Golden visa Spain: the property route has closed. Here's what's left

What happened to the golden visa in Spain?

The golden visa in Spain was abolished on 3 April 2025. It had let non-EU nationals who invested at least €500,000 in Spanish property, free of mortgage, apply for residence for themselves and their families. Other investments also qualified: €2 million in public debt, €1 million in shares or bank deposits, or a business project of general interest.

The repeal came through a law about something else. Ley Orgánica 1/2025, on the efficiency of the justice system, was published in the BOE on 3 January 2025. Its final provision 21 amended Ley 14/2013, the entrepreneurs law, and left articles 63, 64, 65, 66 and 67 "sin contenido". Those were the articles that created the investor visa. Final provision 38 set the entry into force at three months after publication, which was 3 April 2025. The Spanish government confirmed the date in a La Moncloa statement on 2 April 2025, and said the repeal covered every investor category, not just property.

The government's reason was housing. When it announced the plan on 9 April 2024, La Moncloa said 14,576 golden visas linked to property had been granted since 2013. It said 94 of every 100 golden visas were for property, and that Barcelona, Madrid, Málaga, Alicante, the Balearics and Valencia held 90% of the permits. It also said golden visa buyers made up 7.1% of annual home sales in Marbella and 5.3% in Barcelona. The top nationalities were Chinese, Russian, British, American, Ukrainian, Iranian, Venezuelan and Mexican.

Spanish golden visa holders: renewals and pending applications

Existing Spanish golden visa holders keep their rights. The same final provision added two transitional rules to Ley 14/2013:

In practice, a renewal still means proving that you keep the qualifying investment. If you sell the property that supported your golden visa, you lose the basis for renewal. Holders should also watch the path to long-term residence. That usually needs five years of legal residence, and your time living in Spain counts. The rules are detailed, so check your own case with an immigration lawyer before you sell, remortgage or restructure how you own the property.

Golden visa Spain property: does buying a home still give residency?

No. Since 3 April 2025, buying property in Spain gives no right to live there, whatever the price. A €2 million villa gives a US buyer the same right to stay as a €100,000 flat: 90 days in any 180, unless they hold a visa on some other basis.

That doesn't stop anyone buying. Foreigners of any nationality can still buy Spanish property freely. You need an NIE number, usually a Spanish bank account, and a notary to sign the deed. What has changed is that residency and property are now two separate decisions. The residency options below don't depend on owning a home at all. Owning one can help, because it shows you have somewhere to live.

Alternatives to the golden visa for property buyers

The main alternatives to the golden visa are the non-lucrative visa for people who won't work in Spain, the digital nomad visa for remote workers, and simple registration for EU citizens. Irish citizens and other EU/EEA nationals don't need a visa at all.

Non-lucrative visa (residencia no lucrativa)

The non-lucrative visa is the usual route for retirees and people living on savings, pensions or investment income. You can't work in Spain on it. The main applicant must show means of 400% of the IPREM. The IPREM is still €600 a month in 2026, because the 2023 state budget has been extended, so that means €2,400 a month or €28,800 for the first year. Each family member adds 100% of the IPREM, €600 a month. You also need private health insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain and a clean criminal record. The first permit lasts one year and can then be renewed.

Digital nomad visa (teletrabajo de carácter internacional)

The digital nomad visa, created by Ley 28/2022 on start-ups, is for people who work remotely for companies or clients outside Spain. Income must reach 200% of the Spanish minimum wage (SMI). Real Decreto 126/2026 set the 2026 SMI at €1,221 a month in 14 payments, or €17,094 a year. You also need a degree or three years' professional experience, and the employer relationship must have existed for at least three months. It suits working-age buyers better than the non-lucrative visa.

EU and EEA citizens

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens, including the Irish, can live in Spain without a visa. If you stay more than three months, register at the Oficina de Extranjería or a police station for a certificado de registro, showing income or work and health cover.

The 90/180 rule for non-EU owners

UK, US and other non-EU owners without a visa can stay 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the whole Schengen area. Days in France or Portugal count towards the same limit. Since October 2025 the EU's Entry/Exit System records these stays electronically at the border, so overstays are easier to spot. A holiday home used for a few months a year needs no visa. Living there for most of the year does.

Tax once you live in Spain

Living in Spain for more than 183 days in a calendar year usually makes you a Spanish tax resident. You are then taxed on your worldwide income. Some regions also charge wealth tax on large estates. Before choosing a visa, compare that with staying a non-resident owner who pays non-resident tax only on the Spanish property. For UK buyers, the UK–Spain double tax treaty decides which country taxes what.

Why the property check still matters

With no visa at stake, the property has to stand on its own merits, so check that the seller owns it and that it's free of debts before you pay. Enter the address or referencia catastral in our property check and we'll reply by email. For the full process, see buying property in Spain.