No — in 2026 you can no longer buy property in Spain in order to obtain residency: the investor "Golden Visa" was abolished by Ley Orgánica 1/2025, and since 3 April 2025 no new applications for it are accepted. A buyer can obtain a residence permit only on other grounds — for example, as the holder of a passive income of €2,400 a month or more (the visa that carries no right to work), or as a remote employee of a foreign company (the digital nomad visa). Below are the routes that are genuinely open, and what owning a home of your own does for you along the way.

Let me say at the outset: I am an estate agent, not an immigration lawyer. A visa decision is always a matter of working through your particular case with a specialist, and I send my own clients to the partner lawyers I work with. The point of this article is that you arrive at that consultation with the right expectations.

Can you get residency in Spain by buying property in 2026?

No. Ley Orgánica 1/2025 (published in the BOE, the official state gazette, on 3 January 2025) repealed articles 63–67 of Ley 14/2013, which governed the investor visa and investor residence permit — not only for property from €500,000, but also for investments in government debt, shares and bank deposits. That part of the law came into force three months after publication, on 3 April 2025.

There is no replacement — no "visa for a more expensive purchase", no regional programme. If someone offers you "residency through property in Spain" as a ready-made product, treat it as a warning sign.

What happens to people who already hold a Golden Visa?

The law provided transitional rules, and they are fairly generous:

Situation What happens
Application filed before 3 April 2025 Decided under the rules in force on the date it was filed
Visa or permit in force on 3 April 2025 Remains valid for the full term for which it was issued
Renewal of such a permit Decided under the rules in force on the date the original permit was issued

Which residency routes are left to a property buyer?

All of them rest on your income, your work or your nationality, not on a purchase. In brief, the main ones:

Route Who it suits Key requirement (2026) Work in Spain
Residence with no right to work (no lucrativa) People living on investments, pensioners, holders of capital 400% of IPREM — €2,400 a month + €600 for each family member; insurance No
Remote work (teletrabajo de carácter internacional) Employees and contractors of foreign companies 200% of SMI a month; at least 3 months' standing with the company Remotely only; up to 20% of income from Spanish clients if you work as a self-employed person
Highly qualified professional / entrepreneur Senior managers, specialists with an offer, founders of projects A contract with a company in Spain, or a favourable ENISA opinion on the business project Yes
EU citizen registration Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland Work, or sufficient means and insurance Yes
Family grounds Spouses and close relatives of EU and Spanish citizens, family reunification Depends on the ground As a rule, yes

How much income do you need for the visa with no right to work?

400% of IPREM a month for the applicant and 100% of IPREM for each family member. IPREM — the public income index Spain uses as a benchmark — was not revised in 2026 and stands at €600 a month, so the threshold is €2,400 a month (€28,800 a year) for a single applicant, plus a further €600 a month for a spouse or a child. For a couple that is €3,000 a month.

What matters about this route under the new Regulation on foreign nationals (Real Decreto 1155/2024, in force since 20 May 2025):

  • The application is made in person at the Spanish consulate for the place where you live, not in Spain.
  • You need medical insurance from a company operating in Spain, a criminal record certificate covering the last five years with an apostille and a sworn translation, and a medical certificate.
  • Means can be evidenced by any kind of proof, including title documents and bank statements.
  • The first permit is issued for one year, the renewal for two years. To renew, you must actually have lived in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year.
  • You may not work in Spain — neither as an employee nor for yourself.

Does the digital nomad visa suit a buyer?

Yes, if you work remotely for a company outside Spain or run your own business registered abroad. The legal basis is article 74 bis of Ley 14/2013; applications are decided by the Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE), the unit for large companies and strategic groups.

