Do kids need to appear for a Spanish non lucrative Spain visa appointment?  

Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi

Question

Do kids need to appear for an non lucrative Spain visa appointment?  

I had just totally assumed kids don’t need to attend. Now I am beginning to wonder after reading another post. I wonder if this varies by consulate?  

Also, I have one binder, but now I am wondering if I need two separate binders (husband and wife). Hopefully I don’t need four binders (husband, wife, kid, kid).

Answers

These are the answers of Spainguru Facebook group members:

“Yes. Kids do need to be there.”

“Yes, kids must appear and have the same documents to support their application as an adult. You must also make them each an appointment of their own. The lady in front of us didn’t know this and asked the Visa clerk how she would do that for her 4 year old and the clerk said make him an email account and create the account on bookit to make each child their own appointment. The way the clerk explained it is each application takes about 30 minutes to review and they must have their own appointment and application because when the packet is sent to the immigration at whatever province you put on their application, it may not be reviewed at the same time as the parent and the immigration will deny the Visa if the packet doesn’t have all of the required documents to support the request.”

“In San Francisco in 2016 they made everyone appear, even our 2yo.

And they did each person’s application individually, so it was better to have each person’s package split out from the others.”

“When we submitted to LA we had six folders for three of us. We submitted ours during covid so physical copies were sent via FedEx. Each of us had a folder of originals and a folder of copies and each was labeled as such “Name 1 Originals” “Name 1 Copies”. ETA LA didn’t require our 6 year old to pick hers up in person, but this was a year ago when covid was still a bigger factor and kids weren’t eligible for the vaccine yet.”

“In NYC kids had to appear for the appt but one person could go pick up the visas.”

In conclusion, according to Spainguru Facebook group members, the requirement for children to appear for a non lucrative Spain visa appointment does seem to vary by consulate. While some consulates may require children to attend the appointment and have their individual applications, others may have different policies. It’s essential for applicants to check with the specific consulate where they are applying to understand their exact requirements and procedures regarding visa appointments for minors. Additionally, the process may involve making separate appointments and applications for each child, ensuring that all necessary documentation is complete and individually reviewed. As the policies may evolve over time, it’s advisable to verify the latest guidelines from the consulate before preparing the visa application for the entire family.

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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