residency through family. We did not need a visa. We no longer use personal cars and rely on readily available public transport. We also travel often. It has been a true adventure. In my opinion only, this community is very peaceful, and a great place for kids. Normally there are only 12k people here but during fiestas, this swells, like the rest of Spain. But, we are very comfortable here in Jaca where English is rare. To perfect Spanish, classes are offered for free in the community. Good luck on your transition. Feel free to ask anything. Although most here are British, there are a few of us from across the pond.


----------



## Dionysus (Jan 4, 2016)

*Great...*

Thank you, Elyles, et al. That sounds encouraging. As I mentioned, dreaming of retiring in a foreign country is just that until one actually starts to make changes, then it becomes a mission. I have to admit, reading your posts, and others who are happy with their choice is great. 

'Sorry for hijacking the thread, I'll start a new one sometime this week with more details about us, maybe even introduce ourselves in the right forum.

Thanks again.


----------



## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Get some general books on retiring abroad as an expat. Make plans and stick with them. Pick a general area to live in and travel throughout that area. Ask lots of questions. It all starts with a dream.


----------

