It’s been a while. Between City Schooling and applying for our Non-Lucrative Visa to Spain ... that was nearly 90% of my time (or more!).
But wait ... let’s back up. We are both now officially early retired (financially independent)! I finished up teaching during the 2019 - 2020 school year, and Erik officially resigned (but is still finishing up some time with his company).
So how did we do it? The short story ... 1) Pay off all debt (which we did from 2013 - 2015). 2) Figure out your FI number within the 4% rule. 3) Budget and cut down expenses (and stick with it!). 4) Invest, invest, invest ... and achieve a high savings rate. 5) Achieve your FI number and enjoy FIRE (this is where we are at!).
So we FIREd (financial independence retire early)! Now what? Our original plan was to obtain a Non-Lucrative Visa and move to Spain (for at least one year ... or more!) in August 2020, but then as we all know COVID-19 happened. We decided to temporarily move to Houston (City School) and delay our move to Spain until Spring 2021 (we were aiming for April 1). Now our second bit of exciting news is we obtained our Non-Lucrative Visa (and this was NOT an easy or stress free task)!
So how did we obtain a Non-Lucrative Visa? I wrote a post about the Non-Lucrative Visas (NLV) prior, but after now almost completely going through the process, I definitely need to provide some updates. Even without a pandemic obtaining a NLV is a very detailed and challenging process ... and with a pandemic even more challenging. We also heard that the Consulate of Spain in Houston is one of the most challenging Consulates to go through. Oddly enough all of the Consulates operate somewhat differently and have a different list for the NLV so be sure to check your Consulate for more information.
Note, we gathered our information from approximately late September 2020 - February 2021 (longer time frame due to significant COVID-19 delays ... I will get to that). I could not have completed this process without the help of on-line social media groups and making connections with other expats that previously went through or are going through the same process. Thank you!
Prior to COVID-19, step 1 would be to obtain a NLV Visa appointment on the Consulate of Spain in Houston’s website. Due to COVID-19 they (temporarily?) stopped doing that. Honestly I think some of the changes they made due to COVID-19 made the process easier. Instead I jumped right into gathering documents.
Gather all necessary documents for the Visa within a specific 90 day time period.
The Consulate of Spain in Houston lists the following on their website for the NLV:
ORIGINAL and ONE PHOTOCOPY of each of the following items. Note, I was told when researching the NLV to never remove staples from documents, and if a document is in color be sure to provide it in color (along with the copies in color). (I’m not sure the truth or need behind the second statement of in color, but it can’t hurt?!).
1) National Visa Application Form: It must be signed and filled out correctly.
This is the form that you will also attach a passport photo to. Be sure to fill this out with “No Current Profession” in that appropriate space. Or at least, that is what we had to do. I just filled these in by hand (I filled in all of the forms in by hand).
I completed a form for each of us (four forms total).
$ 0 ... well except printing it out myself and making copies.
2) Passport: Valid for a minimum of 1 year, with at least two consecutive blank pages to affix the visa. Your passport will remain at the Consulate.
This one is pretty straight forward. Check the expiration dates and space for each passport (of course all four of us needed a passport).
$ 0 ... as in we already had our passports completed for previous trips.
3) ID: Proof of residency in one of the States under our jurisdiction: US Driver’s license or US State ID. Non-US Citizens: Proof of legal residence in the US: resident alien card, valid US visa.
Erik and I used our Drivers License (DL) for these. Be sure to check your expiration dates. Also the address on our DL matched the address we used on the forms. The children didn’t need a proof of residency.
$ 0 ... we already had our DL current.
4) Two recent passport-sized photos: White background, 2x2 in, glued to the applications.
We got these done at a local Walgreens. I wasn’t sure if the second passport photo was needed. I asked at our appointment, and they took the second photo (I assume for the Visa photo).
$ 60 Total for 4 People (It looks like the Walgreens website says $14.99 per person. You receive 2 passport photos. There are probably some more affordable options, but this is a convenient option).
5) Formal petition to apply for the Visa: with a brief explanation of your professional background. Also why did you decide to go to live in Spain and what are you planning to do while you reside there. Finally, how long are you planning to stay and any other reasons you would like to explain to support your application.