The main conditions, per UGE's official guidance:

  • income of no less than 200% of the minimum wage (SMI) a month — roughly €2,400–€2,850 a month, depending on how the figure is calculated (the SMI for 2026 was set by Real Decreto 126/2026: €1,221 a month over 14 payments); confirm the exact amount with the consulate;
  • for a second family member, a further 75% of SMI; for each one after that, 25% of SMI;
  • an employment or professional relationship with the company of at least three months, with the company itself trading for at least a year;
  • a higher education qualification or three years' experience in the profession.

From abroad you apply through the consulate for a one-year visa; if you are in Spain legally, you can apply straight away for the permit, which is issued for up to three years and renewed for two years.

And for highly qualified professionals and entrepreneurs?

These routes are also governed by Ley 14/2013 and decided by the UGE. A professional needs a contract with a company in Spain and confirmed qualifications; an entrepreneur needs a project that is innovative or economically significant for Spain, with a favourable opinion from the state agency ENISA. Salary thresholds and the requirements for the project depend on the individual case, so I do not quote figures here — they need checking together with a lawyer.

What about EU citizens and their family members?

An EU citizen needs no visa. If you live in Spain for longer than three months, you register in the Registro Central de Extranjeros, the central register of foreign nationals, and receive an EU citizen's certificate (form EX-18; the state fee is paid on form 790 código 012 — €12 in 2026). You need to show work, or sufficient means and medical insurance, or study. The spouse or partner of an EU citizen who is a third-country national can obtain a card as the family member of a Union citizen: for that you evidence the relationship, living together, and the EU citizen's means. Check the exact list of documents, and what level of means will be considered sufficient, with the foreigners' office (Oficina de Extranjería) or with a lawyer.

What does owning property give you, if not residency?

A home is no longer a ground for a visa, but it makes the practical side markedly easier:

  • Proof of accommodation. The consulate and the police want to see where you will be living. An extract from the property register (nota simple) or the purchase deed is the most reliable proof there is.
  • Town hall registration (empadronamiento). An owner has the easiest route to registering: in Barcelona this is done at the Ajuntament, the city hall, on the strength of your document of title to the home. Registration is needed for schools, healthcare, and many banking and tax procedures.
  • Proof of means. For the visa with no right to work, property can form part of the evidence pack for your financial standing — but it cannot stand in for a regular income.
  • Letting. If you are on the visa with no right to work, rental income does not count as "work", but it is taxed. How a purchase works step by step I set out in my guide to buying property in Spain as a foreigner, and the full costs in my guide to the cost of buying.

The first practical step towards any transaction is the NIE number: without it you can neither sign a contract nor pay the tax.

Common questions

Will Spain bring the Golden Visa back?

As of September 2026 there are no bills proposing the return of a visa for investment in property. Planning a purchase on the assumption that it will come back is not advisable.

Can you buy property in Spain without a residence permit?

Yes. A foreign national, including a non-resident, can buy a home in Spain without a residence permit; all you need is an NIE and, as a rule, a Spanish bank account. Buying and residency are now two independent procedures.

How much money do you need for the non-lucrative permit in 2026?

400% of IPREM: €2,400 a month, or €28,800 a year, for the applicant, and €600 a month for each family member. The means must be evidenced for the whole term of the permit.

Can you work remotely on the visa with no right to work?

On this visa you may not carry on any employed or professional activity in Spain. For remote work for a foreign employer there is a separate visa — teletrabajo de carácter internacional.

Will my Golden Visa be renewed if I sell the flat?

Renewal is decided under the rules in force on the date of issue, and those rules required the investment to be maintained. If you sell the property you will most likely lose that ground — so before you sell, discuss your situation with an immigration lawyer.

If you are choosing where to live in Barcelona or on the coast to fit your visa scenario, start with my guide to the best neighbourhoods in Barcelona — and we will check the residency route together with a lawyer.

Sources

The official documents and data this article rests on. Links checked on 20 September 2026.

This information is current as of September 2026 and is not legal advice on immigration matters. Requirements and amounts change; before filing your papers, confirm them with an immigration lawyer and with the Spanish consulate.