Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Are Passports Held During the NLV Application Process?
Are your passports always held during the non lucrative Spain visa Process? Just a little worried if it takes months?
Passport Retention During Non-Lucrative Visa Processing
These are the answers of Spainguru Facebook group members:
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Start the Moving to Spain Hub →“Just depends on the consulate. Ours were not held, but we applied from Germany (where we were resident).”
“NYC Consulate: They did not make us leave our passports.“
“London insist on you leaving them with prepaid envelope for them to return”
“My non lucrative Spain visa took one month in August, but it was just one application for Alicante region. It does depend where you are moving to I think, as it determines the spanish office dealing with it. I applied in London who seem quite strict about keeping passports. They say it can be 3 months. Good luck and hope this helps.”
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Explore Cities →“Edinburgh gave us ours without asking and said they are very busy at the moment..result because we really wanted to keep them”
“Edinburgh: We also were given our passports back so we can still travel.”
“Manchester gave us the choice to keep or leave them.”
“Ours were definitely held at london. We are currently waiting on our NLV .”
“Manchester gave ours back visa in 7 weeks of courae we had to collect. All done now here in Spain Torrablanca”
“I discussed this with an immigration lawyer, he said, they have no right to keep the passport, but you must present passport to get the visa (obviously). If you have an emergency and must leave the country, then ask for it.”
“Manchester held ours, took 10 weeks, moving to Alicante, stay positive!”
In conclusion, according to Spainguru Facebook group members, the practice of whether passports are held during the non lucrative Spain visa process varies by consulate. Some consulates, such as London, may insist on keeping passports, while others like Edinburgh or Manchester may provide applicants with the option to retain their passports. The duration of the visa process can also differ based on the specific region you plan to move to within Spain and the workload of the consulate. While it is generally necessary to present your passport during the visa application, it’s essential to inquire about the passport handling policy at your specific consulate and communicate any emergency travel needs accordingly.
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