Last reviewed on October 8, 2024

Spain Golden Visa

Living by the sea and travelling across Europe without visas

€500,000+

Investment amount

5+ months

Obtaining period

10 years

To citizenship

The Spain Golden Visa is a residence permit that foreigners can obtain in exchange for investment. It was launched in 2013.

Investment options include purchase of real estate, government bonds, or shares of Spanish companies; deposit money in a Spanish bank; or investment in a business or units of investment funds.

The minimum investment is €500,000.

Investors don’t have to take language and cultural exams. Besides, they are not required to live in Spain, and the law allows them to rent out the purchased property.

To maintain residency, the investor must keep the investment.

The investor can obtain permanent residency after living in Spain for five years. After five more years, they can apply for citizenship, though they must renounce their other passports.

Benefits of the Spain Golden Visa

  • 1

    Visa-free travel to the Schengen countries

    Spanish residents visit other Schengen countries without visas and spend up to 90 days within any 180-day period there.


  • 2

    Residence permits for the whole family

    The Golden Visa covers the investor’s spouse, unmarried dependent children, and dependent parents, allowing the entire family to obtain Spanish residence permits.

  • 3

    No requirements for language proficiency, education or business experience

    Applicants are not required to prove Spanish language proficiency, submit educational diplomas, or show business experience to qualify for the visa.

  • 4

    Moving to Spain and creating a “safe haven”

    Golden Visa holders can enter Spain at any time, even during travel restrictions, providing a secure option in emergencies.

  • 5

    No residing requirements for Golden Visa holders

    Neither the investor nor their family members are required to live in Spain to maintain residency. The only obligation is to visit Spain when it’s time to renew the residence permit.

  • 6

    Access to European education and healthcare

    Investor’s children can attend Spanish schools and universities, both private and public. The whole family can access Spain’s high-quality healthcare system, as well as medical services in other Schengen countries.

  • 7

    Working and doing business in Spain

    Investors and their family members can obtain work permits in Spain. Entrepreneurs can transfer existing businesses or establish new companies in Spain.

  • 8

    EU citizenship in 10 years

    An investor can obtain permanent residence after five years of living in Spain. After an additional five years, they can apply for Spanish citizenship.

  • 9

    Citizenship for newborns in 1 year

    A child born in Spain to Golden Visa holders can become a Spanish citizen after living in the country for just one year, greatly reducing the standard 10-year naturalisation process.

price

Practical guide on the Spain Golden Visa

  • Step-by-step procedure

  • Requirements for applicants

  • Required documents

  • Answers to frequently asked questions

Who can get a Spain Golden Visa

  • Investor with a legal income

    • Over 18

    • Investment money is earned outside of Spain

    • No criminal record

    • No debt in Spain

    • Health insurance

  • Spouse

    In an officially registered marriage or unregistered partnership, including same-sex couples

  • Children under 18

  • Children over 18

    • No age limit

    • Unmarried

    • No children of their own

    • Financially dependent on the investor or in the investor’s custody due to mental or physical characteristics

  • Parents

    • No age limit

    • Financially dependent on any of the spouses

Investment options for the Spain Golden Visa

Spain offers investors six options to choose from. Buying a property requires the least investment amount.

Applicants for Spain residence by investment must confirm their financial solvency by transferring to a Spanish bank account a sum that exceeds the annual minimum wage at least four times.

In 2024, the minimum wage in Spain is €600 per month, or €7,200 per year. Therefore, an applicant must transfer at least €28,800 to their Spanish bank account. Approximately €7,000 must be added for each dependent.

1 option

Real estate purchase — €500,000+

An investor buys a residential or commercial property in Spain. If they include family members in the application, the investment amount does not increase.

The property can be owned by the investor or by a company, where the investor is a controlling shareholder and owns most of the shares. If the applicant buys commercial premises on behalf of the company, they can get a tax deduction and reclaim the 21% VAT.

The investor can purchase one or several properties for a total value of €500,000. The entire amount does not have to be invested in one property. The investor can rent out the real estate, but the property cannot be sold; otherwise, the residence permit will be revoked.

Property buyers pay a transfer tax and associated fees, including the following:

  • for residential properties in new buildings: 10% VAT and 1,5% stamp duty;

  • for residential resale properties: 6 to 10% of the cadastral property value;

  • for commercial premises: up to 25% of the transaction amount.

