Spain’s Golden Visa is no longer available to new applicants. The investor residence route ended on 3 April 2025 under Ley Orgánica 1/2025, and no property purchase, bank deposit, or business investment made after that date qualifies for residency. If you already hold a permit or filed before the deadline, transitional rules may still protect your case, so check your file status now and speak to a Spanish immigration lawyer before making any further moves.
TL;DR: The Spain Golden Visa for new applicants closed on April 3, 2025, with no purchases or investments made afterward qualifying for residency. Existing permits can still be renewed if original conditions are maintained, but family members added after the deadline face stricter admissibility rules. New valid visa options include the non-lucrative, digital nomad, entrepreneur, work, and study visas, none of which are linked solely to property purchases. Investors must now follow specific eligibility criteria for each route, requiring proof of funds, a business plan, or employment, depending on the chosen visa. Buying property no longer guarantees residency; applicants should verify their status with legal advice and pursue the appropriate visa route based on their circumstances.
TL;DR:
Spain’s investor residence permit, introduced under Ley 14/2013, stopped accepting new applications on 3 April 2025. Ley Orgánica 1/2025 amended the underlying law and rendered the relevant investor articles without legal content from that date, closing the route for real estate, public debt, business shares, and bank deposits alike.
The old thresholds, for reference: the Ministry’s consular guidance confirms the route previously accepted real estate purchases of €500,000 or more, €2 million in Spanish public debt, or €1 million in shares, funds, or deposits.
If you want to verify anything for yourself rather than take a blog’s word for it, three sources matter:
Those June 2025 notes matter more than the headline law change, because they answer the practical question every existing holder has: what happens to my case?
Holding a Golden Visa already, or having filed before 3 April 2025, does not automatically mean smooth sailing. Renewal still depends on meeting the original conditions, and the June 2025 administrative criteria set out exactly what is and isn’t admissible now.
Three scenarios cover most cases:
Renewals are processed through the same UGE-CE channel that handled original applications, and officials expect documentary proof that the investment (property, deposit, or shares) still exists at renewal time, not just that it existed at approval.
Pro Tip: If you’re renewing, gather your Registro de la Propiedad extract or bank certificate well before your appointment. Authorities are asking for fresher, more detailed evidence than they did when Golden Visas were routine.
No single visa replicates what the Golden Visa offered: automatic residency from an investment, with no obligation to actually live in Spain. Every current route trades that flexibility for either genuine relocation, employment, or a real business. The route that suits you depends entirely on whether you intend to live in Spain or simply hold assets there.
None of these grants residency simply because you bought a Spanish property. That link, which made the Golden Visa so appealing, no longer exists for anyone applying today.
Work through these questions in order, and the right route usually becomes obvious quickly.
Pro Tip: Be wary of anyone suggesting a “new Golden Visa application” is still possible in 2026, or that a property purchase alone secures your residency. Neither claim holds up against the current law, and acting on either could cost you time and legal fees for nothing.
Whichever route you pursue, expect a similar paper trail: a valid passport, criminal record certificates from your country of residence, private health insurance valid in Spain, and clear evidence of funds calculated against the IPREM where relevant.
Processing happens at the Spanish consulate in your home country before travel, then continues in Spain for the TIE. Consular appointment systems and fee schedules vary by country, so check your local consulate’s page directly rather than relying on a fixed figure quoted elsewhere.
Property buyers converting from one investment type to another should note that some conversions are permitted under the June 2025 criteria, but converting into real estate after the cut-off is generally not admissible, according to legal practice commentary on the transitional rules.
Buying a villa in Sóller or a finca near Manacor is still a sound investment and a genuine lifestyle decision, but it no longer opens a residency door on its own. That distinction matters more than most guides admit: property purchases remain entirely legal and popular among international buyers, yet the direct route from purchase to permit closed on 3 April 2025.
Property still plays a supporting role in other applications. A deed or a Registro de la Propiedad extract can serve as proof of accommodation or ties to Spain when applying under the non-lucrative or entrepreneur routes, so keeping your paperwork organised has practical value beyond the transaction itself.
Vogue Properties Mallorca recommends buyers:
Pro Tip: If a residence permit matters to you, get legal advice on your visa route before you commit to a purchase, not after. It changes nothing about which house you buy, but it saves you from assuming the sale solves a problem it can no longer solve.
The single biggest mistake right now is conflating two decisions that used to be one. Buying in Mallorca and securing Spanish residency are separate questions with separate answers in 2026. Verify your own status with a qualified immigration lawyer, treat any property purchase on its own merits, and let the visa route follow from your actual circumstances, not from outdated assumptions about what a purchase used to guarantee.
— Sophie
If your priority has shifted from “which visa” to “which house”, Vogue Properties Mallorca is the practical next step for international buyers who want local knowledge without the guesswork of navigating an unfamiliar market alone. Where generic listing portals leave you comparing photos with no context, some agencies offer tailored area guidance, transaction support, and documentation help drawn from extensive experience across the island’s most sought-after locations.
Whether you’re drawn to a contemporary villa with panoramic sea views near Port d’Andratx or a traditional finca inland near Sóller, the agency’s team can walk you through the realistic costs, from transfer tax to community fees, well before you sign anything. Explore the current properties for sale in Mallorca to see what fits your budget and lifestyle, or browse the luxury villa portfolio if a standout home with room for guests and rental potential is what you have in mind. Get in touch to start a conversation about your search, on your terms, at your pace.
This article is general information, not a substitute for advice from a qualified lawyer. Consult a qualified legal professional about your own circumstances before acting on anything here.
No. The investor residence route closed to new applicants on 3 April 2025 under Ley Orgánica 1/2025, and no purchase or investment made since then qualifies for residency.
No. Buying property in Spain is a legal and common investment, but it no longer grants residency on its own; you need to qualify through a separate route such as the non-lucrative, digital nomad, or work visa.
This varies by nationality and changes frequently as countries revise their own investor programmes, so it’s worth checking each country’s current immigration authority directly rather than relying on comparison lists, since Spain’s own route is now closed.
New arrivals must qualify through routes like the non-lucrative visa (requiring proof of funds tied to the IPREM), the digital nomad visa, an entrepreneur project, or a work or study visa, since the investor route no longer exists for new applicants.