--- title: "Spain Non-lucrative visa vs Italy Elective residence (2026)" url: https://settleanywhere.com/compare/italy-elective-residence-vs-spain-nonlucrative-residence/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-12 --- Head to head # Spain Non-lucrative visa vs Italy Elective residence Two retirement and savings routes side by side: money, stay, family, fees and tax, from the official sources. The official authority decides every application. ## Key differences - **Money** Spain Non-lucrative visa asks for income of €2,400+ a month ≈ $2,680; Italy Elective residence for income of €31k+ a year ≈ $35k. The two figures cover different periods. - **Renewal** Renewable on both. - **Permanent residence** After 5 years of residence on both. - **Citizenship** After 10 years of residence on both. - **Family** Spouse can't work on both. - **Work** No on both. - **Government fees** The first government fee listed is €90 ≈ $100 for Spain Non-lucrative visa and €116 ≈ $130 for Italy Elective residence; the table lists every fee. - **Tax residence** Spain: more than 183 days (calendar year). Italy: at least 183 days (tax year (184 days in leap years)). ## Side by side | | Spain [Non-lucrative visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/spain/nonlucrative-residence/) | Italy [Elective residence](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/italy/elective-residence/) | | --- | --- | --- | | **Country:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa [Spain](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/spain/) | *2* Elective residence [Italy](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/italy/) | | **Type:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa Retire or live on savings | *2* Elective residence Retire or live on savings | | **Money needed:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa **Needs income of €2,400+ a month ≈ $2,680** | *2* Elective residence **Needs income of €31k+ a year ≈ $35k** | | **First stay:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa **1 yr** | *2* Elective residence | | **Renewal:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa **Renewable** Details The initial authorization lasts one year; renewals last two years and must be requested in the two months before expiry. [Boletín Oficial del Estado](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2024-24099) [Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration](https://inclusion.gob.es/en/web/migraciones/w/autorizacion-inicial-de-residencia-temporal-no-lucrativa) | *2* Elective residence **Renewable** Details Request renewal at least 90 days before the permit expires; the Questura checks that the original conditions still apply. [Normattiva](https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legislativo:1998-07-25;286~art5) | | **Spouse can work:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa **Can't work** | *2* Elective residence **Can't work** | | **Work:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa **No** Details No work or professional activity in Spain; the authorization is for living on your own means. | *2* Elective residence **No** Details No work activity is allowed. | | **Government fees:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa **€90 ≈ $100 · $13** Details €90 ≈ $100 National long-stay visa (type D) processing fee, collected in euros or local currency; some nationalities pay a different amount under reciprocity. $13 Residence permit fee (form 790-052) paid with the visa application at the Spanish consulate in Washington; the consulate revises it quarterly. | *2* Elective residence **€116 ≈ $130 · €30.46 ≈ $34** Details €116 ≈ $130 National long-stay visa (type D) fee for work and family reasons, payable in local currency at the consular exchange rate. €30.46 ≈ $34 Cost of the electronic residence permit card for a permit longer than 90 days; a contribution of EUR 40, (≈ $45) 50 or 100 depending on permit duration or type and a EUR 16 (≈ $18) tax stamp are also payable. | | **Permanent residence:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa **After 5 years of residence** Details Long-term residence needs five years of continuous legal residence; absences of up to 6 consecutive months (10 in total, or 18 for work) do not break continuity. [Boletín Oficial del Estado](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2024-24099) | *2* Elective residence **After 5 years of residence** Details The EU long-term residence permit needs five years on a valid residence permit, income at least the annual social allowance, and an Italian language test; it is issued within 90 days. [Normattiva](https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legislativo:1998-07-25;286~art9) | | **Citizenship:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa **After 10 years of residence** Details Nationality needs 10 years of legal, continuous residence immediately before applying (2 years for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal), plus good conduct and integration. [Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1889-4763) | *2* Elective residence **After 10 years of residence** Details Naturalisation needs 10 years of legal residence (4 years for EU citizens) and Italian at level B1 or above. [Ministero dell'Interno](https://libertaciviliimmigrazione.dlci.interno.gov.it/temi/concessione-della-cittadinanza-italiana-residenza-sul-territorio-italiano-ai-sensi-dellart-9) [Normattiva](https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:legge:1992-02-05;91~art9) | | **Processing:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa **Official timeline** Details The authority must decide within one month of receiving the consulate's communication (silence means refusal); renewals within three months (silence means approval). [Boletín Oficial del Estado](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2024-24099) [Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration](https://inclusion.gob.es/en/web/migraciones/w/autorizacion-inicial-de-residencia-temporal-no-lucrativa) | *2* Elective residence **Up to 90 days** Details A residence permit must be issued, renewed or converted within 90 days of the application when requirements are met (Art. 5(9)). [Normattiva](https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legislativo:1998-07-25;286~art5) | | **Where