No lucrativa for families: income for a spouse and children

How much money does a family need for a no lucrativa?

The base amount is 400% of IPREM per month for the applicant, and 100% of IPREM per month is added for each dependent family member. This is what article 62 Reglamento says; the funds are calculated for the whole period of the permit [1]. IPREM is currently €600 per month: this figure comes from Ley 31/2022, and SEPE gives the same €600 on its page of 2026 amounts; it is still worth checking on the date you apply [2]. The calculation below is ours, not a table from the authorities.

The first permit is issued for one year, a renewed one for two, and the law requires funds “in accordance with the period of validity” of the permit applied for [1]. The consulate in Moscow refers explicitly to the first year of the permit [3]. For renewal, the 24 months in the table are derived from articles 62 and 64; we have not checked how the authorities apply this in practice. The availability of funds is proven with any admissible documents, covered in detail in the article financial means for no lucrativa.

Who counts as a family member on a no lucrativa?

The circle is defined by article 61 Reglamento. It is narrower than for family reunification or the DNV [1]:

Parents and adult children who are not on the list can still live in Spain, but on another basis: their own no lucrativa with its own threshold, study, family reunification, work. Comparing the routes: which residence permit route to choose; reunification: family reunification in Spain.

What does “dependent” mean and how does it apply to a spouse?

Article 62 refers to family members “a su cargo”, that is, dependent on the applicant. The general definition is in article 196 Reglamento: a person is dependent when there is a real and stable de facto economic or physical dependence, assessed case by case [1]. With a minor child this rarely raises questions. With a spouse who has their own income, the text leaves room for dispute: we have not found how consulates apply the dependence test in such cases. Ask the consulate and prepare an explanation of whose money it is and how it is shared in the family.

There is one practical takeaway: in the set of documents on funds, include proof that the family shares a common budget and a summary of where each amount comes from. The law does not require this; it is a way to head off questions.

How are documents filed for the whole family?

Family members apply together with the applicant. The consulate in Moscow lists for each of them: the visa form and form EX-01 (a parent signs for a child), a photo, passport, insurance, a criminal record certificate for adults, a medical certificate, proof of residence in the consular district and payment of the fees [3]. The funds are proven by the main applicant and are not repeated for each person. Add documents proving the relationship, with translation: birth or marriage certificate, partnership registration or another document on living together, and an apostille or legalisation for foreign documents [3].

If permits for everyone are requested at the same time, the timeframe and procedure for the decision are shared. A child needs a policy and certificates in their own name. More on each step: no lucrativa: applying through the consulate and health insurance for a residence permit.

What happens after the visa: TIE, renewal and deadlines

The first no lucrativa permit is issued for one year, and family members receive it on the same conditions [1]. Everyone who entered on a visa applies in person for the TIE card within one month of entry [1]. Renewal is requested in the last two months of the permit’s validity; a renewed permit is valid for two years, and if the office stays silent for three months, the application is deemed granted [1]. Hence the 24 months in the table above: this is our calculation based on articles 62 and 64, not a formula from official guidance.

If the first application is refused or meets with silence, what to do is described in the article no lucrativa refusal: reasons and appeal.

Children's schooling and no lucrativa renewal

At renewal, the office checks that children of compulsory school age are in school. The application must include a certificate from the regional education authorities on schooling. If it does not confirm schooling, the oficina de extranjería informs the education authorities and warns the applicant in writing: if schooling does not begin and the certificate is not received within one month, the permit will not be renewed [1]. The Aliens Act repeats that residents with school-age children prove schooling at renewal or when applying for long-term residence [5]. In practice, this means planning your child’s school enrolment in Barcelona right after you arrive, not on the eve of renewal.

The other renewal conditions are the same as for the applicant: insurance for the whole period, the fee and actual residence of more than 183 days in a calendar year [1]. In detail: no lucrativa renewal and absence from Spain and residence permit renewal.

Can family members work and study?

Working is not allowed: article 61 defines no lucrativa as residence of the applicant and their family without any employment or professional activity [1]. Studying is allowed; details in the article can you study on a residence permit without the right to work. Anyone who wants to work can apply for a permit: article 191 allows residents in Spain to switch to work without a visa, and after one year of residence the conditions are softer; more in the article no lucrativa: what is prohibited [1]. How this applies to family members of a no lucrativa holder needs to be checked separately.

Family taxes: what is presumed for the spouse and children?

Spanish tax residence is determined by Ley 35/2006: more than 183 days a year in the country, or your main centre of interests here. The law also sets a presumption: if, under these criteria, a spouse from whom you are not legally separated (separación legal) and dependent minor children live permanently in Spain, the taxpayer is also treated as resident unless they prove otherwise [4]. If one spouse stays to work in another country, check this before applying, not after. More: Spanish tax residence and residence permits.

Common mistakes families make when applying for a no lucrativa

• They calculate the threshold for the applicant only: each family member adds 100% of IPREM per month [1].
• They count on including parents or healthy adult children in the application: they are not on the article 61 list [1].
• They do not prepare documents on an unregistered partnership: proven cohabitation is needed [1].
• They forget the policy and certificates for the children: each family member needs their own [3].
• They do not enrol the child in school straight away and come to renewal without a schooling certificate [1].
• They do not agree who in the family actually spends 183 days in Spain and do not assess the tax consequences [1][4].

How we can help

The ReloVictory team in Barcelona calculates the threshold for your family, checks who is included in the application and how to prove it, and prepares a single set of documents for the consulate. First consultation: 15 minutes free; full consultation: €121 for 45 minutes. Book a consultation. Services: family and no lucrativa; steps and timeframes in the no lucrativa route card and the family route card; for the overall picture in Barcelona see the page residence permit in Barcelona.

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ReloVictory · Sources reviewed 02.10.2026 · Not a substitute for individual legal advice.