Residency Benefits Through Real Estate Investment in Spain: Visa and Residency Permits for International Buyer

⚠️ Important Update (April 2025): The residency pathway through real estate investment, known as the Golden Visa, has been abolished in Spain effective as of April 3, 2025. The remaining investment pathways outlined in this article (financial assets and business projects) remain fully operational. If you are looking to purchase a property in Valencia as an international investor, please contact us — we can advise you on the alternative options currently available.

Spain, with its fascinating history, vibrant culture, beautiful landscapes and rich gastronomy, has become one of the most attractive destinations for international investors looking to invest in luxury real estate in Europe. 

If you are considering the possibility of living in Spain and enjoying all of its benefits, investing in real estate as a foreigner could be your way in. 

Through programs designed to attract foreign investors, Spain offers the opportunity to obtain a visa and residency by investment to those interested in moving to this country.

Types of residence permit for investment in Spain

It is necessary to differentiate between the two types of residence permit in Spain, the visa and the residence authorization, regarding the acquisition of properties:

• Visa: when the applicant is outside Spain, he/she can apply for a permit to reside and work in the whole national territory if he/she would like to do so. The duration of the permit is 1 year. After the year has ended, the applicant must apply for a residence permit.

For the purchase of a property through an earnest money contract, the time limit is 6 months. Once the earnest money contract has been formalized, the visa or residence authorization must be requested.

• Residence authorization: when the applicant is legally living in Spain, he/she will be granted a 3-year permit to reside and work anywhere in Spain, if he/she desires to do so.

Once the period has been completed, the authorization may be renewed for five-year periods, as long as the conditions that granted the authorization are met.

Submitting the application for residency

To apply for the visa, the paperwork needs to be done in person, and you must go to the diplomatic missions and consular offices of Spain in your country of residence. 

Under exceptional circumstances, and for justified reasons, the Consulate may authorize a representative who is properly accredited to submit the application. 

Before beginning the application, you should verify the specific procedures at the corresponding diplomatic mission or consular office.

The application for residency authorization is done electronically, through the electronic office of the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Específicos UGE-CE in Spanish).

Authorization of Spanish residence due to an investment

Foreigners who make a significant capital investment may apply for residence in Spain due to the invested. The following are the minimum investment requirements:

• An investment in financial assets and making an initial deposit, that is equal to or greater than any of the following amounts:

• 2 million euros in Spanish public debt titles.
• 1 million euros in shares or participations in Spanish capital companies with a real business activity.
• 1 million euros in investment funds, closed-end funds or venture capital funds established in Spain.
• 1 million euros in bank deposits to Spanish financial institutions.
• The acquisition of real estate in Spain: with an investment equal to or greater than 500,000 euros.
• Investment in a business project to be developed in Spain and that is considered and proven to be of general interest in terms of job openings, as well as an investment that has a significant socio-economic impact or scientific/technological innovation.

Who can apply for investment residency in Spain?

In order to apply for residency in Spain by investing in real estate, you must meet the following requirements: 

1. Not to be illegally living in Spanish territory.
2. Be over 18 years of age.
3. Not to have a criminal record in Spain and in the countries where you have lived during the last five years, for crimes foreseen in the Spanish legal system.
4. Not to be prohibited the entry in Spain and not to appear as inadmissible in the territories where Spain has signed an agreement in this regard.
5. To have sufficient economic resources for yourself and for the members of your family during your period of residence in Spain.
6. To have a health insurance policy with an insurance company licensed to operate in Spain.
7. Pay the fee for processing the authorization and, if applicable, the visa.

By meeting those requirements, you are eligible for what is called the Golden Visa.

Situation of the investor’s relatives

Your family members can also apply for the residence authorization or the visa, either together and at the same time or after each other: 

• The spouse or person with similar emotional relationship (live-i n significant other).
• The underage or older children who still depend economically on that person and who have not constituted a family unit on their own.
• The first-degree dependents of the applicant or of his/her spouse or partner.

In order to obtain the investment residency in Spain, these family members must prove that they meet the same requirements as the applicant.

Documents required to apply for Spanish residency by investing in real estate

In order to receive the residence permit for the purchase of real estate in Spain, you must prove that you have the ownership of the property by providing a certificate of ownership and taxes issued by the Land Registry that corresponds to the property or properties.

As we have explained above, it is necessary to prove an investment in luxury real estate of 500,000 euros, free of charges or taxes. 

The part of the investment that exceeds the required amount may be subject to charges or taxes.

If the purchase has not been completed, you must provide a pre-contract as a guarantee of completion through earnest money. 

This way, you can formalize in a public document and have a certificate issued by a financial institution in Spain, stating that the applicant has an unavailable bank deposit with the amount required for the purchase, including charges and taxes.

We hope that all the above information has been helpful to you!

If you are interested in obtaining a residency authorization or a visa as an investor, do not hesitate to contact us. We also have an International Buyer’s Guide, where you can find the best areas to live in Valencia. 

In Monserrate Inmobiliaria we will be happy to help and advise you in the process of applying for an investment residency authorization in Spain.

As well as looking for the nicest houses available in the best residential areas near Valencia, such as the urbanization of Los Monasterios. There is no doubt that Spain is an excellent choice as an investment, so if you have decided to establish your residence here, we recommend taking a look at the best areas to live with your family in Valencia.