Spain golden visa abolished: alternatives in 2026

01Is the Spanish golden visa still available?

No. The golden visa was the residence permit for investors in articles 63 to 67 of Law 14/2013, often called the Entrepreneurs Act. It covered buying Spanish property worth at least 500,000 euros, large investments in public debt, shares or bank deposits, and business projects of general interest. Final provision 21 of Organic Law 1/2025 (Ley Orgánica 1/2025, published in the BOE on 3 January 2025) left all five articles without content.

That change came into force on 3 April 2025, three months after publication. Since then no new investor visa or permit can be applied for, whatever the amount invested. A website or agency that offers a Spanish golden visa in 2026 is either out of date or selling something else under that name.

02I already have a golden visa: can I renew it?

The law includes two transitional rules. Investors and their family members who applied before 3 April 2025 can still receive their visa or permit under the rules in force on the date they applied. Investor visas and permits that were valid on that date keep their validity for the period for which they were issued, and renewal applications are decided under the rules in force when the initial permit was granted.

In plain terms: if your golden visa permit is current, it does not lapse because of the reform, and you can apply to renew it on the original conditions. Keep the investment in place and apply on time, because a renewal filed late or after selling the property is a different story.

One point of caution. The heading of the renewal rule refers to investors who bought property, while the text refers to investor visas and permits generally. If your permit was based on shares, deposits, public debt or a business project, take advice before renewing.

Family members are the most delicate area. According to the management criteria of the Directorate General for Migration of June 2025, applications by family members of investors filed after 3 April 2025 are not admitted under the investor rules and must use the general family routes instead. If you want to bring a spouse, child or parent, check the right route before filing.

03Does buying property in Spain still give residency?

No. Owning a home in Spain, at any price, is no longer a ground for residence. As an owner without a residence permit you are a visitor, limited to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area if you come from a visa-exempt country such as the UK, the US or Canada.

Property still helps in other ways. A home you own is proof of accommodation, and rental income from it can count towards the financial means required for the non-lucrative visa. Capital released from a sale can also count as savings. But the property itself does not give you a permit.

04The main alternatives compared

There is no single replacement. Which route fits depends on whether you will work, for whom, and how much time you will actually spend in Spain.

Route	Who it suits	Key requirement in 2026	Can you work?	Where to apply
Non-lucrative visa	Retirees and people living on pensions, rents or savings	Income or savings of 400% of IPREM: 28,800 euros a year for the main applicant	No	Spanish consulate where you live
Digital nomad visa	Employees and freelancers working remotely for foreign clients	About 2,849 euros a month (200% of the minimum wage)	Yes, remotely	Consulate, or the UGE if you are already in Spain
Entrepreneur permit	Founders of an innovative business	Favourable report from ENISA; no minimum investment	Yes, in your business	UGE, or consulate for the visa
Highly qualified professional	Executives and specialists hired by a Spanish company	Salary of at least 41,356.36 euros a year	Yes, for that employer	UGE

The UGE (Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos) is the fast-track unit of the Ministry of Inclusion that decides the business routes online, with a legal deadline of 20 days. Our pages on each route explain the requirements in detail.

05Which visa replaces the golden visa for wealthy retirees?

For most people who would once have bought a golden visa property to retire in Spain, the answer is the non-lucrative visa. The financial threshold is far lower than the old investment, but it comes with conditions the golden visa did not have.

First, you cannot work in Spain, not even remotely for clients abroad. Second, you must really live here: to renew, you must have spent more than 183 days in Spain in the calendar year. That presence normally makes you Spanish tax resident, taxed on your worldwide income. The golden visa had no such presence requirement, which is why it attracted people who only wanted a few months a year in Spain. Before choosing this route, take tax advice; our guide to the 183-day rule explains the basics.

06Is there still an investor route into Spain?

Not a passive one. You can no longer obtain residence simply by placing money in Spain. What remains is active: running a business or working in one.

The entrepreneur permit is the closest option for investors. It requires a favourable report from ENISA, Spain's state innovation company, on a project that is innovative or of special economic interest. There is no minimum investment, but there must be a real business plan with real funding, and ENISA looks at your profile as well as the money.

Another route is to be hired as a highly qualified professional by a Spanish company, including a company you have invested in, at the required salary. The UGE looks closely at whether the company genuinely trades and whether the job is real, so this works for operating businesses, not holding companies set up for the purpose.

07Will these routes lead to permanent residence and citizenship?

Yes. Time spent on any of these permits is legal residence. After five years of continuous legal residence you can apply for long-term residence, and the years count towards Spanish nationality by residence, which normally requires ten years. Years already spent on a golden visa permit also count, provided you lived in Spain; long absences can break continuity for long-term residence.

08What about Portugal, Greece and other countries?

Several other EU countries have restricted or redesigned their investment residence programmes in recent years. If you are comparing destinations, check the current law of each country with a local lawyer, because figures from a few years ago are often out of date. We advise only on Spanish law.

09Common mistakes since the abolition

Buying a property on the promise of a golden visa from an agent or a website that has not been updated.
Arriving as a tourist and staying past 90 days while waiting for a solution. An overstay can lead to a fine or expulsion and makes every later application harder.
Choosing the non-lucrative visa while planning to keep working remotely.
Selling the golden visa property before renewing, or renewing late.
Assuming family members can still join on the investor rules.

We help investors, retirees and founders choose the right route, prepare the file and deal with the UGE or the consulate, and we look after renewals for those who already hold a golden visa permit.

10Frequently asked questions

Did Spain cancel golden visas that had already been granted?

No. The reform did not revoke existing permits. Investor visas and permits valid on 3 April 2025 keep their validity for the period for which they were issued.

I applied before 3 April 2025 and have not had a decision. What happens?

Applications filed before that date are decided under the rules in force when they were filed, so they can still be granted. If yours has been pending for a long time, it is worth checking its status and whether there are grounds to act.

How much do I need to invest in Spain to get residency now?

There is no investment amount that gives residence on its own. The entrepreneur permit has no minimum investment but requires a viable business project approved by ENISA. The non-lucrative visa asks for income or savings, not investment.

Can I live in Spain without residency if I own a home?

Only as a visitor, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period if you are from a visa-exempt country. To stay longer you need a visa or permit.

Is the golden visa coming back?

As at October 2026 no law has restored it. Plan on the basis of the routes that exist today.

Does the non-lucrative visa count towards citizenship like the golden visa did?

Yes. Both are legal residence. The difference is that the non-lucrative visa requires you to live in Spain most of the year, so the years tend to count without problems of continuity.

··Official sources

Information reviewed on 03.10.2026 against the law in force. This page is for general information and is not a substitute for advice on your own case.

Spain golden visa abolished: what are the alternatives in 2026?

Short answer