Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
“Hi, applying for Spain Non Lucrative Visa and I have a forty year old cannabis conviction (£30 fine) can anyone tell me if that’s likely to ruin my chances of obtaining a visa please Residency in Spain for UK citizens.”
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
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Start the Moving to Spain Hub →“Very unlikely.”
“Check the rehabilitation of offenders act will be spent.”
“That will be well gone.”
“After so many years I doubt it would even show up on your ACRO. However, I think that they’re only concerned about offenses in the last 5 years or so. Yours is a minor offence 👍🏼.”
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Explore Cities →“Nah, I think your rehabilitation is complete.”
“I had a lot worse from my youth, and my ACRO came back no live trace, don’t worry about it.”
“You’re going to a country where it’s essentially legal.”
Check out our article Does a ‘no live trace’ on my ACRO affect my Spain Non Lucrative visa application?
Conclusion:
The consensus among the group members is that a forty-year-old cannabis conviction with a minor fine is very unlikely to impact the chances of obtaining a Spain Non Lucrative Visa (NLV).
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, the age of the offense, and the nature of the conviction play significant roles in this assessment. Furthermore, the fact that the offense is considered minor and that Spain has more lenient laws regarding cannabis suggests that past convictions of this nature are not a significant barrier to obtaining residency.
Individuals with similar concerns should find reassurance in these responses, although consulting with immigration experts for personalized advice is always recommended.
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