Spain's Golden Visa ended in April 2025: what property buyers can do now

Since 3 April 2025, buying a home in Spain, at any price, no longer gives a non-EU buyer or their family a right to live here. Residence now comes through other routes, mainly the non-lucrative visa (€28,800 a year of passive income in 2026) and the digital nomad permit.

For more than a decade a €500,000 purchase was the simplest way in. This guide explains what changed, what it means for existing permit holders and which routes are still open in 2026, with this year's thresholds.

What happened to the Golden Visa

The investor residence scheme was created by Ley 14/2013 (the "Ley de Emprendedores"). Articles 63 to 67 of that law allowed non-EU nationals to obtain residence by investing, most commonly by buying property worth at least €500,000.

Those articles were repealed by Ley Orgánica 1/2025, of 2 January 2025, with effect from 3 April 2025. The Spanish government's official explanation is published on the one.gob.es portal.

In practice this means:

• A property purchase, of any value, is no longer a basis for a residence permit.
• Applications that were filed before 3 April 2025 continue to be processed under the old rules.
• No new applications based on a property investment can be made.

Buying property in Spain is still open to anyone, resident or not. What has gone is the link between the purchase and a residence permit. The old threshold no longer shapes the market either: of the 154 developments with published prices that we track, 63 start below €500,000. Our under €350k and €350k to €500k pages list them.

If you already hold an investor permit

People who obtained a Golden Visa before the abolition keep their permit until it expires. According to the official guidance, renewals are decided under the rules that were in force when the permit was first granted. If you hold one, take specialist legal advice well before the renewal date.

If you are planning a first move to Spain, you now need one of the routes below.

The routes that still work in 2026

The main routes compare as follows in 2026:

Several 2026 thresholds are linked to two reference indicators. IPREM is frozen at €600 a month (€7,200 a year over 12 payments), and the minimum wage (SMI) is €1,221 a month over 14 payments under Real Decreto 126/2026.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens: registration

EU citizens do not need a visa. Anyone staying more than three months registers within three months of arrival, at the Oficina de Extranjería or a Policía Nacional office. The result is a Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión, requested on form EX-18.

• Workers and the self-employed show a contract or their Social Security or business registration.
• People who will not work need health insurance equivalent to the public system and resources above the non-contributory pension benchmark, €8,803.20 a year in 2026.
• The fee is €12. Registration is indefinite, and permanent residence follows after five years.

The certificate is usually issued at the appointment; in Málaga province, the hard part is getting one.

Non-lucrative residence visa (NLV)

This is the usual route for non-EU retirees and people living on savings or passive income.

• Income: 400% of IPREM, which is €28,800 a year (€2,400 a month) for the main applicant, plus €7,200 a year for each dependant.
• Private health insurance with no co-payments, a criminal record certificate and a medical certificate.
• No work of any kind in Spain, including remote work for a foreign employer.
• The permit lasts one year, then renewals are for two years, not four as is sometimes reported. Under the 2025 immigration regulation (RD 1155/2024, in force from 20 May 2025), a renewal requires you to have lived in Spain for more than 183 days a year. Long-term residence is possible after five years.

You apply at the Spanish consulate in your country of legal residence, then collect your residence card (TIE) in Spain within a month of arrival.

Digital nomad (international teleworker) permit

For non-EU remote employees of foreign companies and freelancers with foreign clients.

• Income: 200% of SMI, which the consulates state as €2,442 a month, plus 75% of SMI for the first family member and 25% for each additional one.
• A university degree or at least three years of relevant experience. The employer must have operated for at least a year, and the working relationship must be at least three months old.
• Freelancers may earn at most 20% of their income from Spanish clients.
• A consular visa lasts up to a year; a permit requested from inside Spain lasts up to three years, with two-year renewals. The Unit for Large Companies (UGE) must decide within 20 working days, and silence counts as approval.

Full requirements are on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

Highly qualified professionals and the EU Blue Card

For non-EU professionals hired by a Spanish employer into a qualified role. The employer applies to the UGE, and the permit runs for up to three years with family members included.

There is no fixed statutory salary for the national route. Specialist firms cite about €55,000 a year for managers, and around €41,356 for the EU Blue Card (€33,085 for shortage occupations). Treat these as guidance and confirm with the employer's advisers.

Entrepreneur residence

For founders of an innovative, scalable business of special economic interest to Spain, backed by a favourable report from ENISA. There is no fixed minimum investment, but you need a funded business plan and enough means for yourself and your family. Traditional businesses, including shops, restaurants and property rental activities, do not qualify, so this is not a substitute for the old property route.

Family members of EU citizens

The non-EU spouse, registered partner or dependent relatives of an EU citizen living in Spain can apply for a five-year family member card and can work. Dependent relatives include children under 21, older dependent children and dependent parents. Since 2025, family members of Spanish nationals who have not exercised free movement use a separate permit created by RD 1155/2024.

A note for UK buyers

UK nationals without Withdrawal Agreement residence are limited to 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area, and owning a home gives no extra days. To stay longer, they use the non-EU routes above.

The Beckham law: a tax regime, not a visa

The special regime for people moving to Spain (article 93 of the income tax law, often called the Beckham law) is not a residence permit, but it often shapes the decision. Since 2023 it is open to people who have not been Spanish tax resident in the previous five years. The move must be for an employment contract (including remote work under the digital nomad route), a directorship, an ENISA-certified business, or qualifying startup or R&D work.

• Spanish employment and business income is taxed at a flat 24% up to €600,000 and 47% above.
• Most foreign-source income is not taxed in Spain, except employment income.
• It lasts for the year of arrival plus five years. You opt in with Modelo 149 within six months of starting work.

Details are on the Spanish Tax Agency website.

What this means if you are buying property now

• Separate the two decisions. Choose the residence route that fits your life and income, then choose the property. A purchase will not help your application, and there is no longer a price threshold to aim for.
• Check the 183-day rule if you plan to use the NLV. A second home you visit for a few months a year does not fit a route that requires you to live here most of the year.
• Proposals are not law. A 100% tax on property purchases by non-EU non-residents was announced in January 2025, but as of mid-2026 it had not been debated in Congress and had no majority. As proposed, it would apply to the transfer tax on resales, so new builds taxed under VAT would largely fall outside it.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still get residence in Spain by buying a property? No. The investor route was abolished with effect from 3 April 2025. Buying a home is still allowed, but it does not give residence.

What happens to Golden Visas that were already granted? They remain valid until expiry, and renewals are decided under the rules in force when the permit was first granted.

What income do I need for a non-lucrative visa in 2026? €28,800 a year for the main applicant, plus €7,200 for each dependant, with private health insurance and no work in Spain.

Can I work remotely on a non-lucrative visa? No. Remote workers should look at the digital nomad permit instead.

Do EU citizens need a visa to live in Spain? No. They register within three months of arrival for a €12 fee, showing work or sufficient resources and health cover.

Find the route that fits you

Every case depends on nationality, income and plans. Our residency quiz takes a few minutes and points you to the routes worth looking at, with the 2026 thresholds built in. Take professional legal advice before you apply.