The Sun Sets on Spanish Golden Visa
The sun is soon to set on the Spanish Golden Visa. After several months of speculation, the Spanish government has taken definitive steps towards ending the Golden Visa programme. This decision marks...
Read moreSpain launched its golden visa programme in 2013. An investment of €500,000 in real estate will gain family residency. The Spanish investor visa can be renewed every two years. After five years it is possible to gain permanent residency and after ten years citizenship. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
The main benefits of the Spanish Golden Visa are undoubtedly the speed at which a residence permit is issued and the comparatively low processing costs and renewal fees. Spain is naturally compared to its neighbour Portugal and the undoubted success of the golden visa programme there. And while at €500,000 the real estate investment in Spain is now the same as the minimum fund investment for the Portuguese programme, many investors prefer the choice of real estate options than can be purchased in Spain, with no restrictions other than the minimum investment limit.
From €500,000 + costs
Real Estate
Full family
Flexible. No minimum stay.
EU Schengen Zone travel
It is possible to apply for permanent residency in Spain after living in the country for five years. Citizenship can be applied for after living full time for ten years. Although the temporary residency permit (the golden visa) can be easily renewed without living in the country, the route to both permanent residency and citizenship requires the investor and their family to reside in Spain. For this reason, the Spanish Golden Visa programme is popular with those applicants who either wish to reside full time in Spain or simply maintain a second residency in Europe but without a path to citizenship. Investors looking for potential European citizenship are advised to consider the Portugal Golden Visa programme which has a faster path to citizenship. Spain offers a two year fast-track path to citizenship for nationals from ex Spanish colonies, such as the Philippines and most Latin American countries.
Minimum investment of €500,000
Clean criminal record
Open to non-EU applicants
Full family residency
Dependent children
Dependent family members
No minimum stay requirement
No interview
No language test
Residency in EU country
EU Schengen zone travel
Citizenship 10Yr+ residency
Following an investment of €500,000 into Spanish Real Estate the process for obtaining a Spanish golden visa is relatively straightforward and quick. Applicants, who will need to be non–EU residents, are required to have:
First, contact La Vida for advice on Spain and other golden visa programmes to establish the most appropriate option for you and your family.
Visit Spain to view real estate options and select your investment appointing a lawyer to take care of the conveyancing on your behalf. Through Power of Attorney (POA) the purchase can be completed at the notary in your absence.
Once the real estate investment is complete you can then apply for the golden visa. This can be done in Spain or from your consulate and typically takes no more than one month for the initial one year temporary visa to be issued.
You are then able to visit Spain to complete the golden visa application and obtain the residency permit, which is issued initially for two years. This can be renewed every five years providing you maintain your investment.
After reaching a low in 2015 Spanish property prices have been rising steadily from around €1450 sqm in 2015 to around €1700 sqm in 2022 achieving growth nationally of around 2% each year. However, prices remain below the peak of €2101sqm reached in 2008 and at today’s prices real estate in Spain may offer value going forward. An investment of €500,000 is required to apply for a golden visa. Investors needing our services may wish to check our procedure or read more detail for the golden visa programme in Spain.
We have listed below some of the frequently asked questions we receive regarding the Golden Visa in Spain. However it is impossible to cover everything in depth here. Please contact our advisors for further details.
Spain is not the only country in Europe offering a golden visa program leading to a residence permit through real estate investment. Visit the pages below for further options.
La Vida has extensive experience of all the Golden Visa programmes in Europe. In addition to Spain we can advise on Portugal, Malta, Greece and Turkey. We also offer citizenship by investment options in the Caribbean. La Vida has extensive global reach with our expert team having helped clients in over 150 countries worldwide.