Summary
Margaret sold her property, prepared financially for the move, and applied for a Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) — a residence permit for those planning to live in Spain without working.
The case seemed straightforward at first. However, after submission, the immigration authorities requested documents that simply did not exist in her area. With her home already sold and relocation plans underway, the delay quickly became stressful.
Here is how we adapted the strategy and secured approval.
Background
Margaret decided to move to Spain in search of a slower, more comfortable lifestyle after many years of work. Originally from Guernsey, she had spent her career there before beginning plans for her long-awaited move to sunny Spain.
To support her application, she planned to rely on funds received from the sale of her property. As part of the application, we helped prepare documents showing where the funds came from, as proving financial means and their source is an important part of the Non-Lucrative Visa process.
Our Approach
The application was submitted through BLS London, as applicants from Guernsey fall under this jurisdiction. The initial document package was accepted without issues. However, shortly after submission, the authorities issued an additional request.
They asked for a special form confirming that the applicant was no longer employed.
The complication was that Margaret had not worked in mainland Britain — she had worked in Guernsey, where the administrative system differs and these such documents are not issued in the same format.
On our recommendation, Margaret contacted the States of Guernsay Revenue Service. They sent us another suitable document: it listed the tax payment dates and the start and end dates of the employment. Margaret contacted. They sent us a different document that was suitable: It contains tax payment dates and work dates.
“Cases like this show why standard checklists do not always work. The client had compiled a standard package, but the requested documents simply did not exist in her jurisdiction. We had to find equivalent evidence and strengthen the application from several angles,”
— Carina, customer success manager at Click to Spain.
To strengthen her application, we prepared a notarized statement from Margaret confirming that she would not work in Spain while she held her residence permit.
All additional documents were translated and urgently sent to BLS via express delivery.
The Long Wait for Approval
The document processing took almost three months.
“The wait was difficult because I had already sold my property. It was unclear how long I'd have to rent temporary accommodation in the UK,”
— says Margaret.
Because Margaret had changed her place of residence, she was also worried about missing the return delivery of her passport.
We actively followed up with the immigration authorities to clarify the status of the application and push the process forward where possible. At the same time, we stayed in close contact with Margaret throughout the waiting period, explaining each step and helping reduce the uncertainty around the delay.
We also reassured her while waiting for the passport return — courier services usually send a text message notification, which helped reduce some of the stress.
The Result
The application was submitted in early December. After responding to the additional request and providing supplementary evidence, Margaret received approval in early March.Her Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa was granted successfully.
We also helped her find a new place to live in Alicante.
Today, she is continuing her move to Spain and settling into life in the Alicante area — the lifestyle change she had planned from the start.
This case serves as a reminder that even when documents do not fit standard requirements, the right legal strategy and alternative evidence can still lead to approval.