Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
When applying for non lucrative Spain visa visa year 2/3, if you start paying into Spanish health care system after your first year using private health would this is accepted for renewal?
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
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Start the Moving to Spain Hub →“There is an option, some providers will give you a 15 month contract. Which gives you a fighting chance of getting it in place because don’t forget also you can renew the NLV upto 3 months after the anniversary.”
“I’ve been told that timing wise it’s a problem, because you can only join Convenio Especial once you’ve been resident for a year and of course it takes some time to complete, so wouldn’t be in place in time for non lucrative Spain visa renewal. Therefore probably best to have private healthcare for year 2 and swop to CE for years 3 and beyond.”
“You can always use your S1 if you are a retired British national, instead of a private health insurance.”
The Convenio Especial is a program provided by the Social Security system that enables people who do not meet the requirements for Spanish state healthcare to pay voluntary social security contributions in order to gain access to the system. If you have lived in Spain for 12 months, you can apply to enroll in the Convenio Especial scheme in your area. The Convenio Especial is free in Catalonia. The costs of the Convenio Especial are 60€ per month for those under 65, and 157€ for those over 65.
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