We just had our appointment in DC for our Spain Non Lucrative Visa and it went perfect!
- 2 August 2024: BLS appointment
- 5 August 2024: Received text that consulate received applications
- 7 August 2024: Received phone call that the consulate would have applications processed in 14 days.
- 27 August 2024: Visas in hand!!!
Highly recommend arriving the day before because NLVs are only one slot per day at 9am.
Unless you live in DC, you will have a hard time making that with traffic. We stayed at the Club Quarter’s which is a block from the BLS in DC and there is an amazing brunch spot to celebrate your success across the street, Tatee. There are 2 parking garages that you can use for the BLS 818 Connecticut garage is $40 for overnight or $20 for daily. The other garage is $35 across the street.
The appointment at BLS in Washington DC
Arrived at 1660 L st NW (BLS) and check in with the first floor security. The elevators are key card activated so you have to check in. The BLS office is small and not what I expected a few chairs with folding tables for desks. We just sat down and waited to be called. While waiting we saw 3 people leave in tears (students) it sounded like they had issue with the health insurance not being correct.
That made us extremely nervous! Our appointment was at 9am we were called at 9:30. Due to the size of our application (3 people) they took us to an office instead of the folding table section. The review of documents began. Here is what they required.
The Spain Non Lucrative Visa requirements at Washington DC BLS Office.
Primary applicant
– passport and full page copy of it
– drivers license and full page copy
– National Visa application form with passport photo clipped to the top
– EX01 original and copy
– Form 790 both the copy that says admin at the bottom and a copy that says interesado. The forms are identical other than that.
– 3 month bank statements, primary page only. They will take them and highlight the beginning and ending balance.
– We are applying off VA income so we provided that letter no need to translate.
– Notarized letter of intent outlying why you want to move, that you won’t work, and address where you’re staying. Must be in Spanish or have a translation.
– We used our 3 month airbnb rental and provided print out for proof of accommodation. Airbnb offers a print out specifically for visas and you can choose to language to print it in.
– FBI background check, apostle and translated
– Medical certificate. We used the template from the BLS website and copied it to our doctors letterhead.
– Health insurance certificate (we went with DKV)
– letter from employer with the termination date of employment. Did not need notary for this but does need to be in Spanish or translated. We wrote ours in both and put in the top “this document is the same in English and Spanish” and that worked fine.
Secondary applicants (dependents)
– same as above plus the below
– Marriage certificate apostle and translated (only for married couples)
– Birth certificate apostle and translated (only for children)
We brought copies of every document and yet they didn’t take any! But I would still do that just in case they ask for something. We also brought blank forms in case we messed something up and needed to quickly redo it.
They went through all our paperwork and then it went for a supervisor check. The supervisor came in and asked who prepared the documents because they were perfect! Now we wait to pick up our visas! They said they are processing in around 3 weeks but it might start going slower due to student visa priority in August.
It seemed like their biggest concerns when reviewing is your passive income meeting IPREM and your accommodations.
They checked that our airbnb address matched our applications, letters, etc. I thought that was interesting because your suppose to be able to update that anyways. Since you need a 6 month lease for a padrón to finish the process once in Spain, obviously your address will change as the accommodation is temporary.
The Spain Non Lucrative Visa approval
This week (August 28th 2024) everything came together for us! I can not thank you all enough for the help through this process. We applied in DC Aug 2nd and received our visas yesterday.
We also FINALLY got an apartment for the long term. It is tough out there! So many landlords want a work contract, a bank guarantee (that you can only get from a Spanish bank that you have an account with), 6+ months rent in advance, etc. After many failed attempts through idealista we went with Spotahome. Even then we had 2 denials before getting an apartment.
Spainguru’s note: You can use Spotahome to rent apartments (or rooms) for several months in most Spanish cities. The process is done fully online without the need to visit the property. Here you can get a 20% discount in the tenant fees.
The first two did not want to rent to us because we were on a NLV visa and needed to register on the padrón and the other for not having a work contact. Totally crazy to me since we have monthly pensions that are 10x the monthly rent! They still wouldn’t rent to us.
On the third attempt we found a private landlord who has been amazing thus far. He gave us a contract so we can register as soon as we get there and get an appt. He’s offered to assist in any way he can to make sure this goes smoothly.
So the key is to just keep trying and to go with a private landlord. Flights booked, apartment ready, visas in hand! We have never been so excited.
Conclusion
Successfully navigating the application process for the Spain Non Lucrative Visa in Washington DC requires thorough preparation and understanding of required documents. Early arrival and proper accommodation arrangements are critical, especially due to the limited daily slots. It’s also essential to monitor and respond quickly to appointment openings due to their random availability.
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Disclaimer
The experiences detailed in this article are based on a personal account of an individual’s application process for the Spain Non Lucrative Visa at the Washington DC BLS Office. The information provided reflects their specific situation and results as of August 2024. Future applicants should note that procedures, requirements, and personal experiences can vary significantly by individual and over time. It is advised to consult official resources or legal advice for the most current and personalized guidance. This account is intended for informational purposes only and does not guarantee similar outcomes for other applicants.
