Is it better to show a money deposit or passive income when applying for non lucrative Spain visa?

Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi

Question about non lucrative Spain visa

For a non lucrative Spain visa with the 2 year renewals, won’t they get suspicious if they don’t see you using any of that savings for living expenses? 

We plan on putting the ~80,000 euros in an account on its own and living off of passive income and other savings, but I’ve read that it’s best to just show the necessary funds, so just the account with ~80K. 

Any thoughts on this? Getting ready to apply and just want to make sure we’re doing everything right but not making it unnecessarily complicated. Thank you!

Answers

These are the answers of Spainguru Facebook group members:

“They just want to see that you have the funds. Disclosing and using for proof every single asset you have is not necessary when it comes to the extranjería/immigration part. Taxes and Modelo 720 are a different story.”

“I have done renewals two ways. Deposited the total necessary funds for 2 year renewal, and then learned it is easier to just have an average monthly balance in your Spanish Bank Account. As an example, show an average monthly balance of 3,000 euros for 12-18 months, and your bank will print it out for you in Spanish and signed with stamps and signatures. Works great because it shows monthly income to live off of.”

“No need to do all that cash. You need the monthly IPREM in a Spanish account for 3-6 months that’s it!”

“Never show more than necessary and let’s be real a functionary here in Spain at the Extranjería that is suspicious is very unlikely to happen. They only care that you meet the criteria. They don’t go looking for problems. Another story is the hacienda and you are supposed to declare all savings from all over the world valued at more than I can’t remember if it’s 50k or 60k. That would be your only concern and I would advise you speak with a tax specialist for Spain and your home country or at least the country your investment is held.”

“You need to show 3 to 6 months of the balance ( no official place it says that, just my experience unfortunately ) , so maybe don’t move the money around. If you do move it you probably should show the transaction”

In conclusion, according to Spainguru Facebook group members, when applying for a non lucrative Spain visa with 2-year renewals, it is essential to demonstrate that you have the necessary funds, and there is no need to disclose and use every single asset for proof. The focus should be on meeting the immigration requirements, such as showing a consistent monthly balance in a Spanish bank account, which can be easier to obtain and serves as evidence of your ability to cover living expenses. While concerns about tax declarations and the Modelo 720 exist, the extranjería office typically prioritizes verifying that applicants that meet the visa criteria rather than searching for unnecessary complications.

Bruno Bianchi CEO & Spain Immigration Expert

Bruno Bianchi is the founder and CEO of Spainguru, Spain's largest expat immigration community with 150,000+ members. Since 2014 he has helped thousands of people relocate to Spain through expert guides, webinars and vetted professional services covering visas, residency, taxes and life in Spain.

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