Spain’s Golden Visa Is Closed: What’s Left in 2025 and How to Move via Alternative Programs

On April 3, 2025, Spain officially ended the “Golden Visa” program. Organic Law 1/2025 repealed Articles 63–67 of the 2013 law, which for more than a decade allowed well-capitalized foreign nationals to obtain Spanish residency by purchasing real estate.

If you were planning to relocate to Spain through investment, it may seem like the door has closed. But it hasn’t: other lawful routes remain for obtaining residency and later securing longer-term status.

Important: the entry ticket has changed. You can no longer simply “pay for an apartment” and automatically get residency. You now must meet the requirements of the relevant program—such as working remotely, retiring/receiving passive income, or launching a business.

Below are three main routes available after the Golden Visa was scrapped, with the prospect of permanent residency (long-term status) after 5 years and citizenship after 10 years. For citizens of certain countries with historical ties (including a number of Ibero-American countries, as well as the Philippines and Equatorial Guinea), the path to citizenship may take 2 years.

Digital Nomad Visa and the “Beckham tax” regime

Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) launched in January 2023 under the Startup Law (Law 28/2022). The scheme is designed for remote workers employed by foreign companies, or self-employed professionals whose clients are primarily outside Spain.

To qualify, you must prove that your income is roughly 200% of Spain’s minimum wage—about €2,849 per month (taking into account the scheduled indexation of the minimum wage in January 2026). You also typically need a university degree or 3 years of relevant experience, plus private medical insurance with no co-pay. Employment requirement: at least 80% of your activity must be linked to employers/clients outside Spain.

If you apply from abroad, the initial visa is issued for 1 year. Once in Spain, it can be converted into a residence permit for up to 3 years, with an additional extension of 2 years. After 5 years of continuous legal residence, you can apply for permanent residency.

One reason the DNV is so popular—beyond status—is a strong tax option. Visa holders may apply for the Special Tax Regime for Impatriates (often referred to as the “Beckham tax” regime). Under it, Spanish-source income is taxed at a fixed rate of 24% for up to 6 years for income up to €600,000 per year. Amounts above that threshold are taxed at 47%.

The key advantage is not only the rate. Under this regime, you are treated as a tax non-resident. That means non-employment foreign income—such as dividends, rental income from property located abroad, and capital gains on foreign assets—is not taxed in Spain. There is also an exemption from Spanish wealth tax for assets held outside the country.

By comparison: under standard residency status, progressive rates apply and can reach 47% on worldwide income (and in some regions even higher). The difference versus the “Beckham tax” regime can be substantial.

The only critical condition: you must file an application with the Spanish Tax Agency within 6 months after starting work/activity in Spain. Miss the deadline and you lose access to the “Beckham tax” regime.

Hard, but real: the Non-Lucrative Visa (for people with funds, not work)

If you don’t plan to work in Spain and want to move using savings or passive income, the Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV)—a “no right to work” visa—may fit. It’s one of the clearest options for retirees, FIRE relocations, and those who are financially independent.

The financial threshold is relatively accessible: you must show passive income or savings of €28,800 per year for the main applicant (roughly 400% IPREM). For each dependent, add €7,200 per year.

Eligible sources include, in particular: pensions, annuities, rental income from property abroad, Social Security payments, and investment dividends. The core rule is the income must be passive. Under this visa, you cannot work in Spain, including remote employment.

Spanish immigration authorities closely enforce this distinction. If your main source of funds is remote work, the NLV is the wrong choice. Authorities draw a clear line between the digital nomad route and the visa without the right to work.

Validity: the visa is initially issued for 1 year, then extended in 2-year periods. After 5 years of legal residence, you can apply for permanent residency. Citizenship follows the standard timeline of 10 years, or 2 years for citizens of certain countries with historical ties.

In 2025, an important condition changed: the Spanish government reintroduced a requirement for physical presence—at least 183 days per year to maintain status under the NLV. If your goal is to obtain residency while living in Spain only minimally, this option is no longer suitable.

Entrepreneur Visa: for those ready to build a business

One of the least discussed, but potentially powerful, routes after the Golden Visa is gone is the Entrepreneur Visa.

It grants residence to non-EU citizens who propose an innovative business in Spain with “special economic relevance.” The program was not affected by the end of the Golden Visa because it relies on other provisions of Law 14/2013.

The process starts with a business plan submitted to ENISA—the Spanish National Innovation Company. ENISA evaluates the project against two key criteria: innovation and scalability. The focus is not on traditional offline formats, but on models with a technological component, strong growth potential, and/or measurable socio-economic impact—capable of creating jobs in Spain.

If ENISA issues a positive report, the applicant then obtains the residence permit through the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE). ENISA review may take up to 3 months, but once ENISA is positive, processing in the UGE typically takes about 20 business days. As a result, the final stage can be among the fastest in Spanish immigration practice.

The first authorization is granted for 3 years, then extended in 5-year periods. Unlike the Golden Visa, this route requires genuine residence: to keep the status, you must be in Spain for at least 6 months per year. Financially, the baseline is comparatively moderate: the official reference is 100% IPREM (about €7,200 per year) for the main applicant, but in practice consulates often expect proof of higher funds.

After Startup Law took effect in 2023, holders of the Entrepreneur Visa may also apply for the “Beckham tax” regime. That means a fixed 24% rate on Spanish income and exemption from Spanish tax on foreign non-employment income for the first 6 years.

Analyst Jacinto Soler-Matutes, who studied the timeline for the Golden Visa closure for IMI Daily, noted that the remaining alternatives require actual presence for at least 6 months per year, unlike the minimum presence requirements that were typical of the Golden Visa.

The big idea: Spain changes the entry rules, not the end goal

The Golden Visa attracted investors who placed capital in real estate and spent little time in the country. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez explained the shutdown as a response to the housing crisis: he said that in 2023, non-residents from outside the EU acquired about 27,000 properties, and some purchases were made not for living but for short-term rentals via platforms like Airbnb.

Another factor was the discussion of initiatives that could raise the cost of real estate investment. For example, a proposal to introduce 100% tax on purchases of real estate by non-EU residents without residency status could change the economics for those who viewed Spanish property purely as an investment asset.

At the same time, the alternative programs that remain available share one common element: they all require you to live in Spain. Remote workers support the local economy. Retirees spend money in Spanish shops and restaurants. Entrepreneurs create jobs.

The outcome is the same across all routes: permanent residency after 5 years and citizenship after 10 years (or 2 years for a number of countries with historical ties). What changes is the entry ticket: instead of buying an asset for half a million euros, you need a plan for how you will build your life in Spain—not just a portfolio of assets.

Planning a move to Spain, but the Golden Visa route is no longer available? At Digital Nomad, we help you choose the best legal alternatives — including the Digital Nomad Visa and other investment/residency options depending on your profile. We’ll assess your case, prepare the document checklist, and outline a clear path toward residency, long-term status, and next steps in 2025. Get started here: https://digital-nomad.gr/en/goldenvisa

Our Telegram channel about various types of Greek residence permits, digital nomad programs, and the Greek Golden Visa: @digitalnomadgr