The Golden Visa in Spain: Full 2026 Eligibility and Process Guide
What changed in 2025, who's still eligible, and what to do instead in 2026.
Spain's investor Golden Visa no longer accepts new applicants. Organic Law 1/2025 repealed the €500,000 property-for-residency route on April 3, 2025. Existing holders keep their status and can renew, but buying property in Spain no longer grants residency to anyone new — the realistic 2026 alternatives are the Non-Lucrative Visa, the Digital Nomad Visa, and the EU Blue Card.
Why the Golden Visa ended
Spain's government presented the closure as a housing-affordability measure. Ministers argued that residency-linked property purchases were pushing up prices in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands, making local buying and renting harder. The bill was published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on January 3, 2025, and Articles 63 to 67 of the original 2013 law — the legal basis for the investor visa — were left without content 90 days later. There is no grace period and no equivalent replacement scheme.
If you already hold a Golden Visa
Existing permits are protected. Renewals continue under the rules that applied when the visa was granted, provided the qualifying investment is maintained. Holders can still progress to permanent residency after five years of continuous legal residence, and to Spanish citizenship after ten (or two, for nationals of several Latin American countries). Some legal commentators note that long-term renewal treatment under the new framework is still being tested in practice, so anyone with a renewal due in 2026 or 2027 should get a current opinion from a Spanish immigration lawyer rather than relying on the original terms alone.
What actually gets you residency in Spain now
Property purchase alone no longer opens a residency door. The three routes that do, for non-EU nationals in 2026, are activity- or income-based rather than capital-based:
| Route | Who it suits | Core 2026 threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Lucrative Visa | Retirees, remote savers, anyone living off passive income | €2,400/month (€28,800/year), main applicant |
| Digital Nomad Visa | Remote employees and freelancers working for non-Spanish companies | Approx. €2,850/month (200% of Spain's minimum wage) |
| EU Blue Card | Qualified professionals with a Spanish job offer | Approx. €50,000/year salary (1.5x average Spanish wage) |
Figures above are indicative 2026 thresholds pulled from current guidance — confirm the exact published amount with a consulate or immigration lawyer before budgeting around it, since these indices are reviewed annually.
The Non-Lucrative Visa, step by step
This is the closest match to what most former Golden Visa buyers actually wanted — the right to live in Spain without working there. The process typically runs:
- Confirm and document passive income (pension, rental income, dividends, or savings) at or above €28,800/year for the main applicant, plus €7,200/year per dependent.
- Arrange comprehensive private Spanish health insurance with no co-payments and no exclusions for Spain.
- Secure accommodation — a rental agreement or a property purchase, arranged before the visa is approved.
- Apply at the Spanish consulate covering your place of residence, with apostilled and translated supporting documents.
- On approval, travel to Spain and register for your TIE residence card within the permitted window.
Processing commonly takes one to three months at the consulate stage, though document preparation and the TIE appointment can push the total timeline past four months, so applicants planning a move for a specific date should start well in advance.
Can you still buy property as a foreigner?
Yes — nothing about the abolition restricts who can buy Spanish real estate. Foreign buyers, resident or not, can still purchase freely on the Costa Blanca and Costa Cálida. What changed is only the link between that purchase and a residency permit. Buyers now fall into two groups: those who want a home or investment property with no intention of relocating, for whom nothing has really changed, and those who wanted the property to double as a residency shortcut, who now need to qualify through the Non-Lucrative Visa, Digital Nomad Visa, or Blue Card instead — and treat the property purchase as a separate decision from the visa application.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Spain Golden Visa still available in 2026? No. It closed to new applicants on April 3, 2025, and there is no replacement investor route.
Do I lose my Golden Visa if I already have one? No. Existing holders keep their status and can renew under the rules that applied when granted, as long as the qualifying investment is maintained.
What is the closest replacement for the property-based Golden Visa? The Non-Lucrative Visa is the nearest equivalent for buyers who want to live in Spain without working there, though it's based on passive income rather than a property purchase.
Can I buy property in Spain without applying for any visa? Yes. Property purchase by non-residents remains fully legal and is entirely separate from any residency application.
