Student visa vs. non-lucrative visa

I didn't read anything about having a mortgage when you are applying for a NVL!! Because basically it is a visa to visit for a year so I guess you could be going back. But if you want a NLV they might want to see that you can not only afford to live in Spain for a year with sufficient funds, but also prove you have funds to pay your mortgage as well.. For the options it's best to speak with your Local Spanish Consulate.

Referring to take up work, a student visa allows 30 hours max. per week. However this can be taken easy, as there are many ways to override it. Wages are low and unemployemtn is high. Housing is scarce and over 5 mio. flats are empty as no-one wants them. Thousands of villages are completely abandoned due to lack of infrastructure. Better think twice. One of my grandsons will study architecture in Trento/Italy (actually in Valencia). Good luck.

@lmurphy213

If you've got 30k euros of savings without selling your property, I'd suggest you get the NLV. If not, then student visa it is. :-)

The official (Spanish government/immigration department) guidance is for 2,400 euros (4 X IPREM) in passive income (rent, dividends, pensions, etc.) or the equivalent in savings for the first year (2.4k x 12 = 29k). They don't mention mortgages. This is something in the USA added by some/all consulates there. I don't know how easy it is for them to check and I don't know if they go to the trouble of doing a credit check on you. I'd have guessed if you don't mention it, you're probably OK. As you've seen, some folks get the NLV even with a mortgage. You have to apply at the consulate nearest you, so you can read their guidelines.

For example, here's Miami

https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulado … ativa.aspx

It's standard guidance and doesn't mention mortgages.

And here's LA

https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulado … ativa.aspx

This includes extra conditions about mortgages, bank statements, and declarations (not to work). I'd guess your bank statement will show payments for loans and mortgages, so that would be easy to spot. But you could get another bank account (with no loan payments) and provide statements for that instead.

Yes, the NLV is a non-working visa, typically for retirees and the independently wealthy. You can't be employed or self-employed ("autonomo") in Spain. But doing some remote work is hard to police and many folks do it. If later you decide you really want to work officially, and perhaps be autonomo, then you can apply for a change of status to the appropriate visa.

If you want to travel and do your own thing, then that's the NLV. With a student visa you will be in one place, doing some kind of formal course of study. With the added cost of the course you enroll on.