Question
What are people doing about buying health insurance 2–3 months before they leave tto Spain on a Spain Non Lucrative Visa since you have to buy for the BLS appointment? Do we just pay for a couple months we can’t use? Thanks in advance.
Answers
“You have to pay for a one-year policy starting on the date that you put on your NLV application as your expected date to arrive in Spain.”
“We postdated ours to start 3 months from when we signed the contract. We paid for a month we didn’t use but that amounted to ~$100.”
“We used the company/broker recommended by our attorney who helped us get our NLVs. We went with Adeslas.”
“Hi, you can buy insurance with Sanitas now, with Starting date June.”
“I have a question—is it ok if there is a gap of 4 months between the purchase date of the policy and the start date? The policy is needed for Spanish NLV.”
“Our agent sold us a year but then she said to ASK BLS if we could change it to begin when we arrive…they said yes and she rolled our coverage back so we had a year from arrival.”
“I had appointment on 23 August with an entry date as 1st October. Sanitas policy commenced 1st October so at time of BLS appointment was not up and running but was accepted.”
“I think you can pay for it & stipulate a start date? I think someone put that their visa was dated to start on the medical insurance start date.”
“I asked the question from the consulate in Edinburgh and their response was: ‘Dear Madam/Sir, Please be advised that the date of the visa start will be the same as your “intended date of entry”.'”
“Yes it would. However, the issue still seems to be that most insurers will only allow you a two-month window before the policy starts (some may push to three).”
“I’ve just taken out a policy that starts on 1 August with Asisa with my NLV date being 1 August.”
“I think it is not possible—normally it is for a year.”
“I started my insurance 4 weeks after my appointment date. Best guess. Otherwise, you will eat some time. I had a visa declination which set us back 6 weeks, so I asked if I could reset the start date, as they said I could, but they said all I could do was cancel.
The consulate never said a word because they already had a voucher I paid for the year, so obviously they do not verify. So then when I received my visa I asked them to start it up again and they made me reapply and it took 4 weeks to get it started. If I did it again, I would pay immediately and eat the months because the MRIs, surgeries, etc don’t kick in for 8 months, so I would rather start that clock earlier.”
“In addition to the certificate of coverage, the consulate required a recibo (receipt from the insurance company) showing prepayment for 12 months of coverage.”
“We haven’t been asked for a receipt. We submitted the certificate showing annual medical cover.”
“Yes. We had already had the health insurance for a year, had an updated certificate of coverage, showed automatic renewal and they still required a receipt for prepayment for 12 months. This was at the Edinburgh consulate.”
“I’ve seen people say their visa was refused because they used Feather. Make sure the insurance is visa compliant.”
“My understanding is that it is compliant and I have heard from other applicants who successfully used Feather. We were happy to pay for the year if required. It’s all a bit hit and miss as to what you hear is acceptable and what’s not!!”
“Seen plenty of Facebook posts that indicate people rejected with Feather.”
“NYC worked for me.”
“Why take a 50/50 chance if you do not need to. Plenty of Spanish insurers out there who have 100% track record for visa—Sanitas, DKV, Axa.”
“We submitted our forms 5 weeks ago. Had a request after 3 days for more info re self employment but nothing about our choice of Feather as our insurer.”
“I just purchased mine and it is for 1 year.”
“I am currently asking a number of insurers about the longest allowable period to start date in order to avoid this waste situation. i.e., what is the earliest I can buy/pay for an annual policy with a view to it starting in Sept/October.”
“I believe 3 months is the max.”
“That’s what we did. You tell the insurance company the starting day, say 3 months in the future to account for the BLS waiting period.”
“Yep paid in advance—get comfortable with spending money that seems silly. This won’t be the first or the last time. It honestly helps you manage some of the future frustrations.”
“The insurance has to be paid and active for 1 year at your BLS appointment date, it definitely has to be active before you enter Spain so a 1-year insurance policy won’t cover your first year in Spain, you will need to renew before your year 2/3 renewal with no lapse of cover.”
“You have to guestimate your departure date and start insurance on that date… with Sanitas we were able to modify our start date after a delay at the San Francisco consulate when it transitioned to BLS.”
“Speak to an agent. I think the max is 90 days in advance you can take it out with some insurance companies, but they can confirm.”
Conclusion
When applying for a Spain Non Lucrative Visa, applicants are generally required to present proof of a fully paid, one-year health insurance policy during their BLS appointment.
The start date of this policy should match the intended date of arrival in Spain. While some insurance providers allow postdating the policy up to 2–3 months, others may not.
Furthermore, some consulates strictly require the policy to be active and fully paid at the time of the appointment, while others accept future start dates.
Trusted providers like Adeslas, Sanitas, and DKV are commonly accepted, as long as you select one of their NLV compliant policies. Feather Insurance has been accepted by some consulates (e.g., NYC), but others have reportedly rejected it, creating uncertainty.
Applicants are advised to err on the side of caution, pay upfront if necessary, and consult with visa-experienced brokers to ensure compliance.
The process may feel inefficient, but early planning and understanding local consular requirements can prevent costly setbacks.
This article is based on the shared experiences and opinions of Spainguru community members and is not legal or professional advice. Health insurance requirements and consulate interpretations can vary. Always consult with a qualified immigration lawyer or insurance broker to ensure your policy complies with the latest Spanish non-lucrative visa regulations.
