Floor 07 · British & other non-EU passports
Living in Benidorm on a pension or savings: non-lucrative residence
Non-lucrative residence (residencia no lucrativa) is the permit for people from outside the EU who want to live in Spain without working here: retirees with a pension, and others with savings or income of their own. You apply before the move, at the Spanish consulate responsible for the area you live in. The TIE card follows once you are in Spain.
First the consulate, then the Costa Blanca
- Gather your documents at home, with translations where they are needed
- Lodge the visa application with the consulate responsible for your area
- Once the visa is granted, travel to Spain while it is valid
- Register on the padrón at the town hall of your new address
- Book the toma de huellas, the fingerprint appointment, and apply for the TIE on form EX-17
What the consulate looks at
- Regular income or savings that the rules consider enough for you and anyone you bring; the consulate publishes the current requirement
- Private health insurance with an insurer authorised in Spain, giving full cover without co-payments
- A criminal record certificate from the countries where you have lived, legalised and translated where required
- A medical certificate
- A valid passport
Not a work permit
Holding it means no work in Spain, neither for an employer nor on your own account. If your plan is to keep working remotely, the residence route designed for remote workers is the one to look at.
Once you are living in Benidorm
After the TIE card, life settles into a rhythm. The authorisation is renewed before it expires, and renewals of residence authorisations belong to the Oficina de Extranjería, the government’s foreigners’ office; for Benidorm, the nearest one is in Altea. Each renewal is followed by a new card from the police.
If the move involves more than the permit, with a house to sell at home and a household to ship, help with the move from AnchorLess covers that wider side. The card, the padrón and the appointments in Spain are what we prepare with you.
Questions on this floor
How much income do I need?
We do not quote a figure: the threshold is set by law and updated, and it grows with each family member. The consulate’s own page states the current requirement.
Can I apply from Benidorm while I am here on holiday?
As a rule, no. The request goes through the Spanish consulate in your country of residence, before the move.
Does my husband or wife apply separately?
Yes. Each person has their own application, and the means you show must cover the whole household.
Does this time count towards a longer-term status?
Yes. Legal residence on this permit counts towards long-term residence later on, which the Oficina de Extranjería also handles.
Official sources for this page
- Subdelegación del Gobierno en Alicante: the Oficinas de Extranjería of Alicante and Altea
- Policía Nacional: directory of offices and their procedures for foreigners (province of Alicante)
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