Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question about Spain tourist visa
Spain tourist visa question: we are working on our resident visa but are eager to move. Is it possible to rent a place while on a tourist visa?
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
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“I don’t think anyone will ask you to produce a visa. They’ll want to see proof of income though, so while the visa itself is not a problem for the rental, the lack of other documents might be. Also, make sure that signing a contract longer than your visa doesn’t cause immigration issues in the future. It seems like proof of intention to stay”
“It’s possible but perhaps not sensible”
“When I rented in Spain they always asked me for NIE (Spanish tax ID), proof of income, and a Spanish contract. It is not as easy in Barcelona as an Expat. I lived in many countries around the world and when you show an American passport , they automatically smile and ask for very little, not in Spain. Good luck!”
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Explore Cities →“We paid a “reserva” (reservation or deposit) for an apartment in Spain when we visited for a week, while waiting for the NLV. We got the visa afterwards and plan to move next month. But it depends in the realtor and renter. It could be risky”
Useful links:
- Visit our recommended immigration & tax experts here.
- Make sure to visit Spainguru’s Resources page.
- Join Spainguru’s Facebook group with more than 13.000 members
- Join Spainguru’s NLV whatsapp group
- Get quotes for the best Health insurances to apply for a NLV
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