The full guide
For twelve years, buying €500,000 of Spanish property could earn a non-EU buyer and their family a residence permit. That route has closed. If you were planning on it, you still have good options, but they depend on what you’ll do in Spain rather than on how much you invest.
What changed, and when
Ley Orgánica 1/2025, published in the BOE on 3 January 2025, emptied the investor articles (63 to 67) of the 2013 Entrepreneurs Law with effect from 3 April 2025. Every investor category closed at once:
- €500,000 or more in Spanish property
- €1 million in Spanish shares, investment funds or bank deposits
- €2 million in Spanish government debt
- Business projects of general interest
Owning a home in Spain no longer gives you any right to live here. You can still buy, but the residence permit has to come from another route.
If you already have a golden visa
Existing holders don’t lose anything. Permits in force on 3 April 2025 stay valid, and you can keep renewing them under the original rules as long as you still meet them, above all by keeping the investment. The UGE-CE, the national unit that handles these permits, published its renewal criteria in June 2025.
Applications filed before 3 April 2025 are decided under the old rules. A purchase made before that date, with no application filed, doesn’t qualify on its own.
If you hold one, check your renewal date now and speak to an immigration lawyer before you sell or swap the investment.
The routes that replace it
Spain’s other residence routes ask what you’ll do here, not how much you invest. Pick the one that matches your plans.
Living on savings, a pension or investments: the non-lucrative visa
This is the closest replacement for most former golden visa candidates. In 2026 you need €28,800 a year in income or savings, plus €7,200 for each family member, private health insurance with no co-payments and a clean criminal record. The catch: you can’t work, not even remotely for clients abroad. You apply at the Spanish consulate for the country where you live, and the first permit lasts one year. See our non-lucrative visa checklist.
Working remotely: the digital nomad visa
If you work for companies or clients outside Spain, you need about €2,849 a month in 2026, at least three months with your employer or clients, and a degree or three years’ experience. Freelancers can earn up to 20% from Spanish clients. Apply at a consulate for a one-year visa, or from inside Spain for a three-year permit. See our digital nomad visa checklist.
Starting an innovative business: the entrepreneur permit
The Startup Law (Law 28/2022) made this route faster. You submit a business plan, and the national innovation agency ENISA has 10 working days to report on whether the project is innovative and scalable. With a favourable report, the UGE-CE decides on residence within 20 working days. The first permit lasts three years and renews for two. It suits founders with a real project, not passive investors.
Taking a job: highly qualified professional or EU Blue Card
With a job offer from a company in Spain, the fastest route is usually the highly qualified professional permit or the EU Blue Card. Since June 2026 the salary must be at least €41,356.36 a year, with a lower threshold of €33,085.09 for recent graduates and some shortage occupations under the Blue Card. Bonuses and other variable pay don’t count. The employer usually files the application with the UGE-CE.
Running an ordinary business
If your business isn’t a startup, the general route is a self-employment residence permit (residencia y trabajo por cuenta propia). You’ll need a business plan, enough investment for the activity, any licences it requires, and proof you can support yourself. You apply through the consulate.
Family ties
Spouses and registered partners of Spanish or EU citizens have their own routes. Non-EU residents can bring close family after a year through family reunification.
Which route fits you?
| If you… | Look at | Key 2026 number |
|---|---|---|
| Live on savings, a pension or rental income | Non-lucrative visa | €28,800 a year |
| Work remotely for clients abroad | Digital nomad visa | About €2,849 a month |
| Are founding an innovative company | Entrepreneur permit | A favourable ENISA report |
| Have a job offer in Spain | Highly qualified professional or Blue Card | €41,356.36 a year |
| Want to run an ordinary business | Self-employment permit | A viable business plan |
| Already hold a golden visa | Renewal under the old rules | Keep the investment |
Can you still invest in Spanish property?
Yes. Foreigners can buy freely, and many people who would once have used the golden visa now buy a home and apply for the non-lucrative or digital nomad visa separately. Without a visa, non-EU owners are limited to 90 days in any 180 in the Schengen area. Owning property also brings Spanish taxes, even if you don’t live here. See buying property in Spain.
Think about tax before you move
Living in Spain for more than 183 days a year usually makes you tax resident, taxed on your worldwide income. Digital nomads, founders with a favourable ENISA report and highly qualified employees may qualify for the Beckham Law, a flat 24% on employment income up to €600,000 for six years. Get tax advice before you arrive, not after.
Common mistakes
- Buying property and expecting a residence permit to follow.
- Following guides written before April 2025.
- Choosing the non-lucrative visa and then working remotely.
- Buying health insurance with co-payments for a visa that doesn’t allow them.
- Leaving apostilles and sworn translations until the last month.
The long view
Whichever route you take, five years of continuous legal residence opens the door to long-term residence. Spanish citizenship usually takes ten years, or two for nationals of Ibero-American countries.
