I had my Spain Non Lucrative Visa appointment at the New York City Consulate yesterday (October 17th 2024). All went well. Thank you so much for helpful people before me who shared their experiences and ‘what documents they really want’. Because of this, I was prepared. I was in and out in 25 minutes.
I arrived for my 8:30 appointment. Doors opened at 8:30. I went through the security screener, and he verified my name on his appointment list. I was first to be called up.
I think it’s VERY important to have an accordion file tagged with sticky notes so you can easily find what’s asked for. Reason: you are not sitting at a desk. You are standing at the window for the entire appointment with no space to spread out your documents.
First thing asked for was my ID which proves that I’m under NYC consulate jurisdiction (it’s good idea to bring a copy of it). She then asked for the passport. I gave her the passport and colored copies of the biometric page and a few other pages showing I had blank pages:
General Documentation
- Passport photo
- Original and a copy of my medical insurance coverage, and I highlighted the following on the policy: No co-pay, no waiting period, unlimited coverage. I highlighted both Spanish and English sentences. In addition, I also printed out the same specific 2 pages with these sentences and highlighted. I did this because I read that others have had to return with a letter showing these sentences. It worked fine.
- Submitted the 3 required forms: Application, EX01, and 079-52. The address that I wrote in is the accommodation where I will be initially staying upon arrival. I had to redo the 079-52 as I had erroneously written my home address in Buffalo due to an example I found online.
- USPS Money order for $152 dollars. Not necessary to fill out the ‘to’ section. I left it blank as she wanted.
- Apostilled original background check and the copy of the sworn translation. She gave me back the original. (Keep this!)
- Medical letter from the doctor. I used the English/Spanish Template page that many are using. This must have a doctor’s stamp. My doctor’s stamp’ had her name and ‘MD’. That was fine.
- Letter of intent. Probably not needed in NYC, but I wrote one and translated it with Google Translate, and my friend from Spain proofread it. I had this notarized.
- Letter affirming that I will not work either in person or remote while living in Spain. Also, Google translated and notarized.
- Letter from my last job. I’m retired but did a 7-month assignment in a local school. The letter stated: My start and end date of employment, salary, and position held. (I read people without start/end date/salary/position had to return with a new one). I Google translated this, showing English and Spanish, and HR signed it on letterhead.
- Government pension letter. This I had translated by a sworn translator (Alba Fernandez).
We then moved on to financial documents: I had these documents in a separate folder, which made it easier.
Financial documents
- Last 3 years of 1040s (only the first 2 pages of each year). I also had the documents in Spanish. The official Spanish version is on the IRS website, so I easily transferred the info over.
- Original and a copy of the last 3 statements: Checking account, savings account, CD statements.
(NOTE: The clerk specifically asked for THREE months of my checking and savings statements.) - Original and copies of my Charles Schwab Roth IRA and Mutual fund statements.
- I did not translate any bank statements, and all were accepted.
I also drafted a cover sheet stating the current balance of my bank statements/investments in both English and Spanish. - Form 9325’s for the last 3 years. 2021/2022 my accountant printed up for me. 2023, I created from 9325 online as I filed my own taxes. ALL OF THESE I HAD OFFICIALLY TRANSLATED, as I had read people having to return with translations. (9325’s may only be a NYC requirement.)
She did ask me why I wanted to move to Spain. She gave me a letter confirming my submission and said that I will be notified by phone call. I was out in 25 minutes. What a relief!!! I thought I’d be spending the day paper-chasing some new requirement, but I just went to enjoy the sunny day in Central Park.
Additional information
There is a public library across the street from the Spain consulate in case you need to print something (10 cents a page).
I stayed in Union City, NJ, as NYC is very expensive, and Airbnbs are now banned there. Easy commute, and I loved the vibrant neighborhood where the dominant language was Spanish. Friendly, helpful people all around and tasty food.
Advice: Preparing these documents was not hard. Just focus, do one thing a day, and if you see an informative post on these Facebook groups, ‘save it’ for reference.