to apply:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa **From abroad** Details Apply at the Spanish consulate; the visa request includes the residence authorization request. [Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration](https://inclusion.gob.es/en/web/migraciones/w/autorizacion-inicial-de-residencia-temporal-no-lucrativa) [Boletín Oficial del Estado](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2024-24099) | *2* Elective residence **From abroad** Details Apply in person at the Italian consulate for the national long-stay visa, then request the permit at the Questura. [Consulate General of Italy in Boston](https://consboston.esteri.it/en/servizi-consolari-e-visti/servizi-per-il-cittadino-straniero/visti/elective-residency/) [Consulate General of Italy in New York](https://consnewyork.esteri.it/en/servizi-consolari-e-visti/servizi-per-il-cittadino-straniero/visti/visas-to-enter-italy/elective-residency/) | | **Employer needed:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa **No** | *2* Elective residence **No** | | **Tax residence test:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa **More than 183 days (calendar year)** | *2* Elective residence **At least 183 days (tax year (184 days in leap years))** | | **Foreign-source income:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa Residents are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign-source income. | *2* Elective residence **Flat lump sum EUR 300,000** Details Optional annual lump sum replacing Italian tax on foreign-source income: EUR300,000 (≈ $335,000) for people transferring residence from 1 January 2026 (Law 199/2025), EUR200,000 (≈ $223,000) for transfers between 11 August 2024 and 31 December 2025, EUR100,000 (≈ $112,000) for earlier transfers; the effect ends after fifteen years. | | **Tax note:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa | *2* Elective residence [Tax relief · Substitute tax for new residents on foreign-source income](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/italy/tax/) | | **Official source:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spain](https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/washington/en/ServiciosConsulares/Paginas/Consular/Visado-de-residencia-no-lucrativa.aspx) | *2* Elective residence [Consulate General of Italy in Boston](https://vistoperitalia.esteri.it/home.aspx) | | **Checked against official sources:** | *1* Non-lucrative visa First checked 11 Oct 2026 | *2* Elective residence 12 Oct 2026 | ≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated. **Official sources** ### Spain Non-lucrative visa 1. [Non-lucrative residence visa](https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/washington/en/ServiciosConsulares/Paginas/Consular/Visado-de-residencia-no-lucrativa.aspx) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spain · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Sheet 6 - Initial authorization of non-lucrative temporary residence](https://inclusion.gob.es/en/web/migraciones/w/autorizacion-inicial-de-residencia-temporal-no-lucrativa) · Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration · checked 2026-10-10 3. [Real Decreto 1155/2024, Regulation of Ley Orgánica 4/2000: consolidated text (in force 20 May 2025)](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2024-24099) · Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-10 4. [Monthly and annual values of SMI and IPREM 2026](https://www.sepe.es/HomeSepe/en/Personas/distributiva-prestaciones/Cuantias-anuales.html) · Public Employment Service (SEPE) · checked 2026-10-10 5. [Orden AUC/891/2024 setting the fees for processing visas](https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2024-17292) · Official State Gazette (BOE) · checked 2026-10-11 6. [Código Civil, Art. 22 (Spanish nationality by residence)](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1889-4763) · Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-11 ### Italy Elective residence 1. [Elective residency visa](https://consboston.esteri.it/en/servizi-consolari-e-visti/servizi-per-il-cittadino-straniero/visti/elective-residency/) · Consulate General of Italy in Boston (MAECI) · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Elective residency](https://consnewyork.esteri.it/en/servizi-consolari-e-visti/servizi-per-il-cittadino-straniero/visti/visas-to-enter-italy/elective-residency/) · Consulate General of Italy in New York (MAECI) · checked 2026-10-10 3. [The visa for Italy: long-stay visa types (investors, self-employment, subordinate work, elective residence, research, study, working holiday)](https://vistoperitalia.esteri.it/home.aspx) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs · checked 2026-10-10 4. [Cost for a visa and how to pay](https://ambaddisabeba.esteri.it/en/servizi-consolari-e-visti/servizi-per-il-cittadino-straniero/visti/quanto-costa-un-visto-e-come-pagare/) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (Italian Embassy in Addis Ababa) · checked 2026-10-11 5. [How, where and how much: applying for a residence permit](https://www.poliziadistato.it/articolo/come-dove-e-quanto-costa) · State Police (Polizia di Stato) · checked 2026-10-11 6. [Elective residency visa (national visa)](https://conssanfrancisco.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/ELECTIVE-RESIDENCY-VISAS-SF-Consulate.pdf) · Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco · checked 2026-10-11 7. [Legislative Decree 286/1998, Art. 5 (residence permit)](https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legislativo:1998-07-25;286~art5) · Normattiva · checked 2026-10-11 8. [Legislative Decree 286/1998, Art. 9 (EU long-term resident permit)](https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legislativo:1998-07-25;286~art9) · Normattiva (Presidenza del Consiglio dei ministri) · checked 2026-10-11 9. [Citizenship by residence, Art. 9 of Law 91/1992](https://libertaciviliimmigrazione.dlci.interno.gov.it/temi/concessione-della-cittadinanza-italiana-residenza-sul-territorio-italiano-ai-sensi-dellart-9) · Ministero dell'Interno · checked 2026-10-11 10. [Law 91/1992, Art. 9.1 (Italian language level B1 for citizenship)](https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:legge:1992-02-05;91~art9) · Normattiva (Presidenza del Consiglio dei ministri) · checked 2026-10-11 ## More head-to-heads