Spain Golden Visa Guide – Asantata34

Asan Tata— October 24, 2026

If you are searching for the Spain Golden Visa, here is the fact you need first: the programme is closed. Spain stopped accepting new Golden Visa applications on 3 April 2025. No investment, at any level, can get you this permit today.

Quick answer: Spain abolished its Golden Visa through Ley Orgánica 1/2025, in force from 3 April 2025. Buying property in Spain no longer gives you residency. Existing holders keep their permits and can renew under the rules that applied when first granted. Everyone else must use a different route, such as the Non-Lucrative Visa, the Digital Nomad Visa, an entrepreneur permit, or a normal work permit.

What the Spain Golden Visa Was

Spain created the Golden Visa in 2013, under Law 14/2013, to attract foreign money after the financial crisis. It gave non-EU citizens a residence permit in exchange for a large investment. The most popular route was property: buy Spanish real estate worth at least €500,000, and you could apply. The permit also covered your spouse and children, and allowed the family to live and work in Spain.

Property was not the only route. The old law offered several investment options:

The business project route had no fixed minimum. The project had to create jobs, or bring real economic impact or innovation. One feature made the permit very attractive: holders did not need to live in Spain full time to keep it. Many kept their main life in the UAE and visited when they wished. Most alternatives do not offer that flexibility.

When the Golden Visa Closed, and Why

The Spanish government announced the plan to end the programme in April 2024. The stated reason was housing. Ministers argued that investor purchases were pushing up home prices in pressured areas, such as Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, and the Balearic Islands.

At first, the debate focused on property. The final law went further, and removed every investor route, including bonds, shares, deposits, and funds.

1. Law 14/2013 created the investor permit in 2013, in Articles 63 to 67.
2. Ley Orgánica 1/2025 was published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) on 3 January 2025.
3. Its twenty-first final provision emptied Articles 63 to 67 of Law 14/2013.
4. The change took effect on 3 April 2025.

With those articles emptied, the legal basis of the Golden Visa no longer exists. Consulates and the Large Companies Unit (UGE) cannot accept new investor applications. There is no waiting list and no exception for large investments.

If You Already Hold a Golden Visa

The end of the programme does not cancel existing permits. The law added transitional rules, which the Ministry of Inclusion sets out on its official Large Companies Unit pages.

• Your permit was valid on 3 April 2025. It stays valid until its normal expiry date.
• You need to renew. Renewals follow the rules in force when your first permit was granted. You generally must show that the investment is still in place.
• You applied before 3 April 2025. Your case is decided under the old rules. A pending file is not rejected just because the programme later closed.
• Your family members hold linked permits. The same protection covers family members who applied or held status under the old system.

Do not let a renewal deadline pass because you assumed the permit died with the programme. Keep your investment documents and deeds up to date, and use a Spanish immigration lawyer if your case is complex.

Buying Property in Spain Now

You can still buy property in Spain. The 2025 law does not ban foreign buyers. What changed is the reward: a purchase, even far above €500,000, gives you no residence permit and no visa advantage.

• You still need an NIE, the Spanish foreigner identity number, to complete a purchase and pay taxes.
• You can visit on normal short-stay rules while you house-hunt. Spain is in the Schengen area, so whether you need a visa for short visits depends on your passport. See the Schengen visa rules for UAE residents.
• A Spanish home can support other applications as proof of accommodation, but it does not replace their income or work requirements.
• Be careful with anyone who sells property using residency as part of the pitch. That promise has been false since April 2025.

Real Alternatives to the Golden Visa

There is no single replacement for the Golden Visa. Each alternative has its own logic: some require you to actually live in Spain, and some ban working.

1. Non-Lucrative Visa (Residence Without Working)

The Non-Lucrative Visa lets you live in Spain if you can support yourself without working. It suits retirees and people with pensions, savings, rent, or investment income. You may not take a job in Spain, and you may not work remotely either.

The money requirement is based on the IPREM, Spain’s public income index, which is €600 per month. The main applicant must show 400% of IPREM: €2,400 per month, or about €28,800 per year. Each extra family member adds 100% of IPREM, about €7,200 per year.

You also need full private health insurance from a company authorised in Spain, and you apply through the Spanish consulate for your place of residence. The first permit lasts one year. Renewals run for two years, with funds shown for the full period. Consulates can differ slightly in how they check funds, so confirm the exact figure and document list before you apply. For short trips while you prepare, see our guide to Spain tourist visa requirements.

2. Digital Nomad Visa (International Telework)

The Digital Nomad Visa is for people who work remotely for companies or clients outside Spain. It sits inside Law 14/2013, the same law that once held the Golden Visa, but this route was not removed. Employees need an employer outside Spain that allows remote work. Self-employed workers need foreign clients, and Spanish-client work is capped at 20% of their activity.