——— Military veterans: I bank with USAA (an online bank), and was concerned as I couldn’t go into the bank and get them stamped. No worry. Not necessary.
Military retirees: DFAS can easily provide a much more detailed pension letter than the computer-generated one that does not have a signature. PM me if you need the info.
Good luck, everyone!!
Ready for Cuenca: NLV Approved in Record Time!
YEAH!!! Today I received the phone call from the New York City that my NLV visa is READY for pickup. NLV appointment was on October 16 2024, so it took exactly 3 weeks and 1 day. When I tracked it online, status stated pending processing until yesterday, when status changed to ‘pending resolution’.
After being notified today, status now says “Pending dispatch”. I was informed to bring my passport and pickup time for NLV is 12-1pm. Photos are of my town of choice where I will move to (Cuenca), and some of my favorite study materials.
My Spain Non Lucrative Visa approval at New York City Consulate – November 18 2024
I picked up my non-lucrative visa Monday at the NYC consulate. The NLV pickup hour is 12-1pm daily. I’m sure rational for this is they are booked with appointments at other times and can’t accommodate walkins to pick up visa.
Note: It was not a problem to enter with my luggage. I planned on putting it in storage (w/ Bounce) before going to the consulate and then walking around for a while but my bus arrived late and I wouldn’t have had time to drop off before 1pm.
12-1pm is definitely happy hour in the consulate, because if you’re picking up your visa you are excited and happy, and they are happy for you. They took my passport and told me to have a seat, then 5 minutes later my passport had my visa in it.
The next day I received an email with an official letter attached advising me that I need to bring this letter to Spain.
I did not use an agency/attorney as collecting the paperwork/filling out 3 forms was not difficult. I started the process July 16 2024.
Here’s the breakdown of the Costs of Obtaining the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa (excluding medical insurance, document copies, and travel to the NYC consulate):
- Fingerprints at Post Office: $50
- Department of State Fee for Apostilled Background Check: $20
- Required Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope to Dept. of State: $10
- Translation Services for 6 Pages: 216 euros (approx. $245)
- Fee to Accountant for Form 9325’s (required by NYC consulate): $10
- Passport Photo: $10
- Consulate Fee for NLV: $152
Total: $497
Letter to obtain the TIE in Spain
Letter that I must bring to Spain. It was attached to an email that stated the following: “We are reaching out to you since we have received the attached resolution of your visa application from the Government Subdelegation of Cuenca.
You should print it and bring it with your passport to the corresponding police office in Spain when you go to request your TIE card.
Photo of top of visa inserted in passport
Concise Timeline: Spain Non-Lucrative Visa Application at NYC Consulate
- July 16, 2024: Began gathering documents for the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV).
- October 17, 2024: Attended NLV appointment at NYC Consulate at 8:30 AM. Completed submission in 25 minutes with all documents prepared and organized.
- November 7, 2024: Status online changed to “Pending Resolution.”
- November 18, 2024: Received a phone call notifying that my visa was ready for pickup.
- November 19, 2024: Picked up the NLV at the NYC Consulate during the 12-1 PM collection window. Received a letter to bring to Spain for TIE processing.
Questions and Answers
Q: “Was your passport photo the same size as you get a US passport? Also, do you have to provide an address in Spain in form 079-52?”
A: “Yes, passport photo same size with white background. I got mine at AAA. Address must be provided in Spain. Just put the address of the hotel or Airbnb that you plan to stay at. That’s what I did.”
Comments
“Fantastic information, thank you so much for sharing. For sworn translations, you can contact our recommended sworn translators.”
Conclusion
Navigating the Spain Digital Nomad Visa process at the New York Consulate can be efficient if you prepare meticulously. Organize your documents in an accordion file with sticky notes, and make sure to have everything translated as needed.
Key requirements include a clear breakdown of your finances, proof of jurisdiction, and carefully translated documents. Having an address in Spain, even temporary, is crucial for your application. With thorough preparation, your appointment can be quick and smooth.
Join our community!
Make sure to join our dedicated Spanish Non Lucrative Visa group here!
