Last Updated on May 19, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
This article is based on a real firsthand experience shared by a Spainguru community member who applied for the Spain non lucrative visa at BLS San Francisco on March 13, 2026, alongside a domestic partner, and received approval exactly four weeks later. If you are preparing your own Spain non lucrative visa San Francisco appointment, the document order, form quirks, and photo-size details below come directly from a successful applicant.
The article preserves the applicant’s account in their own voice and adds an analytical breakdown of what made this Spain non lucrative visa San Francisco experience succeed. A FAQ at the end addresses the most common questions about applying as a couple, completing Form 790-052 correctly, and what the SF clerks actually want to see.
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SF BLS, our experience on March 13th Friday.
My partner and I just had our appointment on Friday in SF. After reading the posts here, we didn’t bother with a family appointment, just made 2 individual appointments that are back-to-back. The lady who took our docs didn’t have any problem with us showing up together.
We showed up 5 mins before the appointment time, was called up even before we got a chance to see their checklist.
Here is what she asked us and in the order she asked:
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- application form with passport picture glued on (didn’t ask for the 2nd picture)
- original passport and copy (only the 1st page needs to be photocopied, the one with name, pic, passport no, dates, and signature)
- original proof of address, in our case driver license, and copy
- form 790 code 052: in the first section, right after the name and nationality, we made a mistake putting our US address. It should be your Spanish address if you have it. Again in our case, we only put city and region there. She kindly gave us 2 new forms to correct it on the spot.
- form EX-01: we didn’t know how to fill the line above the signature on the 2nd page. She told us it should be: location (aka San Francisco), day, month, year.
- will-not-work letter: with notarization and translation.
- letter of intent: she didn’t even ask for this initially. I asked her, she said, yeah, give it to me if you have it. Sounds like it is not mandatory. Ours are notarized and translated.
- financial documents: For me (of working age), she took (a) a letter from my bank (Bank of America) that stated the average balance for the past 12 months. (b) Also she highlighted the month on the past 3 months’ detail bank statements that I provided. Since I have the bank statements for the past 12 months, she did take them all, but doesn’t look like they are mandatory. (c) she also took last 3 years of tax return (only 1040), and the corresponding Spanish versions. For my partner, who is retired, she only took his social security benefit letter and its translation, and 3 months’ detail bank statements. She didn’t even ask for the bank letter (the one that states the average balance for the past 12 months) but he provided it anyway.
- termination letter from previous job: for me only, since I’m still in my working age. And its translation.
- medical certificate and copy
- health insurance: we use Sanitas. We print out the coverage letter and a letter shows that we had paid for the whole year. She said she doesn’t need the latter but took it anyway. I printed out both English and Spanish version, but my partner only printed the Spanish version. She didn’t have problem with either approach.
- FBI background check and apostilled: both report and apostille are translated and photocopied.
- money order of $153: we got ours from Safeway which actually uses Western Union service, payable to “Consulate General of Spain in San Francisco”. Since we were not sure about the payable, we left it blank going in, then filled it in right in front of her. She didn’t seem to care where the money order was issued.
- BLS process fee of $10, paid by debit card.
A few things I want to call out:
- she didn’t care whether we sign the forms right in front of her or ahead of time.
- the picture needs to be European passport photo size, 35mm x 45mm. That is different from US passport photo size.
- form EX-01: get the new version, the one with the wording, “(LO 4/2000 y RD 1155/2024)”.
- tax returns in Spanish: I took others’ advice, downloaded the Spanish version of 1040 form, then filled the numbers.
- BoA doesn’t stamp the bank statements any more, which caused a minor panic for us when told by a local BoA branch. But they issued a dated letter, which includes info like bank account, date opened, 12 month deposits, current balance and average balance. We didn’t get that letter translated, she didn’t care.
- medical certificate: make sure your doctor put “MD” right next to her signature.
One additional document the clerk asked for: the domestic partner certificate, since we were applying together. The applicant happened to have it apostilled by the State of California, although it wasn’t translated yet. The clerk agreed it could be sent later as a translation, so the appointment proceeded without issue.
Update four weeks later: the visa was approved.
Here you can find Spainguru’s recommended NLV related services: https://spainguru.es/services-for-spanish-visas/
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Spain Non Lucrative Visa San Francisco: What This Experience Reveals
This Spain non lucrative visa San Francisco case offers a useful look at the actual document order at the BLS counter, several form-specific quirks that catch applicants off guard, and a couples-application path that worked despite the BLS portal nominally requiring family-appointment slots. Several themes stand out.
