Spain Golden Visa: Program ending and other options

Spain's Golden Visa program allowed non-EU citizens to get residency by investing money in the country. Most people qualified for it by buying property worth 500,000 EUR or more, which gave them the right to live, work, and study in Spain.

The program ran from 2013 until April 3, 2025, when it officially ended.¹

While you can't apply anymore, there are still other ways to get residency in Spain. Other European countries offer Golden Visas, too. Here's what you need to know.

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Table of contents
Did Spain cancel the Golden Visa? Protection for existing and pending Golden Visa applicants How to renew your Spain Golden Visa Alternative residency options in Spain Non-Working Residency Visa Digital Nomad Visa Entrepreneur visa Work visa Student visa Other Golden Visa options in Europe Spain Golden Visa FAQs

Did Spain cancel the Golden Visa?

Yes, Spain's Golden Visa program ended on April 3, 2025.¹

The Spanish government published the final law on January 3, 2025, giving people 3 months to submit their applications.¹ So, if you're looking for the answer to the question, "Is Spain’s Golden Visa still available?", the answer is no.

The main reason the Spanish Golden Visa program was concluded was housing costs.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that the program turned housing into a speculative business instead of treating it as a basic right.¹ The visa was pushing up home prices, especially in Madrid and Barcelona, making it hard for Spanish people to afford homes.

The program started in 2013 to bring in foreign money during Spain's economic crisis. It worked well for that, bringing in over 1 billion EUR per year and attracting investors mainly from China, the US, Russia, and the UK.¹

But as Spain's economy recovered, the housing problems became bigger than the benefits.

Protection for existing and pending Golden Visa applicants

If you already have a Golden Visa or applied before April 3, 2025, you are still able to hold a Golden Visa.¹

The Spanish government made sure that existing holders and people who got their applications in before the deadline keep all their benefits and can still renew their visas.

While the Golden Visa doesn't give you direct Spain citizenship by investment, it can eventually lead there, among other benefits:

• Live in Spain: Your Spanish residence permit allows you to live and work in Spain, and after 10 years, you can even apply for citizenship²

• Family inclusion: Your spouse and children can get residency too, and access Spain's schools and healthcare system

• Work authorization: You and your family members can work anywhere in Spain without restrictions

• No residency requirement: You don't have to actually live in Spain to keep your Golden Visa, and you can renew it even if you're not there full-time: you just have to visit once a year²

• Tax flexibility: You can keep your tax home in the US as long as you spend less than 183 days per year in Spain³

How to renew your Spain Golden Visa

If you already have a Golden Visa after April 3, 2025, you can keep renewing it as long as you follow the rules.

Your visa starts with 1 year of residency, but if you applied from inside Spain, it's valid for 3 years right away. After that, you can renew it for up to 5 years total.⁴

To renew, you'll need to:⁴

• Keep your investment active: You must still own whatever you invested in originally, such as your property or government bonds

• Have a valid visa: Your current Golden Visa should still be valid or have been expired for no more than 90 days

• Meet the original Spain Golden Visa requirements: You still need to qualify under the same rules you used when you first got your visa

• Visit Spain: You need to have visited Spain at least once during each year of your visa period

Overall, the renewal process is pretty straightforward, even with the Golden Visa program ending. After 10 years, you can even apply for Spanish citizenship.²

If you don't have a Spain Golden Visa, there are still other options available. Spain offers other residency programs, and there are a few other EU countries that still offer Golden Visas through a real estate investment.

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Alternative residency options in Spain

Even with the Spain Golden Visa ending, there are still ways to obtain residency in Spain. Here are a few options:

Non-Working Residency Visa

This visa is for people who don't need to work in Spain, like retirees or people with passive income. It's also known as the Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV).

To qualify, you need to prove that you have at least 2,400 EUR per month in income (plus 600 EUR per month for each family member) without needing to work.⁵

This income can include:

• Retirement benefits
• Savings
• Investment funds
• Rental income
• Dividends from a business project

You'll need to show that you have enough funds to live in Spain for at least 1 year without needing to work while you're there.⁵

Digital Nomad Visa

If you work remotely, freelance, or run your own online business, you can get the Digital Nomad Visa in Spain. It gives you the right to live and work in Spain for 12 months, and you can renew it for up to 5 years.⁶

You need to earn at least 200% of the Spanish minimum wage, which ends up being around 2,762.66 EUR per month.⁶ If you have dependents, like your spouse or children, the requirement is higher.

Your work must be done digitally, and you'll need to prove your income.

The main downside is that you'll have to pay Spanish taxes, but the rate is favorable at 24% on up to 600,000 EUR per year.⁶

Entrepreneur visa

If you have an innovative business idea, you can start a business in Spain and get a 3-year residence permit.⁷

You'll need a detailed business plan that shows that your project will create jobs or bring innovation to the Spanish economy. This typically refers to fast-growing industries like technology and AI.

You'll also need to show that you have enough savings to support yourself in Spain.

You, as the main applicant, will need 31,752 EUR per year: your second family member requires an extra 11,907 EUR, and third and following family members need an additional 3,969 EUR per person.⁷

Work visa

You can live and work in Spain if a Spanish company hires you.