This one is basically a letter. After submitting our documents via email once we had all of them gathered, I needed to adjust my letter. I wasn’t too surprised because of what I heard from others, but I wanted the original letter to be brief and only answer the questions they mentioned above. (If I went above and beyond that may result in even more questions).
After they reviewed the letter (via email), I made some changes specifically stating that Erik and I would not be working while in Spain on the NLV. I also put in more specific information on where the kids would go to school.
I also had this translated (certified translator) which wasn’t required on the list, but I heard through the grapevine that they may want that. In fact, I had it translated twice since we needed to make adjustments after the initial review.
I found someone in the Houston area that was on the Consulate of Spain’s list. I heard that you need to use someone from this list. Where do you find the list? Good question, it isn’t that easy to find. Here is one from 2021. I found a fantastic translator in the Houston area on the list. If you would like her contact information, please contact me. Cost? I will go into an estimate of translations later. This basically depends on the translator, number of pages, number of words, etc.
$ 0 ... Not including certified translator cost.
EXTRA: After reviewing out documents via email, they also asked for a sworn affidavit stating that we would not be working while in Spain on the NLV. Wait ... what? Again, I wasn’t too shocked about this since I heard through the grapevine others had to do this too. I ended up Googling Sworn Affidavit. I wrote a very simple sworn affidavit for both of us (one sworn affidavit) based on a few Google examples. We then took this to UPS where they offer a notary service (therefore making it a sworn affidavit). Finally, I did get a certified translation for this document (even though they didn’t ask me to). I figured it couldn’t hurt.
$ 10 Approximately ... I can’t remember the exact cost, but it was minimal (not including the certified translator cost).
6) House property/leasing or renting contract in Spain:
- If you have a property in Spain you need to provide the title deed of property.
- In case of leasing or renting contract you must provide the contract minimum for one year together with the copy of the landlord’s ID and copy of title deed of property or property certificate.
I was a little nervous that they wouldn’t be happy with what we provided for housing, but they didn’t say anything. We provided a one year rental contract (the landlord provided this in Spanish) that we signed and the landlord signed. The landlord also provided us with two forms (images) of ID and a copy of the title deed of property.
Securing housing can definitely be a stressful part of the NLV process, but luckily for us this went fairly smoothly. We initially found our apartment on Airbnb. Our landlord has been fantastic! Due to COVID-19 and making it easier for both of us, we decided to do a lease instead of going through Airbnb.
I just had two color copies of this for the entire family (one “original” and one copy). (I didn’t receive a hard copy original from Spain ... a digital print out worked fine).
$ 0 ... for copies of the 1) Leasing Contract, 2) Landlord’s ID, and 3) Title Deed.
However, we did pay a month deposit to secure the apartment (700 euros).
7) Proof of sufficient funds:
For Non lucrative Visa: You must provide last-three-month bank statements of your checking or savings account. The minimum amount required (2021) is 33,080$ plus 8,272$ per each additional family member.
For Retirement Visa: Proof of enough periodic income, such as proof of receiving a monthly pension or annuity minimum annual amount required (2021) is 33,080$ plus 8,272$ per each additional family member. In addition, you can also provide last-three-month bank statements of your checking or savings account.
All you need for this one is to print out the most recent 3 months of bank statements for your checking or savings account (Non-Lucrative Visa). It is my understanding that proving investments will not work for this (Non-Lucrative Visa).
We needed to show about $57,896 in our bank account for the NLV which was no problem since we’ve been working to build up that cash cushion.
I just had two color copies of this for the entire family (one “original” and one copy).
$ 0 ... well, to download and print out bank statements.
8) Background check*: issued by the US Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation not older than 3 months. It must be legalized with the Apostille of The Hague. Both documents must be translated by a certified translator. (Not for minors under 18 years old).
You must also get background checks from the countries where you have resided during the past 5 years legalized with the Apostille of The Hague. Both documents must be translated by a certified translator.
I would take care of this one first (and anything else that needs an Apostille and / or certified translation).
First, you need to go to the FBI website: Identity History Summary Checks. We completed it by doing the electronically submit your request directly to the FBI. Follow their directions exactly under “How To Submit A Request.” Basically you will fill out a form, submit payment, and get a confirmation email back (please see website to follow instructions exactly).
