Spain

* Withdrawal of the Spanish Golden Visa confirmed for the 3rd April 2025

Spain is among the most sought-after holiday spots in Europe, boasting a rich culture and history. As a full member of the EU and Schengen Area, residents enjoy unrestricted visa-free travel across 27 European countries.

The Spanish Golden Visa offered the chance to live, study, and work in Spain without the need for permanent residency. The Spanish Golden Visa was officially withdrawn on April 3rd 2025

For those seeking permanent residency in Spain, we recommend looking into the Portuguese Golden Visa, which offers the opportunity to gain an EU passport within 5 years with no minimum stay requirements. Ultimately this will allow residency in any of the 27 Schengen countries, including Spain.

Requirements

The program welcomed all non-EU applicants. The requirements for the Spanish Golden Visa were as per the below:

Real Estate: Minimum acquisition of €500,000

Bank Deposit: Investment fund of €1,000,000 in a Spanish financial institution

Government Bonds: Minimum investment of €2,000,000 in government bonds

Shares or Business: Minimum of €1,000,000 in shares of Spanish companies

The best Spanish alternative is currently the Portuguese Golden Visa, which also has a minimum entry point of 500k EUR, However, there are various investment options which allow investment for as little as 168k EUR.

Qualifying Dependents

As the main applicant, you were required to provide proof of the origin of your funds.

You could include your spouse on the application. They had to be over 18 years old, not be an EU citizen, and have no criminal history. Consideration could also be given for older dependents subject to application and proof of dependency. Additionally, you could include dependent parents.

Similar criteria exists for the Portuguese Golden Visa for anyone looking at the best Spanish Golden Visa alternatives.

Taxation

Holding a Golden Visa did not automatically make you a tax resident in Spain. You become a tax resident by spending more than 183 days in the country each year, or if Spain is the center of your economic interests or family ties.

The Portuguese Golden Visa also does not require the holder to become Portuguese tax resident. In fact the requirement in Portugal is only 1 week per year over the first 5 years. This will then qualify the holder for the Portuguese passport.

Process Overview

After your initial inquiry, we will provide a summary of the program, including the application process.

For any programme we can obtain a Power of Attorney (PoA) on your behalf which enables us to obtain all the requirements to process your application. This includes opening a bank account, obtaining a tax number and all other legal requirements associated with the given programme.

We will clearly lay out all of the requirements and the timescales needed to complete your application.

We aim to provide a seamless one stop shop in providing you with the Golden Visa of your choice.

Summary of Benefits

Visa-free travel throughout the Schengen Area

Right to live, work, and study in Spain/Portugal

Residency granted within five months

No physical presence requirement

Investment options starting from EUR 500,000

High quality of life, fantastic local cuisine, rich culture, mild climate, and high level of security

Citizenship is possible after 5 years with only 1 week minimum stay requirement for each year, meaning there is no need to become tax resident.

Summary

Spain has rapidly become one of the most sought after Golden Visa offerings.

With some unique benefits, including no minimum stay requirements and the potential to get a Spanish passport in as little as 2 years.

However, in January 2025, Spain officially announced the withdrawal of the programme via ALL routes. The final applications need to be made to the Spanish Government by the 3rd April 2025.

For anyone looking for similar benefits, we recommend the Portuguese Golden visa programme.