# Spain for 6 months - how?!



## JL321 (Mar 23, 2012)

I previously started a different thread on this site and visa issues quickly became the focus.

Does anyone have advice on getting a visa to visit Spain for 6-months? My family and I are US citizens that have been living abroad (Eastern Europe) for nearly 10 years. We finally plan to go back to the US, but we want to take a 6-month break and relax a bit in Spain before doing so. 

I don’t meet the requirements for a non-lucrative visa, as I would have no acceptable source of continued annual income. I can show bank statements that would more than satisfy any concerns about my ability to finance a 6-month stay (or a 1-year stay since the non-lucrative visa is for a year). However, the problem is that I want to spend 6 months in Spain between leaving my job now and returning to the US. I can’t therefore show that I have continued annual income of $75,000/year because I would officially be unemployed during this time.

It seems to me the only option I have might be a student visa. I don’t want to study 20 hrs/week for the 6 months though. I just want to relax and enjoy life for a while. I assume that I could pay for the courses in order to get a visa support letter and then just not attend all the classes, but it seems like a pretty high entry ticket just to get the visa then.

I’ve read lots of forum entries here and elsewhere about the 90/180 rule and various visa adventure stories, but I’ve read too many different things to understand what is best. I’ve also contacted the local embassy. They advised the student visa route, which as I said is not perfect.

Any advice? I don’t want to work. I don’t want to stay permanently. I just want to contribute to the Spanish economy for about 6 months!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

JL321 said:


> Any advice? I don’t want to work. I don’t want to stay permanently. I just want to contribute to the Spanish economy for about 6 months!


Well, personally I'd be happy for you to come and spend lots of dosh here. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any way someone from the US can do that right now. 
No one on the forum can give you the answer you're looking for, and you've already contacted the embassy, so the only place I can recommend now is the Spanish Ministerio del Interior. Write what you want to know (including a question asking if you can communicate in the future in English), get it properly translated and send it off as many times as is necessary.
Ministerio del Interior

Then tell us everything you find out


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

JL321 said:


> I previously started a different thread on this site and visa issues quickly became the focus.
> 
> Does anyone have advice on getting a visa to visit Spain for 6-months? My family and I are US citizens that have been living abroad (Eastern Europe) for nearly 10 years. We finally plan to go back to the US, but we want to take a 6-month break and relax a bit in Spain before doing so.
> 
> ...


someone recently posted this link - it's listed as 'non-lucrative' but asks for the same income as a retirement visa - much much less than 75,000

http://www.maec.es/subwebs/Consulados/SanFrancisco/en/MenuPpal/ServiciosConsularesVisados/Visados/Documents/NonLucrative.pdf

it might be worth investigating at least - let us know how you get on


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Or you could just travel here by road from wherever you are & stay 6 months before going home, as there are no Eu border checks !


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

gus-lopez said:


> Or you could just travel here by road from wherever you are & stay 6 months before going home, as there are no Eu border checks !


You've got to get into/ out of the EU from/ to the States going through a border control though


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> You've got to get into/ out of the EU from/ to the States going through a border control though


exactly - you might 'get away with it' while actually here........... but bells could ring on leaving & a ban is a distinct possibilty

it's 90 days allowed in the Schengen area - not just Spain - the UK isn't in Schengen but they do swap info, so even that would be rather risky to put it mildly


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## skip o (Aug 1, 2011)

I am under the impression that with a non-lucrative visa you need to prove you have the money to live in Spain for 1 year ($75,000 seems to be the figure for this). The visa only lasts one year and then it needs to be renewed. A problem with the non-lucrative is apparently you need to have that $75,000 amount in your account for a year before you apply. 

I have read this from people who claim to be lawyers in Spain.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

I read the op as they are still in eastern europe & wish to come to Spain before returning to the US ? As there are parts of eastern europe that are already in the EU then I assumed it wouldn't be a problem.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

skip o said:


> I am under the impression that with a non-lucrative visa you need to prove you have the money to live in Spain for 1 year ($75,000 seems to be the figure for this). The visa only lasts one year and then it needs to be renewed. A problem with the non-lucrative is apparently you need to have that $75,000 amount in your account for a year before you apply.
> 
> I have read this from people who claim to be lawyers in Spain.


yes, everything I've ever seen has said exactly that - but the link I posted earlier on the thread was provided by another poster here within the past few days & appears to be an application form for a non-lucrative visa with much lower financial requirements

which is why I suggested to the OP that he explores that avenue & lets us know how he gets on


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## JL321 (Mar 23, 2012)

I am in (and a resident of) a Eastern European country, but not a EU country (I'm in Russia).

I've now found very different requirements for the non-lucrative visa. I think I will just try to go to the Spanish embassy and ask directly the people that I would be applying to what they require. If they are anything like Russian immigration authorities they could have their own ideas (and those ideas could change from one day to the next)!

I'll update if I get anywhere.

Thanks.


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## travelcupid09 (Sep 22, 2010)

JL321 said:


> I am in (and a resident of) a Eastern European country, but not a EU country (I'm in Russia).
> 
> I've now found very different requirements for the non-lucrative visa. I think I will just try to go to the Spanish embassy and ask directly the people that I would be applying to what they require. If they are anything like Russian immigration authorities they could have their own ideas (and those ideas could change from one day to the next)!
> 
> ...


We are from Michigan, wanting to get a residence visa in Spain. We can't figure how to get one yet. Please keep us posted I am following your post!
Good luck.