$ 18 Each = $ 36 Total
Your next step is to go somewhere to get your fingerprints done. This part can get a little confusing since there are different fingerprints you can get ... and also some processes may be faster. You can look into local Post Offices that issue fingerprints (see the FBI website list), or you can look into a local fingerprint place that can help you. We did the latter, and we got ink fingerprint cards done (in fact, we did it 3 times because once we stopped the process because of COVID-19... and another time we got them done as a back up since the Apostille in DC was taking so long). If you are in the Houston area, we used Greater Houston Fingerprints in Pearland. They were fantastic to work with.
$ 25 Per Card for Ink Fingerprints (2 Cards Per Person) = Approximately $ 100 Total
We then mailed the hard copy of the ink fingerprints to the FBI with the confirmation email (see this link for more detailed information). Always follow an organization’s instructions for mailing documents, but I highly recommend using USPS overnight with tracking as much as possible (or at least priority or express mail). (Or other mail options if allowed).
Their turnaround time when we did this was 2 - 3 weeks or less. It was a fairly quick process. Note, there are probably some quicker routes for example the live scan fingerprints or using a service to assist you with the FBI Background Check / Apostille.
Once you receive the FBI results back, you need to mail them ASAP to The Office of Authentications in DC - U.S. Department of State. This process took us the longest due to significant delays because of COVID-19 (it took approximately 12 - 13 weeks, but luckily the Consulate of Spain in Houston was understanding about the delays. This was definitely the most stressful part of the process because of the delays). Follow their instructions exactly for submitting your FBI Background check to receive the Apostille. When we completed it I mailed in the two FBI background checks, filled out the form, included payment, and included a self addressed pre-paid stamped envelope. I used the USPS flat rate priority envelope. Make sure to get tracking! I used a regular large USPS envelope that they had in the Post Office for purchase to fit / mail everything, but you may consider faster options. Be sure to get tracking!
$ 8 per document = $ 16 Total For Us (Not including the extra times we went through this process).
$ 15 approximately at this Post Office (USPS Flat Rate Pre-Paid Priority Envelope and a larger envelope to put everything in).
Once you get your FBI Background check back with the Apostille (don’t remove any staples!), you must get a certified translation.
This one is definitely a multi-step process! We only needed this for the adults (2 total).
Multi-Steps:
1) Identity History Summary Online
2) Fingerprints In Person (This link was the service we used in Pearland, TX.)
3) Send Fingerprints to the FBI
4) Receive the FBI Background Check Back ... send to The Office of Authentications in DC for the Apostille
5) Receive the FBI Background Check and Apostille Back ... Obtain Certified Translations! Whew.
9. Medical Certificate*: A doctor’s recent statement (not older than 3 months) signed by an M.D. with doctor’s or medical center’s letterhead. It must be an original certificate with doctor ́s ink signature and also indicating the following: “the interested does not suffer from any of the diseases that may have serious public health repercussions in accordance with the provisions of the 2005 International Health Regulations”.
There is a form that your doctor can follow in both English and Spanish. If they are able to do this correctly, then you will not need a certified translation. Ours did not, so we did get a certified translation for all 4 letters.
Erik and I did get a wellness / physical prior to getting the letter. Make sure your doctor’s office follows the directions EXACTLY. Make sure they sign the letters with ink (not digitally). I later picked up the letters (hard copy) in person.
I called our pediatrician, but since the kids were up-to-date on their wellness exam / vaccines our doctor’s office did not ask to see them prior to issuing the letter (this may have also been due to COVID-19 ..avoiding unnecessary trips to the doctor). Our pediatrician’s office didn’t follow the words / instructions exactly, so I did call back and request new letters which they were very kind about and fixed quickly. Again, I picked these hard copies up in person.
$ 0 (Unless you count any co-payment for a doctor’s visit).
10. Proof of international medical insurance: (travel insurance will not be accepted) Letter by a health insurance company authorized to operate in Spain. It must include the following coverage: Emergency medical cover, sickness and accident, hospital in-outpatient, general practitioners & specialists, prescript medicine and repatriation.
