Spain Residency by Investment
The Spanish Golden Visa Program offers a range of investment options such as purchasing a property for least of €500,000, or making a bank deposit of a minimum of €1,000,000, or investing €1,000,000 in business, or €2,000,000 in government bonds. The most popular option is a real estate investment into property in Spain as an alternative residence in the Mediterranean to enjoy with the family. The investment always remains yours and can be released after 5 years. Minimum Investment period – 5 years. In order to keep and renew your residence permit, you will need to ensure that you maintain your investments. If your main objective is to obtain permanent residency in Spain, once obtained, you can release your investments.
Investment Options
The main applicant must be at least 18 years of age and possess a clean criminal record and a private or public health insurance policy. Eligible dependents include the spouse, children under the age of 18, children over the age of 18 who are dependent on the main applicant due to health reasons, and the parents of the main applicant together with the parents of the spouse.
Applicants selecting this investment route are required to invest a minimum of €500,000 in Spanish real estate.
Applicants can opt for a residential or commercial property, or a combination of both, and such the property may be rented out. Different buyers may also combine their investment into one property, and any amount exceeding the minimum investment may be mortgaged out.
Applicants may opt to invest to either of
The business development route is aimed at boosting the Spanish economy. An applicant opting for this route must satisfy one of the following conditions:
1) create employment
2) the investment needs to have socioeconomic impact on the country
3) contribute to scientific/technological innovations.
Visa-free Travel
Belgium
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
American Samoa
Angola
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bolivia
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Cambodia
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Chile
Colombia
Comoros
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia
Curacao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands, Malvinas
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Gibraltar
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niue
Norfolk Island
Northern Mariana Islands
Oman
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion
Romania
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin, French Part
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Singapore
Sint Maarten, Dutch Part
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Korea
Sri Lanka
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
US Virgin Islands
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Wallis and Futuna
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Benefits
Visa-free travel within the entire Schengen Area
Leads to PR after 5 years of temporary residence
Leads to citizenship after 10 years residency
Citizenship for life, with the right to live and work in all 28 EU countries
Discretion throughout the application process
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Contact Passport Central to schedule a free consultation by phone or by skype. We will answer in detail to all your questions so that you can decide whether the Spanish Golden Visa Program can be applied in your situation.
2. Get to know the real-estate offering on-line. Depending on your search criteria, we can introduce you to a realtor from our network of prestigious, trustworthy and officially registered real-estate agents that our previous clients have been satisfied with.
3. Choose the property you like the best.
4. Open a Spanish bank account for the transaction. This is the only other thing you need to do in person while in Spain, everything else can be done remotely on your behalf by Power of Attorney.
The Golden Visa differs radically from traditional Spanish residency permits in a number of aspects.
- The renewal of a Golden Visa does not require a minimum annual stay in Spain.
- The Golden Visa has an easier and faster application procedure. If the minimum investment is made and the applicant does not have a criminal record, the visa is practically always granted provided the application has been properly prepared and submitted.
- The Golden Visa includes a working permit, the holder is automatically granted the right to work in Spain along with the right to reside in Spain.
- The Golden Visa allows the investor to bring along his or her immediate family.
The initial investor’s residency permit is valid for two years and can be extended upon expiry for a period of five years, as long as you maintain the minimum level of investment.
The investors can bring their family members on the same visa as long as their children are under 18 years old or spouses or partners. Also, children over 18 and parents can be brought along as long as they are economically dependent on the investor. For instance, a child of 20 years old studying at the university and no income of his/her own is considered a member dependent. However, please note that when children get marry they stop being part of the investor’s family and therefore they are not eligible as family members.
The investor’s family members living in Spain do have the option of obtaining a long-term residency permit after five years of effective residence which means that they are free to sell the investment.
As for citizenship, this is an option after two or ten years of effective residency in Spain.
No, there is no limit to the number of times that the Golden Visa can be extended, but it is necessary to maintain the minimum investment at all times. A holder of a Golden Visa, however, is allowed to switch between types of investments, for example, from one property to another or from an investment in real estate to the holding of the minimum amount in a bank deposit.
Yes, if you actually live in Spain permanently with your Golden Visa, your status can become a long-term resident after five years. The main effect is that you do not have to maintain the investment to keep your resident status. There is also the possibility to apply for a change of residency to another EU country.
If you live in Spain permanently, you can obtain Spanish citizenship after 10 years. Latin American citizens and those of certain other countries, however, can seek to attain citizenship after just two years.
The option to apply for citizenship applies only to investors who actually reside in Spain. Investors who come to Spain only occasionally with their Golden Visa are not eligible for citizenship.
