Spanish residency for non-EU buyers after the Golden Visa closure

No. The property-based Golden Visa closed on 3 April 2025 under Organic Law 1/2025. Purchasing a home on the Costa del Sol, regardless of value, no longer supports a residence application for you or your family. Property ownership and immigration status are now entirely separate matters. You can of course buy a Spanish home as a non-resident and use it under the 90/180 Schengen rule, but to live in Spain you need an independent residence route such as the non-lucrative visa, the digital nomad permit, a work permit or EU mobility from another member state. Confirm your individual position with a Spanish immigration lawyer.

Existing investor permits issued before 3 April 2025 are generally being honoured, and renewals are continuing under transitional rules. Applications filed before the cut-off date are being processed under the prior regime. However, no new property-based file can be opened after the closure date. If you hold a current investor permit, plan renewals carefully and keep evidence that the qualifying investment remains in place. The political direction suggests further tightening is possible, so some holders are converting to alternative permits or pursuing long-term residence once the five-year threshold is reached. Take case-specific legal advice before any renewal.

The non-lucrative visa threshold is pegged to the IPREM, which is reset annually. The main applicant must show 400% of the annual IPREM, plus 100% per dependant. In 2025 that meant roughly €28,800 per year for the principal applicant and around €7,200 per additional family member. The 2026 figures will follow the updated IPREM published in the State Budget. Consulates accept a combination of pensions, rental income, dividends, investment returns and savings. Remote work for a foreign employer is not accepted on the NLV; for that you need the digital nomad permit. Verify current thresholds with the relevant Spanish consulate.

Yes. The digital nomad residence permit, introduced by the Startups Law in December 2022, was designed precisely for this. You can work remotely for a non-Spanish employer, or freelance for international clients provided no more than 20% of your income comes from Spanish sources. You need a qualifying employment or client relationship of at least three months, an employer or main client active for at least one year, income of roughly 200% of the Spanish minimum wage, private health insurance and social security coverage. The permit runs for up to three years and can be applied for from within Spain on a tourist entry.

Not directly. Property ownership no longer triggers any visa. However, having a Spanish address can support practical elements of other applications. The NLV and family reunification routes require evidence of adequate accommodation, and owning a home satisfies that test cleanly. A Spanish property also helps demonstrate ties to Spain at renewal stage and supports nationality applications down the line. It is useful supporting evidence, not a qualifying criterion. Plan property and residency as two separate workstreams, ideally with coordinated advice from a conveyancing lawyer and an immigration specialist before committing to either.

The Beckham regime, under Article 93 of the Personal Income Tax Law, lets qualifying newcomers be taxed as non-residents for up to six years. Spanish-source employment income is taxed at a flat 24% up to €600,000 (47% above), and most foreign-source income falls outside Spanish tax. Digital nomad permit holders and certain HQP arrivals can opt in, subject to conditions including five years of prior non-residency in Spain and the nature of the activity. The regime remains available after the Golden Visa closure. It is a powerful planning tool but technical, so confirm eligibility with an asesor fiscal before relying on it.

Yes, all the main routes accommodate families, though the mechanism varies. The digital nomad and highly-qualified professional permits allow joint application from day one for spouses, registered partners, dependent children and dependent parents. The non-lucrative visa also permits simultaneous family inclusion, with income thresholds increased by 100% of the IPREM per dependant. Standard family reunification under the general regime requires the sponsor to have one year of legal residence first, plus evidence of adequate housing and income. Costa del Sol property easily satisfies the housing test. Higher financial thresholds apply where several dependants are involved.

Yes. If you hold EU long-term resident status under Directive 2003/109, granted after five years of legal residence in another member state such as Portugal, Ireland or Germany, you can apply to move to Spain under a simplified mobility procedure. You need to evidence sufficient means and accommodation. This route has become more relevant since the Spanish Golden Visa closure, particularly for buyers who previously used other countries' investor programmes. EU Blue Card holders can also move to Spain after 12 months in the first member state, provided they meet Spanish Blue Card salary and qualification thresholds. Take legal advice on the specific documentation.

The standard threshold is ten years of legal residence for most non-EU nationals. Citizens of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal and Sephardic Jews of Spanish origin qualify after just two years. After five years of continuous legal residence under any of the current permits, you can apply for long-term residence, which offers greater stability and freer movement within the EU. Spanish nationality requires passing the DELE A2 language exam and the CCSE constitutional and cultural test, plus demonstrating integration. Spain generally does not permit dual nationality except for citizens of the qualifying countries listed above.