Document Order for the Spain Non Lucrative Visa San Francisco Appointment
The clerk at BLS San Francisco called the documents in a specific order, starting with the appointment letter, then moving through the application form, original passport with copy, proof of address, Form 790-052, Form EX-01, the will-not-work letter, the optional letter of intent, financial documents, and finally the FBI background check, money order, and BLS service fee.
Knowing this sequence in advance saves time and stress. Organize your folder in this exact order, and the clerk can move through your file in a few minutes rather than rifling through to find each document.
Form 790-052: The Address Field Quirk
The Form 790 (Code 052) has a known ambiguity in its first section. The official published Spanish-government instructions tell applicants to fill in their current US address. The clerk at BLS San Francisco, however, instructed the applicant to use a Spanish address — even just a city and region — if one is available.
This contradicts the printed instructions but reflects how the Spain non lucrative visa process is actually run at the consulate. Bring two versions: one with your US address (matching the published instructions) and one with your Spanish city or region. The clerk will pick whichever they prefer, and may even hand you fresh blank forms to correct on the spot.
Form EX-01: Use the New 2024 Version
The current Form EX-01 references the regulation “(LO 4/2000 y RD 1155/2024)” in its header. Older versions of the form, which lack this wording, may be rejected at BLS San Francisco. Download the form fresh from the official extranjería website on the day you fill it out — not weeks in advance.
The signature line above the second page also confused this applicant. The clerk clarified that the line is for the location (San Francisco in this case), day, month, and year.
Photo Specifications: European Passport Size
The passport-style photo glued onto the application form must be the European size of 35mm by 45mm — not the US passport photo size. This is one of the most common reasons applications get rejected on the spot.
Order photos specifically for the Spain non lucrative visa San Francisco application from a photographer who knows European specifications, or specify the size when ordering online. Bring two prints in case one is damaged.
Bank Statements Without Stamps
Bank of America has stopped stamping printed bank statements, which has caused a recent wave of panic among NLV applicants who were told a stamp was required. In place of the stamp, BoA branches will issue a dated letter that includes the account number, the date the account was opened, 12-month deposit totals, current balance, and average balance.
This applicant submitted the BoA letter without translating it into Spanish, and the clerk accepted it. If your bank no longer stamps statements, request the equivalent dated letter and submit it alongside the unstamped statements.
Couples Applying Together for the Spain Non Lucrative Visa
The BLS portal nominally requires a “family” appointment slot for couples applying together, but in practice two back-to-back individual appointments work fine at BLS San Francisco. The clerk took both files together without complaint.
Couples should bring a domestic partner certificate or marriage certificate, apostilled by the issuing US state. Translation is preferred but not always required upfront — this applicant submitted an untranslated, apostilled California domestic partner certificate, and the clerk agreed to receive the translation by mail later.
Appointment Process at BLS San Francisco for the Spain Non Lucrative Visa
BLS San Francisco has built a reputation as one of the smoother BLS offices for Spain non lucrative visa applicants. The clerk in this case was described as friendly and chatty, gave fresh forms when the applicant made an error on Form 790-052, and accepted optional documents (letter of intent, year-long insurance receipt, untranslated bank letter) without delay.
Applicants who arrive five minutes early are typically called immediately. The clerk does not require forms to be signed in front of her — pre-signed forms are accepted. Money orders from Safeway (Western Union) and from banks both work, despite occasional online claims that BLS no longer accepts non-bank money orders.
For a complete overview of the visa requirements, see the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa guide. For help finding a Spanish immigration lawyer, see Spainguru’s recommended immigration lawyers.
Processing Times: 4 Weeks for the Spain Non Lucrative Visa San Francisco
The applicant submitted on March 13, 2026 and received approval exactly four weeks later. This is consistent with broader Spainguru community reports that BLS San Francisco currently runs faster than other US locations for Spain non lucrative visa processing — with most applicants seeing decisions in three to six weeks, depending on case complexity.
That said, processing times can shift seasonally and with consular workload. Plan move dates conservatively and avoid booking non-refundable flights or housing in Spain until the visa is in hand. Many applicants from this thread mentioned planning to live in Asturias, with Oviedo and Navia named as candidates.
