A move to Spain is one of the more straightforward relocations for UK and other non-EU buyers to plan, but only once you know the number a consulate checks against your bank statements. Before an officer looks at your property, healthcare cover or rental contract, they check whether you clear a set income threshold. For most visas, that threshold is calculated from IPREM.
If you’ve started reading up on the non-lucrative or student visa routes, you’ll have seen IPREM mentioned everywhere, often without much explanation of what it actually is. This guide sets out the exact 2026 figures, which visas the calculation applies to and how much you or your family need to show – including the one popular visa where IPREM doesn’t apply at all.
Key takeaway: IPREM (Indicador Público de Renta de Efectos Múltiples) is Spain’s official income benchmark, set at €600 a month or €7,200 a year (£515 / £6,150) for 2026. Non-lucrative visa applicants must prove 400% of the annual figure, plus 100% per dependant. It doesn’t apply to the digital nomad visa, which uses Spain’s minimum wage instead.
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IPREM is only the visa threshold. Costs, legal steps and where to buy, from first viewing to picking up the keys.
What is IPREM?
IPREM stands for Indicador Público de Renta de Efectos Múltiples – Spain’s public multiple-effects income indicator. It’s not a tax or a fee. It’s the yardstick the Spanish government uses to set eligibility thresholds for visas, unemployment benefit, education grants and certain tax deductions.
It was introduced in 2004 to replace the Salario Mínimo Interprofesional (Spain’s minimum wage, known as the SMI) as the reference figure for these calculations. The two indicators have moved independently since, which is why you’ll see them used for different visas – more on that below.
IPREM amounts for 2026
The IPREM figures for 2026 are unchanged from 2023. Spain’s State Budget Law sets IPREM annually, and when no new budget is passed, the previous figures carry over automatically. That’s exactly what has happened here: the amounts below have applied every year since 2023.
| Basis | Amount (EUR) | Approx. GBP | Where you’ll see it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily | €20 | £17 | Some benefit calculations |
| Monthly | €600 | £515 | Student visa checks, general references |
| Annual (12 payments) | €7,200 | £6,150 | Immigration and visa calculations |
| Annual (14 payments) | €8,400 | £7,200 | Certain benefits that mirror the old minimum-wage structure (not used for visas) |
GBP figures are approximate and will move with the exchange rate, so it’s worth checking a live rate closer to your application. If you’re transferring UK funds to meet the threshold, timing that transfer sensibly can make a real difference to how far your money stretches.
Should a new State Budget pass during 2026, these figures could be revised. Nothing suggests that’s imminent, but it’s worth a quick check before you submit paperwork.
Which Spain visas use IPREM
Non-lucrative visa. The minimum annual amount is 400% of the annual IPREM for the main applicant, plus 100% of the annual IPREM for each dependant. Many buyers we help who choose this route are retirees living off pensions or investment income, since the visa doesn’t permit local employment.
Student visa. Applicants must prove at least 100% of the monthly IPREM, pro-rated for the length of the course.
Digital nomad visa – the exception. This is where a lot of applicants get caught out. IPREM is not used to calculate the financial requirement for Spain’s digital nomad visa. Instead, that visa is based on 200% of Spain’s minimum wage (the SMI), which for 2026 is €17,094 (£14,650) a year. That means a single applicant needs to show a minimum annual income of €34,188 (£29,300) – a considerably higher bar than the non-lucrative route, and one calculated on a completely different figure. See which visa suits your move to Spain if you’re still deciding between routes.
Worked examples: what you need to prove
These figures are useful to check your own paperwork before booking a consulate appointment:
- Single applicant, non-lucrative visa: 400% × €7,200 = €28,800 (£24,650) a year
- Applicant plus one dependant: €28,800 + €7,200 = €36,000 (£30,800) a year
- Applicant plus two dependants: €28,800 + (2 × €7,200) = €43,200 (£37,000) a year
- Student on a nine-month course: 9 × €600 = €5,400 (£4,600)
Cross-check these against your specific consulate’s checklist, as some ask for average balances or several months of statements rather than a single snapshot figure. It’s worth speaking to a specialist if your income comes from several sources or a mix of currencies, since consulates can be particular about how funds are documented.
What should I do next?
- If you’re still weighing up which visa fits your plans, read our guide to residency options in Spain before booking an appointment.
- Once you have a visa route in mind, find out how to get your NIE number, since you’ll need one alongside your visa paperwork.
- If retirement is the plan behind your move, our guide on how to retire to Spain covers the wider picture beyond the visa numbers.
- If you’re transferring savings from the UK to meet the threshold, timing and exchange rates matter more than most people expect. Currency transfer and property purchases explained covers how the process works and what affects the rate you get.
- Already have the numbers worked out? See property for sale in Spain, or speak to one of our Spain experts about the process end to end.
- Want the fuller picture beyond visas? Download the Spain Buying Guide for a free, independent walkthrough of costs, legal steps and where to buy.
Summary
IPREM is Spain’s income yardstick for visas, benefits and grants, currently €600 a month or €7,200 a year, unchanged since 2023. Non-lucrative visa applicants need 400% of the annual figure for themselves and 100% more per dependant, while student visas use 100% of the monthly figure. The digital nomad visa is the exception: it runs on 200% of Spain’s minimum wage, not IPREM, which puts its threshold considerably higher. Whichever visa you’re applying for, cross-check the exact figures against your consulate’s own checklist before you book an appointment.
Frequently asked questions
No. IPREM is a separate indicator, introduced in 2004 specifically to stop benefits and visa thresholds rising automatically every time the minimum wage increased. The two figures are now set independently and rarely move together, which is why the digital nomad visa (pegged to the minimum wage) has a very different threshold to the non-lucrative visa (pegged to IPREM).
Both are official IPREM figures for the same period. €7,200 reflects twelve monthly payments and is what immigration authorities typically use. €8,400 reflects fourteen payments, a structure that mirrors the old minimum-wage system and applies to certain benefits rather than visas.
It’s meant to. IPREM is set annually through Spain’s State Budget Law. When a new budget isn’t passed, the previous year’s figures continue automatically, which is exactly what’s happened since 2023 – there’s been no new budget update since, so the same amounts have carried through to 2026.
No, and this is a common point of confusion. The digital nomad visa’s income requirement is based on 200% of Spain’s minimum wage, not IPREM. For 2026, that works out to €34,188 a year for a single applicant, noticeably higher than the non-lucrative visa’s IPREM-based threshold of €28,800.
Sources
- Ley 31/2022, de 23 de diciembre, de Presupuestos Generales del Estado para el año 2023 (Disposición adicional nonagésima – IPREM figures, still in force for 2026): Boletín Oficial del Estado
- Real Decreto 126/2026, de 18 de febrero, por el que se fija el salario mínimo interprofesional para 2026: Boletín Oficial del Estado
- Non-lucrative visa financial requirement: Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones
- Digital nomad (international teleworker) visa financial requirement: Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones – Unidad de Grandes Empresas
