Spain's Golden Visa no longer exists. Under Organic Law 1/2025, the programme was permanently closed to new applicants on 25 April 2025. If you were researching the Golden Visa as a route into Spanish residency, this guide covers what replaced it and which route is likely to fit your situation.
What Was the Golden Visa?
Spain's Golden Visa (Visado de Inversores) was a residency-by-investment scheme launched in 2013. It allowed non-EU nationals to obtain Spanish residency through qualifying investments - most commonly a property purchase of at least €500,000, made without a mortgage on the qualifying portion.
Prospective non-EU buyers should also factor in the proposed 100% non-EU property tax.
The visa attracted applicants from the US, UK, China and Latin America. It was popular because it offered a relatively fast route to residency without requiring the applicant to live in Spain full-time - there was no minimum stay requirement, making it attractive as a backup plan or investment-led play rather than a genuine relocation.
Why Was It Abolished?
The Spanish government abolished the programme citing its contribution to rising property prices in major cities, reduced housing affordability for Spanish residents, and concerns about the link between large-scale foreign property investment and money laundering. The legal mechanism was Organic Law 1/2025, effective 25 April 2025.
No new applications are being accepted. Existing Golden Visa holders retain their status but cannot be renewed under the old terms - those cases are being handled individually under transitional provisions.
The Main Alternatives in 2026
Spain remains one of Europe's most popular destinations for expats, retirees and remote workers. The residency routes that have replaced the Golden Visa for most applicants are the Digital Nomad Visa and the Non-Lucrative Visa - two very different visas for two very different situations.
Digital Nomad Visa - For Remote Workers and Freelancers
Introduced in 2023 under the Startups Act, the Digital Nomad Visa (Visado para Teletrabajadores de Carácter Internacional) is built for people who work remotely for employers or clients based outside Spain.
Who it's for: Employed remote workers and freelancers whose income comes primarily from outside Spain. Up to 20% of your income can come from Spanish sources.
Income requirement: €2,850 per month as of January 2026 (200% of Spain's Minimum Interprofessional Wage). Additional thresholds apply for family members.
Duration: One year initially, renewable for two-year periods. Path to permanent residency after five years.
The tax angle: Digital Nomad Visa holders are eligible for Beckham Law (Régimen Especial de Impatriados), which caps Spanish income tax at a flat 24% for up to six years - instead of standard progressive rates that reach 47%. The application must be made within six months of registering as a Spanish resident. For higher earners, this is one of the most significant tax advantages available anywhere in Europe.
Full guide: Digital Nomad Visa Spain →
Non-Lucrative Visa - For Retirees and Passive Income
The Non-Lucrative Visa (Visado de Residencia No Lucrativa) is the route for people who want to live in Spain without working. It requires demonstrating sufficient passive income - pensions, investments, rental income - to support yourself without employment.
Who it's for: Retirees, early retirees, and anyone living on passive income. It does not permit work of any kind, including remote work for foreign employers. If you work remotely, the Digital Nomad Visa is the correct route.
Income requirement: Approximately €2,400 per month for a single applicant in 2026. Each additional family member adds approximately €600/month.
Duration: One year initially, renewable for two-year periods. Path to permanent residency after five years.
The tax angle: NLV holders do not qualify for Beckham Law - the regime applies only to people who move to Spain to work or run a business. Standard Spanish income tax applies to passive income.
Full guide: Non-Lucrative Visa Spain →
EU Residency Registration - For EU Citizens
EU citizens and their non-EU family members don't need a visa to live in Spain. They register as residents at the local town hall (empadronamiento) and apply for a green certificate (certificado de registro) rather than going through the consulate visa process.
After five years of legal residency, EU nationals can apply for long-term permanent residency. After ten years, citizenship may be available subject to meeting other conditions.
If you're a British national: this route applied before 31 December 2020. Since Brexit, UK nationals are treated as non-EU nationals for residency purposes and need either the Digital Nomad Visa or the Non-Lucrative Visa depending on their situation.
Work and Employment Visa
If you have a job offer from a Spanish employer, or are relocating within a multinational company, Spain's standard employment visa routes apply. Spain also has a highly-skilled worker route for certain professions under the Startups Act framework.
These are meaningfully different processes to the visas above - they're employer-led and depend on the Spanish company obtaining work authorisation. If this applies to you, an immigration lawyer is the most efficient starting point.
Which Route Fits Your Situation?
| Visa | Best for | Work permitted | Income threshold | Beckham Law eligible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Nomad Visa | Remote workers, freelancers | Remote/foreign only | ~€2,850/month | Yes |
| Non-Lucrative Visa | Retirees, passive income | No work at all | ~€2,400/month | No |
| EU Residency | EU citizens | Unrestricted | None | No |
| Work Visa | Spanish job offer / intra-company | Spanish employment | Employer-led | Depends on role |
The two routes most people are choosing instead of the Golden Visa are the DNV and the NLV. The deciding factor is usually simple: do you work, or don't you?
Spain Still Requires Genuine Residency
One thing worth noting about both the DNV and NLV compared to the old Golden Visa: they require you to actually live in Spain.
The Golden Visa had no minimum stay requirement - you could hold it without ever moving. Neither the DNV nor the NLV works that way. Both visas require genuine residency, and if you spend more than 183 days per year in Spain you become a Spanish tax resident, with the obligations that come with that.
That's a meaningful shift for anyone who was attracted to the Golden Visa as a backup plan or passport optionality play rather than a genuine relocation. If full Spanish residency isn't what you're looking for, these alternatives serve a different purpose.
When Do You Actually Need a Lawyer?
For the Digital Nomad Visa or Non-Lucrative Visa, many applicants handle the consulate application themselves if their documentation is clean and their situation is straightforward.
A lawyer adds real value when:
Your income is complex - multiple sources, currencies, or jurisdictions make the documentation case harder to present clearly.
You want Beckham Law alongside your DNV - it's a separate application with a hard six-month deadline from Spanish resident registration. Running it correctly requires a tax specialist. Miss the window and it's closed permanently.
You're applying from inside Spain - both the in-country DNV and NLV routes are more complicated than the consulate route and vary significantly by local Foreigners' Office.
You held a Golden Visa - if you're trying to transition from a former Golden Visa to one of the new routes, get professional advice on the cleanest way to handle the transition.
You'll also need a NIE number - Spain's tax identification number for foreigners - as part of whichever route you take.
Need help choosing the right Spain visa route?Find an English-speaking immigration lawyer who can review your situation before you apply.
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