Expenses

Investor

Married couple

Family of three or more people

Purchase of a property in a new building

€500,000+

€500,000+

€500,000+

VAT

€50,000+

€50,000+

€50,000+

Stamp duty

€7,500+

€7,500+

€7,500+

Notary fee

€1,000

€1,000

€1,000

Registration fee

€650

€650

€650

Health insurance

€1,000+

€2,000+

€3,000+

2 option

Opening a deposit in a Spanish bank — €1,000,000+

3 option

Purchase of shares of Spanish companies — €1,000,000+

4 option

Purchase of units in investment funds — €1,000,000+

5 option

Purchase of government bonds — €2,000,000+

6 option

Business investments

The law doesn’t establish the minimum investment

Individual  cost calculation  for the Spain Golden Visa

Individual cost calculation for the Spain Golden Visa

Get an individual calculation for your family with all associated costs and government fees

Differences between the Golden Visa and a residence permit for financially independent people

Residence permits for financially independent people are available to those who receive passive remote income and have housing in Spain. The housing can be owned or rented for at least a year.

The applicant must confirm financial solvency to get a residence permit for a year. They need to have at least €28,880 in a Spanish bank account. An additional €7,200 is required for each family member.

Criteria

Residence permit by investment


Residence permit for a financially independent person

Mandatory residing in Spain

Not required

183 days a year

Eligibility to work in Spain

Yes

No

Requirements to obtain a national D visa

No

Yes

Validity of the residence permit

3 years, then 5 years

1 year

How to obtain permanent residence and Spain citizenship

There is no way to obtain Spain citizenship by investment. An investor can become a Spanish citizen by naturalisation. The process involves first obtaining a residence permit by investment, moving to Spain, acquiring permanent residence after a few years, and then applying for citizenship.

To obtain permanent residence, you must permanently live in the country for at least 5 years. You cannot spend more than 10 months outside Spain during this period. Frequent travel outside the country and leaving Spain for more than three consecutive months are not recommended.

An applicant for permanent residency must confirm financial solvency, own housing in Spain, and have health insurance. Authorities consider the investor’s law-abiding nature and their degree of integration into Spanish society. It is also checked whether the applicant filed tax returns yearly and paid taxes in full.

Permanent residence is valid for life, but the card must be renewed every five years.

To obtain Spain citizenship, adult applicants must live in the country with residence permits or permanent residence cards for at least 10 years. They also pass two exams:

  • DELE to confirm proficiency in Spanish at the A2 level or higher;

  • CCSE to prove knowledge of Spanish cultural and legal life.

Spain forbids its citizens from holding multiple citizenships. Applicants must renounce their original citizenship, except for citizens of France, Portugal, Andorra, and several Latin American countries where Spanish is an official language.

Minor children with at least one Spanish parent can get Spanish citizenship by birth, regardless of their birthplace. They are exempted from taking exams.

If the parents become Spanish citizens, their child can obtain citizenship within two years, regardless of the child’s residence period in Spain.

Children born in Spain do not automatically get citizenship by right of soil. They can become Spanish citizens after living in the country for a year with a residence permit. At least one parent must also hold a residence permit.

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Individual selection of investment properties

  • Discuss your tasks and goals

  • Choose between properties from reliable developers

  • Get fully prepared and verified documents for a purchase

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Required documents to apply for the Spain Golden Visa

An investor must submit a package of documents alongside the Spain Golden Visa application. The essentials include the following:

  1. A valid passport issued within the last ten years.

  2. A certificate of no criminal record from all countries where the applicant has lived in the past five years. Each family member over 18 must submit this document.

  3. Health insurance from a company licensed for working in Spain.

  4. Proof of investment, such as a certificate from the Land Registry if an applicant has bought a property.

  5. Documents confirming the applicant’s sufficient income and stable financial position.

  6. Documents proving kinship and financial dependence of family members on the investor, if applicable.

Personal documents must be translated into Spanish by a translator licensed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. All copies must be notarised and apostilled.

Applicants must also submit filled-out government forms and passport-sized photos. Additional documents may be required depending on the case.

Step-by-step procedure for obtaining the Spain Golden Visa by purchasing real estate

1

1 day

Preliminary Due Diligence

A certified Anti-Money Laundering Officer performs a preliminary Due Diligence check. This is a mandatory step: Immigrant Invest does not sign an agreement with the investor until we receive the Due Diligence results. The check allows us to identify potential issues and reduce the rejection risk to 1%.

The results are confidential and used only to assist the investor in obtaining application approval. To pass the preliminary Due Diligence, the investor only needs to provide their passport.

Evaluate your chances of passing Due Diligence

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2

1 to 4 months

Buying real estate

Real estate specialists help the investor find a suitable property. The investor either travels to Spain to examine the property in person or chooses it remotely with photo and video reports from the site.

In Spain, a lawyer acts on the investor’s behalf. Thus, the first step is signing a power of attorney. It can be signed remotely, certified, apostilled, and sent to Spain.

The lawyer obtains an individual taxpayer number for the investor, checks the transaction terms, and prepares the documents. The investor or the lawyer signs a sale and purchase agreement. After signing, the lawyer submits the agreement to the Land Registry and receivesthe ownership certificate.