The employer needs to get a work permit for you first, which means proving that they couldn't find a Spanish or EU citizen for the job. Your employer will handle most of the paperwork, but your visa will be tied to that specific job and employer.

Once you stop working for this employer, your visa will go away, too.

Student visa

If you're accepted to study at a Spanish university or approved school, you can get a student visa. However, you'll need to be able to afford the tuition and living expenses. This visa also doesn't give you the right to live in Spain long-term — only for as long as you're a student.

Other Golden Visa options in Europe

If you're open to getting a Golden Visa in another country that's not Spain, there are still many Golden Visa countries in Europe.

Greece, Italy, Malta, and Portugal offer some of the most popular programs with a relatively low minimum investment:

Greece⁸

• Minimum investment: 250,000+ EUR in real estate (varies by location)
• Family inclusion: Yes
• Path to citizenship: After 7 years of residence

Greece has one of Europe's most affordable Golden Visa programs, and you can get residency by buying property worth 250,000 EUR or more.

However, this minimum investment is for specialized properties that need restoration or for the conversion of commercial properties into residential ones.

For your typical residential property, the requirement is 400,000 EUR or more, and popular areas like Athens and Thessaloniki have a requirement of 800,000+ EUR for a real estate investment.

Italy⁹

• Minimum investment: 250,000 EUR for innovative start-ups; up to 2 million EUR for other options
• Family inclusion: Yes
• Path to citizenship: After 10 years

You can get a Golden Visa in Italy, but the minimum investment doesn't focus on real estate. Instead, you'll be investing in Italian companies, government bonds, or donating to public projects.

The lowest investment option requires you to invest 250,000 EUR in an innovative start-up, and there are quite a few other ways to invest, but they all come with hefty price tags.

For example, you can also invest 2 million EUR in Italian government bonds or 1 million EUR in projects of public interest, such as culture and education.

Malta¹⁰

• Minimum investment: 169,000 EUR total (combination of different requirements)
• Family inclusion: Yes
• Path to citizenship: After 5 years

With the Malta Golden Visa, you get EU residency in an English-speaking country. To qualify, you'll need to either buy a property for 375,000 EUR or rent one for 14,000 EUR per year for at least 5 years.

Then, you'll also need to make a 37,000 EUR contribution to the Maltese economy, donate 2,000 EUR to a nongovernmental organization, and pay a nonrefundable administration fee of 60,000 EUR.

If you go down the renting route, your expenses will add up to 169,000 EUR total. If you decide to buy a house, the Malta Golden Visa cost will be higher and will ultimately depend on how much your house costs.

Portugal¹¹

• Minimum investment: 250,000 EUR in qualifying funds or cultural projects
• Family inclusion: Yes
• Path to citizenship: After 5 years

Portugal's Golden Visa no longer allows real estate investment, but you can still get residency through other investments. Your options include investing 250,000 EUR in support of arts and culture or 500,000 EUR in research activities or venture capital funds.

Portugal is very close to Spain, so this can be a good option for those who were looking at the Spanish Golden Visa before the program closed.

💡 Find a full list of all available Golden Visa countries and their programs in our full guide.

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Spain Golden Visa FAQs

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Is Spain canceling the Golden Visa?

Yes, Spain officially canceled its Golden Visa program on April 3, 2025.¹

The Spanish Congress voted to end it because the government said it was causing housing speculation and making homes too expensive for local people. New applications are no longer accepted, but people who applied before the deadline or already have a Golden Visa can keep their benefits and renew normally.

Can I get residency in Spain if I buy a house?

No, you can't get residency by buying a house in Spain anymore. The Golden Visa program that allowed this ended in April 2025.¹ However, you can still get Spanish residency through other visa programs like the Non-Working Residency Visa or the Digital Nomad Visa.

Can I buy a house in Spain as an American?

Yes, Americans can still buy property in Spain without any restrictions. Foreign nationals have the same property rights as Spanish citizens, and there are no limits on how much property you can buy or where you can buy it. You just won't get residency from the purchase anymore.

💡 Learn more about buying a house in Spain as an American here.

How long can I stay in Spain if I own property?

Owning property in Spain doesn't give you any special residency rights. Without residency, you're limited to standard tourist visa rules: 90 days per 180-day period in the Schengen Area. This means you can visit for 3 months, then you need to leave for 3 months before you can return for another 90 days.

Spain's Golden Visa program is now over, but there are still plenty of ways to get Spanish residency or a Golden Visa elsewhere in Europe. If you dream of living in the EU, it’s still possible to do it.

Sources

1. Get Golden Visa - Is the Spain Golden Visa Program Ending
2. Henley & Partners - Spain Golden Visa
3. PWC - Spain
4. Global Citizen Solutions - Golden Visa Spain
5. Global Citizen Solutions - Spain Non-Lucrative Visa
6. Get Golden Visa - Spain Digital Nomad Visa
7. Migrun - Spain Startup Visa
8. Henley & Partners - Greece
9. Henley & Partners - Italy
10. Henley & Partners - Malta
11. Henley & Partners - Portugal

Sources checked 09/15/2025