Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
Question about an unpaid medical bill and the approval for a visa…
I was living in Spain as an auxiliar and went to a hospital that wasn’t covered under my insurance. I ended up getting billed around 600€. I never payed it and eventually moved back home to the US.
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Start the Moving to Spain Hub →Now I want to apply for a NLV and was wondering if the unpaid medical bill will show up on my profile/record at the consulate and will cause complications with the approval of the NLV?
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
“It’s highly likely that this will have been flagged at immigration, there was a case recently of a Scottish woman who had an unpaid fine from a few years ago in Majorca, She went back there for a holiday and was arrested at the airport and made to pay the fine, I’m no immigration expert but I reckon this could cause you a problem, my best advice would be to contact the hospital involved and pay the bill although it likely will have attracted some compound interest by now, I hope you get it sorted!”
“It depends what action the hospital took to get their money. It could certainly cause a black mark on your record here.”
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Explore Cities →“Fines and unpaid debts are flagged up when you re enter Spain and indeed many other countries. Paid the fine and then apply. Visas generally don’t get issued when money is owed.”
In conclusion, it is highly likely that an unpaid medical bill can cause problems with the approval of an NLV visa. It is recommended to pay the bill to avoid any complications with obtaining a visa.
Useful links:
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