Spain's Golden Visa, which granted residence to buyers of property worth €500,000 or more, no longer exists. It was abolished by Organic Law 1/2025, and since 3 April 2025 no new applications have been accepted. Yet "Spain golden visa" remains one of the most searched immigration terms in Europe, and we still receive enquiries about it every month.
The good news is that Spain remains one of the most accessible countries in Europe for people who want to live there. The routes have simply changed. Here is where things stand in 2026, and which alternatives fit which profiles.
What happened to existing Golden Visa holders
Applications filed before 3 April 2025 kept transitional protection, and investors who already held a Golden Visa or investor residence can renew it for its original term. If you are in this position, check your renewal date carefully and prepare the file early.
Buying property in Spain is still entirely possible, of course. It simply no longer gives you a right to residence on its own.
The Non-Lucrative Visa: for retirees and people living on their means
The Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) is the natural successor for many former Golden Visa candidates: retirees, people living on investment income, and families who want to settle in Spain without working there.
- The financial requirement is set at 400% of IPREM, around €2,400 per month for the main applicant in 2026, plus 100% of IPREM (around €600 per month) for each family member.
- Private health insurance with a Spanish insurer, without co-payments, is required.
- The holder cannot work in Spain, including remote work for foreign clients. This is the point that most often catches applicants out.
The Digital Nomad Visa: for remote workers and freelancers
The digital nomad visa (officially the international teleworker visa) is designed for people who work remotely for companies or clients outside Spain.
- The income requirement is 200% of the Spanish minimum wage, around €34,188 per year (roughly €2,849 per month) in 2026, with additional amounts for family members.
- The applicant must show at least three months of work with the employer or clients, a qualification or relevant professional experience, and that the activity can be done remotely.
- Clients based in Spain are allowed only within a limited share of total income.
For Ibero-American nationals, including Brazilians, the digital nomad route has a further advantage: lawful residence counts towards Spanish nationality after two years, instead of the general ten.
Entrepreneurs and highly qualified professionals
The Law on Entrepreneurs (Law 14/2013), which created the Golden Visa, still contains other routes that remain in force:
- Entrepreneur residence, for people launching an innovative business in Spain, based on a favourable report on the business plan.
- Highly qualified professional residence, for senior managers and specialists hired by a Spanish company.
- Intra-company transfers and residence for researchers.
These routes are processed by the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE), often with shorter timelines than standard immigration procedures, and allow applications to be filed from within Spain in many cases.
Family routes
For people with family ties in Spain or the EU, family reunification and residence as the family member of an EU citizen remain available. They do not depend on investment at all, and they are often the strongest option when they apply.
Which route fits you?
- Retired, or living on savings and investments: the Non-Lucrative Visa.
- Working remotely for foreign employers or clients: the Digital Nomad Visa.
- Launching a business in Spain: entrepreneur residence.
- Hired by a Spanish company in a senior role: highly qualified professional residence.
- Family ties in Spain or the EU: a family route first.
Tax deserves its own attention. Becoming resident in Spain usually means becoming tax resident, and the special regime for inbound workers (the so-called Beckham Law) can apply to some remote workers and employees. This should be assessed with a tax adviser before the move, not after.
How we help
We work with clients moving to Spain from Brazil, the United States, the United Kingdom and elsewhere, and prepare digital nomad, non-lucrative and UGE applications from start to finish, including filings made from inside Spain. If you were planning a Golden Visa, we will look at your situation as a whole and tell you which of the current routes fits it best.