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Consulates require that one must be retired or not working for a non lucrative Spain visa?

Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi

Question

Has anyone had a consulate say that one must be retired or have stopped working when applying for a non lucrative Spain visa? I assumed that since one has 90 days to enter after visa approval, one could stop working at anytime before entering Spain?
Here is the Miami consulate’s response:
«Debe acreditar cumplir con todos los requisitos en el momento de presentación de la solicitud del visado. (You must prove that you meet all the requirements at the time of submitting the visa application»
Does anyone have any insight or experience with this?

Answers

These are the answers of some Facebook group members:

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“You have to submit a letter from your employer stating a termination date at the same time you submit all the other documentation.”

“A termination letter will do? Some people say you need p45. Termination letter would be so much easier allowing us both to work until closer to a visa decision. Where p45 we will have to finish before we even make an appointment (We will be Manchester Consulate)” (Answer: “I live in the USA and we don’t have a P45. It also might depend on the consulate.”)

“Chicago required a notarized letter from my employer and that I also create a notarized document stating I won’t work there.”

📖 Related Reading: For a complete overview of requirements, application process, renewals, and financial proof, see our Non-Lucrative Visa: The Complete Guide.

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author avatar
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.