If you want to retire to Spain, a general residency visa is required. This is not the same as a residency and work visa, as general residency does not entitle you to work legally in Spain. In order to qualify for this visa, you must earn, via your pension or other sources of income, an annual minimum of $10,000, increased by $1,700 for each dependant. Your visa application must be turned in at the nearest Spanish Embassy or Consulate in your home country, in person or by an authorized representative, who must have a notarized authorization.
The following documentation must be submitted with your completed and signed residency visa application form:
- An original certificate from a public or private institution certifying that you receive a pension and specifying its monthly amount.
- Proof of any other source of income or properties owned, both in your home country and Spain. Proof of ownership must be submitted for any properties in Spain.
- An original letter from your insurance company confirming a minimum coverage of €30,000 plus two copies.
- A passport valid for a minimum of six months and three photocopies of the personal information and photo page.
- Four recent passport photos with a white background.
- Original marriage certificate, if applicable, and two photocopies.
- Original and two copies of a medical certificate on doctor’s stationary verifying that you do not suffer from drug addiction or mental illness and don not carry any of the following diseases: yellow fever, cholera and the plague. The certificate should be translated into Spanish.
Processing time for a retirement visa is generally between 3 and 6 months. Temporary residency visas are given for up to a maximum of five years and are renewable. The application for Spanish residency can be found at http://www.mir.es/SGACAVT/modelos/extranjeria/modelos_extranje/ex_00.pdf. Retirement visas are generally granted as long as all the documentation is in order and the applicant has sufficient funds to support him or herself.
