This route no longer exists. Spain's so-called Golden Visa, the residence permit that was granted automatically to non-EU nationals who bought a property worth €500,000 or more, closed to new applicants on 3 April 2025 and has not been replaced. Buying a property in Spain, however large the investment, no longer grants residency on its own.
What happened to existing Golden Visa holders?
If you were already granted a Golden Visa before it closed, your permit remains valid for its original term, and the renewal process that existed under the old rules is still in place for now. That said, the rules could change, so anyone relying on this route for the long term should not assume renewal will stay open indefinitely, and should plan their residency or citizenship strategy with that uncertainty in mind.
What are the alternatives now?
There is no direct replacement that grants residency purely through a property purchase. Depending on your situation, the realistic routes into Spain are:
- The non-lucrative visa, for people with enough passive income, savings or a pension to support themselves without working in Spain
- The digital nomad visa, for remote workers employed or contracted by companies outside Spain
- The entrepreneur visa, for founders of an innovative business project approved by the Spanish authorities
- A standard work visa, based on a job offer from a Spanish employer
Each of these comes with its own income, insurance and documentation requirements, and none of them is triggered simply by owning property here. If residency is the goal, it is worth working out which of these actually fits your circumstances before making any purchase decision.