This process was sort of overwhelming to us at first. But after gaining help (virtually) from other expats that went through or were also going through the process, that really helped. It is my understanding that two of the most popular insurance carriers for expats are Sanitas and Adeslas. We found that Sanitas seemed to have waiting periods, and it was also slightly more expensive. An expat recommended recommended we work with the insurance agent, Carlos, who was familiar with the Non-Lucrative Visa and what was needed for the medical insurance requirement. We recommend working with him, and we went with Adeslas. You can reach Carlos here. Our medical insurance covered everything required and dental and world wide coverage. Carlos can also help walk you through filling out the forms properly.
We paid up front for the entire year (I believe this is the only way you can purchase it). Two concerns we had were a start date (which was dependent on obtaining the NLV) and a refund if the Visa was denied. We picked an April 1 start date, and they were flexible on moving that if needed. If the NLV Visa was denied, we would have needed just written confirmation from the Consulate in order to receive a refund.
I just had two color copies of the insurance paperwork for all 4 of us.
$ 3,300 approximately for 4 People Total.
11. Authorization form M790 C052*: ̈Autorización de residencia ̈. Only available in Spanish.
I found the Frugal Vagabond blog helpful for a lot of information about the Non-Lucrative Visa, but also it had some helpful information for filling out forms. Failing that, I did use Google Translate and asked other expats in Spain or those going through the process.
Note, at our in person meeting at the Consulate of Spain in Houston, they did have me change dates on some forms to the date of the appointment. You may want to ask your Consulate about that for each form.
Yes, I did have all of the forms filled out for each one of us (4 total). I wasn’t sure if this was needed, but I was never told otherwise.
$ 0
12. Form EX-01*: ̈Solicitud de autorización administrativa ̈: Signed and filled out in print. Only available in Spanish.
See above on number 11.
$ 0
13. Visa Fee*: Money Order only, including the Non Lucrative Residence visa fee along with the Authorization for Residence fee.
This link provides the current Visa fees for the Consulate of Spain in Houston. I did ask the Consulate, and they said, yes, I could do one money order for the entire Visa fees. I purchased our money order at our local Post Office.
$ 612 Total for 4 People
14. USPS Priority or Express Mail: pre-paid, self-addressed and with a tracking number.
The Consulate of Spain in Houston asked me to bring 4 total so one for each of us. Make sure they are pre-paid, with tracking, correctly addressed. I recommend you go with the safest option possible. One of our Visa packages was accidentally sent to Puerto Rico, but after a week we eventually got it back. (If you have issues with the USPS, I recommend doing their inquiry on their website right away. I filed one in the evening, and I heard from someone the next AM. You can also contact your Senator’s office and ask for help with the USPS). That was an extremely stressful week, but luckily we got it back!
I purchased the flat rate priority envelopes. Be sure to sign up on the USPS website to get tracking notifications via text and email.
$ 8 each so approximately $ 32 Total
15. Postal Delivery Authorization*: Duly filled out and signed.
Once you get your USPS Priority or Express Mail pre-paid envelopes (for us - 4 of them), print out the appropriate number of sheets and fill this out.
$ 0
SPOUSE:
16. Non-Lucrative / Retirement Requirements.
I completed all of the same requirements as above that I did for Erik with the exception of the items that apply to all of us (for example: bank statements). If it was going to be the exact same for all of us, I just included that original and copied paperwork behind Erik’s application. This seemed to work with our Consulate.
17. Marriage Certificate (not older than 3 months) authenticated with the Apostille of The Hague*. Both documents must be translated by a certified translator.
Once I figured out where to get this, it was a fairly simple process. In Texas (it is my understanding) you contact your County Clerk in the County that your were married to obtain this document. We were married in Harris County (Houston), so I went to this website: Harris County Clerk. I requested a certified copy via this form (I actually did this 2 or 3 times due to COVID-19 and significant Apostille delays in DC). I sent it in a few different ways, but the quickest way is email. Their turnaround time was pretty quick.
$ 6
Once you receive back your certified copy of your marriage license, you need to mail this to your STATE (not DC) for the Apostille. For us this was in Austin. If you are using Texas, go to this website for more detailed information. Here is the payment form. Here is the request for Official Apostille form.
