Spain Golden Visa 2026 — What Has Actually Changed for Foreign Property Buyers

Spain's Golden Visa — the residency-by-investment program that for over a decade granted residency to non-EU buyers investing €500,000+ in Spanish property — was ended for new property-based applications by legislation in 2024. The change took effect in 2025. For foreign buyers evaluating Spanish property in 2026, this is the most important regulatory shift in a decade.

What ended

The €500,000 property route for non-EU nationals seeking Spanish residency was discontinued. New applications submitted after the legislation's effective date are not accepted on the property-investment basis.

What remains

Several alternative residency routes for non-EU nationals still exist in Spain:

• Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) — for those with sufficient passive income who will not work in Spain. Roughly €30,000+ per year of provable income required.
• Digital Nomad Visa — for remote workers employed by non-Spanish companies.
• Highly Qualified Professional Visa (under Startup Act) — for executives and skilled professionals.
• Other investment-based routes — government bonds, Spanish companies, bank deposits (€1M+) — remain available but were never the popular path.

What it does not change

EU and EEA citizens can buy property in Spain with no residency implications either way. Non-EU citizens can still buy property freely — the change only ended the visa-linked aspect, not the right to purchase.