What changed
- No new applications based on real estate or other investments have been accepted since 3 April 2025.
- Existing holders keep their permits and, in general, can renew them under the rules that applied when they were granted. Check with a lawyer about your own case.
Why
The government said it wanted to ease pressure on housing in cities and tourist areas where prices had risen sharply.
Routes that remain
- Digital nomad visa for remote workers.
- Non-lucrative visa for people living on savings or pensions.
- Work permits and the highly qualified professional visa (with a job offer).
- Entrepreneur visa for innovative business projects.
- Student visa, which allows part-time work.
- Family routes (spouses and relatives of EU or Spanish citizens).
Buying property without the golden visa
Non-EU citizens can still buy property in Spain. Buying does not by itself give a right to live there beyond the normal 90 days in 180. A proposal to tax property purchases by non-EU buyers at up to 100% was announced in January 2025 but had not been debated in parliament as of early 2026. See our property-buying guide.
Official sources: Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (visas)