3

3 to 5 weeks

Preparing of documents and application

Documents are prepared while the investor purchases real estate. The investor gets health insurance and provides Immigrant Invest lawyers with copies of their passports, marriage and birth certificates, and photos. Lawyers fill out government forms and assist with paying fees and taxes.

According to the program terms, the investor must be in Spain when applying for the Golden Visa. A Schengen visa can be used to enter the country.

The lawyers submit the application online on the investor’s behalf. After submission, the investor and their family members provide fingerprints at a police station.

4

30 to 45 days

Getting residence permit cards

The application for a residence permit in Spain is processed within 45 days. The application is processed within 45 days. The investor collects the residence permit cards in person at a police station in Spain, accompanied by the lawyers.

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Why can you trust us?

Immigrant Invest is an accredited agent working only with state-approved EU and Caribbean investment programs under government licences.

Operating since 2006, we have extensive knowledge of the investment migration industry, including Due Diligence procedures in different countries, property investment processes, and the specific situations when an affidavit is required for an application.

Immigrant Invest has an in-house Compliance Department, where Anti-Money Laundering Officers conduct a background check for every investor who contacts us. This thorough check helps identify potential "red flags" early and reduces the rejection risk to 1%.

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Clients’ names and photos have been changed.

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Let's discuss the details

Schedule a meeting at one of the offices or online. A lawyer will analyze the situation, calculate the cost and help you find a solution based on your goals.

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Renewal process for the Spain Golden Visa

The first Spanish Golden Visa is issued for 3 years and can be extended for another 5 years.

The renewal process takes place in Spain and follows a procedure similar to the initial application. The investor gathers the required documents and submits them online.

To renew the Golden Visa, the applicant must:

  • have a valid Investor Residence Visa or one that has expired no more than 90 days earlier;

  • visit Spain for at least one month during the previous year;

  • maintain the investment;

  • continue satisfying the visa requirements that allowed the applicant to obtain the first Spain investment visa.

Frequently asked questions

  • Who qualifies for the Golden Visa in Spain?

    Adult non-EU citizens with legal income may apply for the Spain Golden Visa. They can include family members, such as spouses, children, and parents, in the application.

  • How much do I need to invest in getting the Spain Golden Visa?

    The minimum investment amount is €500,000, which can be used to buy a residential or commercial property in Spain.

    Other investment options include:

    • €1,000,000 in shares of Spanish companies or investment fund units;

    • €2,000,000 in government bonds;

    • €1,000,000 in a deposit account with a Spanish bank.

    There is no minimum investment for a business, but the business must create jobs and contribute to the region’s social, economic, scientific, and technological development.

  • Can you get residency in Spain if you buy a property?

    Yes, purchasing one or several properties with a total value of €500,000 qualifies you for the Golden Visa, a residence permit for investors.

  • Is it possible to return the investment?

    To maintain residency, the investor must keep their assets. If the assets are sold or a deposit is closed, the residency status will be revoked.

  • Do I need to go to Spain to get a residence permit?

    Yes, personal presence is required for fingerprinting and collecting the residence permit cards.

  • How long can you stay in Spain with the Golden Visa?

    You can stay in Spain as long as your residence permit is valid. However, Golden Visa holders are not required to relocate to Spain to retain residency status.

  • Can you live in Spain with the Golden Visa?

    Yes, you can live in Spain for as long as your Golden Visa is valid. The first Golden Visa is issued for three years and can be extended for another five years.

  • How long does the Spanish Golden Visa residence permit last?

    The first Spain residence permit is issued for three years, and subsequent ones are valid for five years.

  • Should I pay taxes in Spain with the Golden Visa?

    You must pay taxes when purchasing real estate, including transfer tax and associated fees like stamp duty.

    After obtaining the Golden Visa, taxes are only applicable if you become a tax resident, earn income from Spanish sources, or run a business in Spain.

  • How can an investor obtain Spanish citizenship?

    To become a Spanish citizen, you must live in the country for more than 10 years as a resident and pass two exams proving knowledge of the Spanish language and the country’s cultural and legal life. You must also renounce your first citizenship.

  • Is the Spain Golden Visa worth it?

    Yes, the Spanish Golden Visa might worth it. It offers several benefits:

    • visa-free travel to the Schengen countries;

    • relocation to Spain;

    • access to European education and healthcare;

    • the right to work and do business in Spain.

  • Did the Golden Visa change in Spain in 2024?

    No, there were no changes to the conditions of the Spain Golden Visa in 2024.

  • Can I obtain Spain citizenship by investment?

    No, Spain does not grant citizenship by investment. Foreigners with no ties to the country’s nationals obtain passports by naturalisation after 10 years of living in the country.

    However, it is possible to obtain Spain residency by investment to facilitate the path to citizenship. The minimum investment amount is €500,000.

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Let’s discuss the details

We will develop an individual solution, select a country and status that will solve your problems, and accompany the entire process.

Zlata Erlach
Zlata Erlach

Head of the Austrian office

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