Spain’s golden visa is not “paused,” “reformed” or “under review” — it is terminated. Organic Law 1/2025 ended the program on 3 April 2025; only applications filed before that date were grandfathered, with renewal rights preserved. Yet fifteen months later, the search demand hasn’t gone anywhere — because the reasons people wanted Spanish residency (lifestyle, EU access, family, language) haven’t gone anywhere either. This guide covers the real Spain golden visa alternatives in 2026: what still gets you into Spain, and when a different country’s program is the better answer.
The 2026 position (verified 25 July 2026): Spain no longer offers residency by investment. The open Spanish routes are the Non-Lucrative Visa (passive income, roughly €28,800/year for a single applicant at current IPREM multiples — no working in Spain), the Digital Nomad Visa (remote workers, income around €2,760+/month), and entrepreneur/highly-qualified routes. Uniquely, nationals of Ibero-American countries can naturalise after just 2 years of legal residence in Spain. Investors who specifically wanted a passive, investment-based EU residence now look to Portugal, Greece or Italy instead.
What ended, exactly
The golden visa (Ley 14/2013 investor residence permits — the €500,000 property route and its siblings) closed to new applicants on 3 April 2025, driven by housing-affordability politics. Existing holders keep their permits and renewals. Spain thereby joined the UK (2022), Ireland (2023) and the Netherlands (2024) in exiting investor residency — part of the broader European retreat we track on our program comparison page.
Route 1: The Non-Lucrative Visa — residency for passive income
The NLV is the closest surviving cousin to a golden visa in spirit: no Spanish employment, prove you can support yourself. The financial bar is set at 400% of Spain’s IPREM index for the main applicant — roughly €28,800/year at recent values, plus ~€7,200 per dependant (IPREM adjusts annually; confirm the current figure when applying). You’ll need private health insurance and a genuine intention to reside — the NLV expects real presence in Spain, which also means it can make you a Spanish tax resident. That last point is the big difference from the old golden visa: the NLV is for people who actually want to live in Spain, not just hold a permit.
Route 2: The Digital Nomad Visa — for working remotely
Spain’s DNV covers remote employees and freelancers working for non-Spanish companies, with an income requirement around €2,760+/month (tied to minimum-wage multiples; verify current figures). It permits living and working remotely from Spain and can lead to long-term residence. For a working professional the DNV is usually the practical answer; for a retiree or investor living on capital, the NLV is.
Route 3: Entrepreneur and highly-qualified routes
Spain’s startup/entrepreneur visa (innovative business plans endorsed by ENISA) and highly-qualified professional permits remain open. They’re genuine but conditional routes — you’re being admitted for what you’ll do in Spain, not for capital parked there.
The 2-year secret: the Ibero-American citizenship track
Spain’s headline advantage survives every program change: nationals of Ibero-American countries (most of Latin America), plus the Philippines, Andorra, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal, can apply for Spanish citizenship after only 2 years of legal residence — against 10 years standard. For a Mexican, Colombian, Argentine or Brazilian family, an NLV or DNV into that 2-year track remains one of the fastest realistic routes to an EU passport anywhere — faster now than Portugal’s post-2026 timeline. (Note: Spain generally requires renouncing your prior nationality at naturalisation, with exceptions for Ibero-American nationals in practice — take legal advice on your specific case.)
If what you really wanted was an EU golden visa
| If your priority was… | The 2026 answer |
|---|---|
| Passive investment, minimal presence, eventual EU passport | Portugal — €500k fund route, ~7 days/year presence, citizenship in 7-10 yrs |
| Property-backed EU residence (what Spain’s €500k route was) | Greece — €400k in most regions (€800k in prime zones; €250k only for special conversion/heritage cases) |
| Structured investment options with stable rules | Italy — €250k startup / €500k company / €2M bonds |
| Lowest-cost EU entry with income, not capital | Spain’s own NLV/DNV — cheaper than any golden visa, but with real presence expectations |
FAQ
Can I still apply for Spain’s golden visa anywhere, somehow?
No. New applications ended 3 April 2025. Anyone selling a workaround is selling something else — usually one of the routes above with a misleading label.
I hold a Spanish golden visa from before April 2025 — am I safe?
Pre-deadline permits were grandfathered with renewal rights. Keep renewals punctual and conditions met, and get professional confirmation at each renewal window.
Which alternative is fastest to EU citizenship?
For Ibero-American nationals: Spain itself, via the 2-year track. For everyone else: no fast EU option exists anymore — Portugal’s 7-10 years is the realistic benchmark, weighed against Malta-style routes that no longer exist and Caribbean passports that trade speed for EU access risk.
Sources
- IMI Daily — Spain’s golden visa is dead: three ways you can still move there
- KPMG Flash Alert — Spain ends its golden visa program
Verified 25 July 2026. Income thresholds (IPREM and minimum-wage multiples) adjust annually — confirm current figures before applying. Nothing here is legal, tax or immigration advice; no visa outcome can be guaranteed.