Comments from Other Spainguru Community Members
The discussion generated several useful insights from fellow applicants:
- The termination letter from a previous job is not strictly required at BLS San Francisco — applicants often provide it voluntarily. A will-not-work letter or letter of intent is generally sufficient.
- Some applicants prefer to keep their job until the visa is approved, then resign — relying on the will-not-work letter rather than a pre-resignation termination letter. Other consulates (Los Angeles in particular) may treat the termination letter as more central to the file.
- E-filed tax returns without a physical signature have been accepted at BLS San Francisco. This is also reported as workable in Miami, although both Spanish and English unsigned versions should be presented.
- Applicants who file on the same day or in the same week typically receive a confirmation text and email from BLS within 24-48 hours of submission. If only the text arrives, check spam folders for the email.
- BLS San Francisco is widely seen as one of the better US offices for both processing speed and clerk professionalism, although individual experiences vary.
These shared experiences highlight that the Spain non lucrative visa process is highly individualized — the formal requirements are national, but the practical experience varies office by office.
Non-Lucrative Visa Health Insurance Resources
- Health Insurance for Spanish Visas — full guide hub for visa-compliant policies
- Adeslas vs Sanitas vs DKV — side-by-side comparison of the most common insurers used by NLV applicants
- Spainguru’s Health Insurance Guide — requirements, costs, and which policies are accepted
FAQ: Spain Non Lucrative Visa San Francisco
What documents are required for the Spain non lucrative visa at BLS San Francisco?
The standard package includes the appointment letter, the application form with a glued European-size passport photo, the original passport plus copy, proof of address with copy, Form 790-052 (paid online with receipt), Form EX-01, a will-not-work letter (notarized and translated), financial documents (bank statements, balance letter, three years of tax returns with Spanish translations), a medical certificate, private health insurance with full coverage, an apostilled FBI background check (translated and photocopied), and the $153 visa fee plus $10 BLS service fee. Couples should add a domestic partner or marriage certificate, apostilled.
Can my partner and I apply for the Spain non lucrative visa together at BLS San Francisco?
Yes. The BLS portal officially expects a “family” appointment slot for couples applying together, but two back-to-back individual appointments work in practice. The clerk processed both files together without issue. Bring a domestic partner certificate or marriage certificate, apostilled by the issuing US state.
What address goes on Form 790-052 for the Spain non lucrative visa?
The published instructions say to use your current US address. The clerk at BLS San Francisco preferred a Spanish address — even just a city and region — if available. Bring two versions of the form to be safe; the clerk may swap one for the other on the spot and provide blank forms to correct any errors.
What size should the passport photo be for the Spain non lucrative visa?
European passport photo size: 35mm by 45mm. This is different from the US passport photo size and is one of the most common reasons applications are rejected at the BLS counter. Order photos specifically for the Spain non lucrative visa, or ensure your photographer knows the European specification.
Do I need to resign from my job before the Spain non lucrative visa appointment?
Not necessarily at BLS San Francisco. The will-not-work letter (notarized and translated) is generally sufficient. Some applicants provide a termination letter voluntarily, but the clerk did not require one in this case. Other consulates — Los Angeles in particular — may treat the termination letter as more central, so check current local practice for your office.
Are unsigned e-filed tax returns accepted for the Spain non lucrative visa?
Yes, at BLS San Francisco the clerk accepted unsigned e-filed tax returns. The applicant submitted both English (1040) and Spanish translations of the past three years, with no signatures. Acceptance can vary by clerk and consulate, so applicants concerned about this point may sign and date the printed copies as a safety measure.
How long does the Spain non lucrative visa take from BLS San Francisco?
This applicant received approval exactly four weeks after submission. The Spainguru community reports that BLS San Francisco typically processes Spain non lucrative visa cases in three to six weeks, faster than most other US offices. Processing times can shift seasonally, so plan move dates conservatively.
What if my Bank of America statements are not stamped?
BoA no longer stamps printed statements. In place of the stamp, request a dated letter from a BoA branch that includes the account number, the date the account was opened, 12-month deposit totals, current balance, and average balance. The clerk at BLS San Francisco accepted this letter without a Spanish translation.
This article is based on the contributions and experiences of Spainguru community members and is no legal advice. Consider consulting a legal expert for personalized guidance. Consult expert immigration lawyers here: https://spainguru.es/services-for-spanish-visas/.
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