Follow all of the directions on that website / the forms exactly. For us basically that included a self-address stamped USPS flat rate priority envelope, the marriage license, all necessary forms filled out correctly, and the payment.
$ 8 approximately for a USPS self addressed flat rate priority envelope
$ 5 approximately (or less) for a USPS Regular Brown Envelope (be sure to get tracking ... you can also use a quicker route - priority, express, overnight).
$ 15 for One Marriage License Apostille
Once you receive this back, you will need to get a certified translation. I did include all of this paperwork with my Visa documents / application (not behind Erik’s).
MINORS:
18. Non-Lucrative / Retirement Requirements.
I completed all of the same requirements as above that I did for Erik with the exception of the items that apply to all of us (for example: bank statements). If it was going to be the exact same for all of us, I just included that original and copied paperwork behind Erik’s application. This seemed to work with our Consulate.
Note, a few items don’t pertain to minors (for example: FBI Background Check).
19. Birth certificate (not older than 3 months) authenticated with the Apostille of The Hague*. Both documents must be translated by a certified translator.
At first this was sort of confusing about where I should purchase this since there seemed to be several different options (and again I went through this process 2 - 3 times times because of COVID-19 and delays). Luckily once I figured it out, it was a pretty simple process, and I was able to pick up the birth certificates the next day. Both of our kids were born in Harris County (Houston). This was the website I used for Harris County, and I was able to pick up the birth certificates the next day. There are some cheaper options available, but this was just fast and easy.
$ 23 per Birth Certificate + $ 15 Same Day Pick Up (Approximately $ 76 Total For 2 Kids)
$ 5 (Approximately) Or Less For Parking (To Pick Up Birth Certificates)
Once you receive this back, you need to go through the same process above as the Marriage License (State Apostille). Yes, you can probably save some money by mailing them all together. For the sake of estimates, let’s say I mailed these separately (again, I actually did this 2 - 3 times because of COVID-19 and delays).
Once you receive back your birth certificates, you need to mail this to your STATE (not DC) for the Apostille. For us this was in Austin. If you are using Texas, go to this website for more detailed information. Here is the payment form. Here is the request for Official Apostille form.
Follow all of the directions on that website / the forms exactly. For us basically that included a self-address stamped USPS flat rate priority envelope, the birth certificates, all necessary forms filled out correctly, and the payment.
$ 8 approximately for a USPS self addressed flat rate priority envelope.
$ 5 approximately (or less) for a USPS Regular Brown Envelope (be sure to get tracking ... you can also use a quicker route - priority, express, overnight).
$ 15 for Each Birth Certificate ($ 30 Total).
Once you receive this back, you will need to get a certified translation. Each child had their own birth certificate documents within their own documents for the purpose of submitting to the Consulate.
Certified Translations
What did we get a certified translation for?
FBI Background Check / DC Apostille (x 2 Adults)
Marriage License / State Apostille
Birth Certificate / State Apostille (x 2 Children)
4 Medical Letters (2 Adults / 2 Children)
Formal Petition (Letter): I don’t know that this was necessary, but I heard we should do it (so I did).
Sworn Affidavit: I wasn’t sure if this was necessary either (certified translation), but I got it anyways.
How much did it cost? Let’s just give an estimate of approximately $300. Again, we had to do some things more than once due to changes or delays. I also wasn’t sure if some of it was necessary (like the letter of intent), but I thought it couldn’t hurt. Your document cost may depend on your certified translator, number of pages, number of words. Let me know if you would like my contact! She was fantastic to work with.
How did the process work? Once I found our certified translator I got in touch to see if she would be able to help. Once I had the documents, I emailed her photos of the documents that needed translations (scans would probably be even clearer, but I didn’t have easy access to a scanner). When she was finished, I submitted payment and picked them up in person since she was local (if you aren’t local I assume you would work out the best way to mail them safely because you do need the original / hard copies).
You have everything for the NLV. Now what? Our Consulate requested everything via email due to COVID-19 before scheduling an appointment. My next goal was to make sure everything was scanned / or I had a clear picture of it. I asked the Consulate how they preferred to receive the documents, but I didn’t exactly get a straight answer. I decided to do 4 separate PDF files so each individual had their own file. Erik’s file had his documents and the documents that pertained to the whole family (for example housing and bank statements) so his file was the largest. I put the files in the same order as their Non-Lucrative Visa sheet. My file had my documents plus the marriage license (in the order of the Non-Lucrative Visa sheet). The kids had their files (plus of course their birth certificates). How did I order the documents that needed Spanish translation?