The income rule is based on the Spanish minimum wage, the SMI. You must show at least 200% of the SMI. The SMI for 2026 is €1,221 per month in 14 payments. Spread over 12 months, the threshold is roughly €2,850 per month for one applicant. A spouse adds 75% of the SMI, and each further family member adds 25%. You also need a degree or three years of experience, and a work relationship of at least three months. Apply at a consulate for a one-year visa, or from inside Spain for a permit of up to three years.

3. Entrepreneur Residence Permit

The entrepreneur route is also still open under Law 14/2013. It is not an investment visa, and no fixed amount of money buys approval.

Your project must be innovative, or of special economic interest for Spain. A state agency, ENISA, studies the business plan and must issue a favourable report. Applications are filed electronically with the Large Companies Unit (UGE-CE). The permit lasts three years and can be renewed for two more. This route fits founders with a real, scalable business idea, not someone who simply wants to park money in Spain.

4. Standard Work Residence

The ordinary route to live and work in Spain is a work residence permit. In most cases, a Spanish employer applies for authorisation before you move. The job often must pass a check that no suitable worker is already available in Spain, though shortage occupations and other exceptions exist. It is slower than the old Golden Visa, but it is the correct path for a salaried job. Our separate guide covers the Spain work visa process for UAE residents.

How to Choose Your Next Step

1. Check your status first. If you hold, or applied for, an investor permit before 3 April 2025, protect that position and note your renewal dates.
2. Decide if you need to work. If yes, the Non-Lucrative Visa is out. Look at the Digital Nomad, entrepreneur, or work routes.
3. Check your income type. Passive income and savings point to the Non-Lucrative Visa. A remote salary or foreign clients point to the Digital Nomad Visa.
4. Count your family. Each route adds a set amount per family member. Work out the full household figure.
5. Confirm figures with official sources. IPREM and SMI values change. Check current amounts on the Ministry of Inclusion and consulate pages before you file.
6. Prepare documents early. Criminal record certificates, health insurance, and bank evidence take time. Some documents need legalisation and sworn translation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Paying an agent for a Golden Visa application. No one can file one now. Any such offer is a scam or based on false claims.
• Buying a €500,000 home expecting residency. The purchase is legal, but the residency link is gone.
• Planning to work on a Non-Lucrative Visa. Working, including remote work, breaks this permit’s conditions.
• Assuming the Digital Nomad Visa has no income test. The 200% of SMI rule is strict. Officials check payslips, contracts, and bank credits.
• Letting an existing permit lapse. Holders keep their rights only if they renew on time and still meet the old conditions.
• Moving before the visa is granted. Consulate routes must be approved before you relocate. A tourist entry is not a residence permit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still apply for the Spain Golden Visa in 2026?

No. The programme closed to new applications on 3 April 2025, and Ley Orgánica 1/2025 removed its legal basis. No office can accept a new Golden Visa case.

I bought a property in Spain last year. Do I get residency?

Not from the purchase alone. Property ownership gives no residence rights under current law. If you filed a Golden Visa application before 3 April 2025, your case is decided under the old rules. Otherwise, you need one of the alternative routes above.

Can existing Golden Visa holders still renew?

Yes. Permits valid on 3 April 2025 keep their validity, and renewals follow the rules in force when the initial permit was granted. You must still meet the old conditions, including keeping the qualifying investment.

How much money do I need for the Non-Lucrative Visa?

The main applicant needs 400% of the IPREM. With the IPREM at €600 per month, that is about €28,800 per year. Add about €7,200 per year for each family member. Consulates check figures in slightly different ways, so confirm the exact amount with yours.

How much must a digital nomad earn to live in Spain?

At least 200% of the Spanish minimum wage (SMI). With the 2026 SMI at €1,221 per month in 14 payments, the threshold is roughly €2,850 per month for one applicant. A spouse adds 75% of the SMI, and each extra member adds 25%.

Will Spain bring back the Golden Visa?

There is no official sign of that. The government removed the scheme as part of its housing policy. Trust only the BOE and Ministry of Inclusion for changes.

Conclusion

The Spain Golden Visa is finished, and no payment or property purchase can revive it for new applicants. If you already hold the permit, it stays valid until its expiry date, and renewals follow the rules in force when it was first granted, as long as you still meet the old conditions. If you are starting now, your real choices are the Non-Lucrative Visa, the Digital Nomad Visa, the entrepreneur permit, or a standard work residence. Match the route to your income, work plans, and family, and confirm current figures on official sources before spending money.

Disclaimer: This article is general information only. Asantata34 is an independent information website. It is not an official source, and it is not connected to the Spanish government, any consulate, or any immigration authority. Visa rules and income thresholds change over time. Always check current requirements on official sources, such as the Boletín Oficial del Estado (boe.es) and the Ministry of Inclusion (inclusion.gob.es), or consult a qualified Spanish immigration lawyer before you apply.

Last Updated: 24 October 2026

Asan Tata

Asan Tata is an independent information platform providing simple, practical guides on UAE visas, banking, insurance, driving licences, and government-related services. Our team researches information from reliable and official sources to make complex topics easier to understand.