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## JL321 (Mar 23, 2012)

I sent the local Spanish embassy an email this morning asking about the requirements for the non-lucrative visa. I got this reply:


​"Non lucrative residence (RES/NLR) visa is intended for applicants who own a property in Spain and show a long standing close link to the country. NLR implies a permanent life in Spain in the long term.

​You may stay as a tourist in Spain for 90 days every six months, you may eventually ask for an extensión of your visa at the local police station in the city of your Choice. In this case, you will have to justify your request.

​If you wish to receive more detailed information, we can relieve you in the consulate and answer your questions personally (previous appointment is required)"


I will be scheduling this appointment as soon as I can.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

JL321 said:


> I sent the local Spanish embassy an email this morning asking about the requirements for the non-lucrative visa. I got this reply:
> 
> 
> ​"Non lucrative residence (RES/NLR) visa is intended for applicants who own a property in Spain and show a long standing close link to the country. NLR implies a permanent life in Spain in the long term.
> ...


thanks for the update


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## JL321 (Mar 23, 2012)

Update -

I finally got through to the Spanish Consulate here in Moscow (they told me by email that I had to call to schedule an appointment to discuss further, but it took weeks to actually get through!).

When I finally spoke to someone they told me that the nearest available appointment is August 31!!!

The visa application center tells me they don't do non-lucrative visas and I have to schedule an appointment at the Consulate directly.

I am at a loss now. It doesn't seem like I am going to be able to get a long-stay visa for Spain.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

JL321 said:


> Update -
> 
> I finally got through to the Spanish Consulate here in Moscow (they told me by email that I had to call to schedule an appointment to discuss further, but it took weeks to actually get through!).
> 
> ...


never say never..... it might just be that you have to delay your plans a while


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## JL321 (Mar 23, 2012)

Wow!
I sent another email to the Consular section asking if there was anything that could be done to get in sooner than August 31. Much to my surprise I now have an appointment on Wednesday!


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## JL321 (Mar 23, 2012)

I had my appointment yesterday. Unfortunately it was discouraging.

My local Consulate insists that the non-lucrative visa is only for those owning property in Spain. Without this they won't even consider it. They told me to go buy property and come back with all my bank documents proving "about $70,000" on accounting in a bank in Spain (not just any bank) and continued annual income of again "about $70,000." Only after this did they say they would reconsider. Of course I wondered why I would buy property in Spain if it would only get me "reconsidered" and not get me a visa? However, I didn't question this. I did question the continued annual income though. I explained that I could show cash deposits to cover many years of "about $70k" and since the visa would be valid for only 1 year it seemed that might be enough. They simply said to by the property and then bring them all my financial documents and they would look at it.

They also offered me two other variants. One was a student visa, but to get it I had to get a letter from an acceptable school indicating a minimum of 20 hrs/week for the entire duration of the visa. The other option was to go for 3 months without a visa, which I am allowed as a US citizen. Then they said to apply to the local police department wherever I am in Spain and they might grant me an additional 90-day stay. They said this is by no means guaranteed and entirely done on an individual basis. 

Then the real issue came out. When trying to explore any other options the Deputy Consular said to me that the US doesn't have visas for Spanish citizens for what I want from them so the answer is no for me too. I responded with saying I know many Spanish citizens living in the US and I wondered how they do it. The conversation was quickly shifted.

In the end I was offered one last option. Go for 3 months, return to Russia or the US, and then apply for a 90-day student visa, which I could get in less than 10 days. They said this would reduce the amount of study I would have to pay for and it would get me my 6 months. It is possible, but not really what I want.

I will consider my options, but I will also start to explore other destinations where it is easier for me to take a 6-month break to enjoy life for a bit.


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## Lunar-Tech (Nov 21, 2011)

JL321 said:


> I am in (and a resident of) a Eastern European country, but not a EU country (I'm in Russia).
> 
> If they are anything like Russian immigration authorities they could have their own ideas (and those ideas could change from one day to the next)!


You've got that right !


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## skip o (Aug 1, 2011)

"My local Consulate insists that the non-lucrative visa is only for those owning property in Spain. " That is the first time I have ever heard something like that.

I am surprised you can ever try to get a visa in Russia if you are a US citizen. My understanding was that you needed to get the visa in your home country. FWIW, the Spanish consulates in the US do not mention the need to own a property in Spain, you can also have a lease. I have also heard that if you can prove that you are working with an agent to find a rental, that it may suffice.

I have also found a couple of Spanish lawyers who help with this process, but I don't know anyone who has used them. I am not sure if I can post their info here, so pm me if you want it.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

skip o said:


> "My local Consulate insists that the non-lucrative visa is only for those owning property in Spain. " That is the first time I have ever heard something like that.
> 
> I am surprised you can ever try to get a visa in Russia if you are a US citizen. My understanding was that you needed to get the visa in your home country. FWIW, the Spanish consulates in the US do not mention the need to own a property in Spain, you can also have a lease. I have also heard that if you can prove that you are working with an agent to find a rental, that it may suffice.
> 
> I have also found a couple of Spanish lawyers who help with this process, but I don't know anyone who has used them. I am not sure if I can post their info here, so pm me if you want it.


you have to apply in the country in which you are legally resident, so JL321 has to apply via the Spanish consulate in Russia, since that's where he lives

I'm surprised about needing to own property - what I'm not surprised about is that the consulate there is giving different info to other consulates

even different consulates in the US don't agree


if you can personally reccommend a lawyer, by all means post the website details, otherwise no


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## JL321 (Mar 23, 2012)

Xabiachica is correct - I am legally resident in Russia; therefore I can apply in Russia.

If anyone has contacts of lawyers that can really help with this, please share.


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