Original English Document
Certified Translation
Translator’s Stamped Page
English Document Copy with Translator’s Stamp
I wasn’t really sure if this order was “correct,” but they didn’t say anything about the way that I ordered the documents.
Digital Files
How did I put everything together digitally? Some people may be super savvy about this ... I didn’t feel like I was. I ended up downloading an app that I paid for, but it was well worth the money. It was mostly pretty user friendly. The app is called PDF Expert.
After I put the four files together, I double and tripled checked the documents and the order. Then I sent them into the Consulate using at least 3 separate emails because of the file size.
$50 / Year for PDF Expert ... there are also some monthly options. I went with monthly at $10 / month.
Copies
What about COPIES? Remember the Consulate wants originals of all documents and the copies.
I double and triple checked all of our files, and then I took them to a local small business copy place (Copy Doctor in Houston). I’m not sure if it was true, but I heard a rumor that any items in color - they wanted in color. I thought it would be easier on me (not necessarily cheaper) to just copy everything in color. I copied them myself on their machines so that the documents wouldn’t be messed up or put out of order.
$ 60 approximately ... I think the guy actually kind of felt bad for me (it was a LOT to copy), and he did take some off of my total.
Submitting Documents
Then what? It took less than a week to hear back via email from the Consulate. They had a few fairly minor questions / concerns / corrections that we fixed through the weekend (including adding in a sworn affidavit and certified translation). By Monday (when the severe winter storm hit Houston), I emailed in the revised documents. I wasn’t sure how they wanted the revised documents so I emailed the revised documents separately, AND I fixed the individual files with the revised documents (as applicable). Houston was pretty much shut down that entire week due to power outages and water issues and so on... but I heard back from the Consulate by Tuesday of the next week. We had an in person appointment by that Friday of that week!
In Person Appointment
This was really stressful (for me!) leading up to this appointment. All four of us needed to be there, and they asked us to wear masks and gloves. I double and triple checked our documents again, and I got 2 file folders for each of us. One file folder was for the original documents. The other file folder was for the copies. I labeled each file folder with our complete name and either originals or copies. They seemed to appreciate my organization at the appointment. I also made sure to bring all four of our passports (they keep these during the Visa process), and Erik and I made sure to bring our drivers license. I also brought our money order, and the extra passport photos (remember they want 2 for each person). They gave us four separate times for our Visa appointments, but really it was just one appointment. The whole process took 2 hours or less. They didn’t really ask us any questions. They did say hello to the kids and commented on their good behavior! I had a few minor corrections on the forms, and there is one other original document they wanted. We quickly fixed everything that same day. They also went over COVID-19 protocols for getting to Spain.
Visa Approval
At the appointment they told us it would be approximately four weeks to hear back regarding the approval for our Non-Lucrative Visas. We were told the documents go to Madrid for approval (I am assuming digitally). I was shocked we heard back in one week that our Visa was approved! They called me (I missed their call) and emailed me. They asked for our proposed entry date into Spain, and they said once they received that date it would take 2 - 3 days to process the Visa. We received 3 of the 4 Visas by Saturday of that week (mailed by Friday). One took a detour to Puerto Rico unfortunately (mistake by the USPS), but we were able to get that back within a (very stressful) week. Each package had our Passport / Visa and original documents.
So there you have it... that’s how you can obtain a Non-Lucrative Visa via the Consulate of Spain in Houston! Whew. There is a lot more angst and maybe even more details that went into it, but I tried to shorten the process as much as possible. Contact me with any specific questions, and I can try to help ... but remember every Consulate and situation is different.
We aren’t done yet (there are more things we need to do once we arrive in Spain), but I think (or hope) some of the hardest parts of the Visa process are now behind us. We are finally almost ready to Take Flight!
What do you think? Interested in financial independence? Retiring early? Obtaining a Visa? Need some assistance with the financial part? Let us know.
-Tara
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