Buying a home in Spain doesn’t automatically entitle you to residency, but it can be a vital step in the process. This guide covers the visa options that can lead to temporary or permanent residency, and the role property ownership plays in supporting your application.

Some buyers are planning a permanent move to Spain. Others just want to spend more than 90 days a year in their Spanish property. Either way, you’ll usually need to apply for a visa.

Buying a property shows your intent to settle, but it’s not a direct path to residency. The good news is that Spain offers several visa options for non-EU citizens who want to stay longer. Some of those routes lead to permanent residency and even citizenship.

Below we explain the visa types available, how property ownership supports an application and the steps involved. Our Spain buying guides and advice cover the wider purchase process alongside it.

Key takeaway: Buying a home in Spain does not grant residency, at any price. The property-based golden visa closed to new applicants on 3 April 2025. Non-EU owners wanting more than 90 days in any 180-day period need a visa in their own right, usually the non-lucrative or digital nomad visa. Property ownership supports an application but never replaces one.

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What happened to Spain’s golden visa?

Until April 2025, a property worth €500,000 (approximately £425,000) or more could lead to a residency visa under Spain’s investor scheme. It was widely known as the golden visa, and many buyers still ask about it. So it’s worth being clear about where things stand.

Organic Law 1/2025 removed the legal basis for the investor visa, and the change took effect on 3 April 2025. Since that date, no new applications based on a property purchase, or any other qualifying investment, have been accepted. Buying a home in Spain, at any price, no longer leads directly to a residency permit.

If you already hold a golden visa granted before that date, your permit stays valid. Renewals are handled under the rules that applied when it was issued. For anyone applying now, the routes below are what’s available.

Understanding the 90/180 day rule

Owning property in Spain doesn’t exempt you from Schengen rules. Non-EU nationals can only spend 90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area. That includes British, American, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passport holders. After that, you’ll need to leave the entire zone, not just Spain.

This restriction is critical if you’re planning to split your time between Spain and your home country. If you want to stay longer than 90 days, you’ll need to apply for a residence visa.

Temporary Spanish residence

SpaiSpain offers several routes to temporary residency, depending on your circumstances. While property ownership isn’t enough on its own to qualify, it can help demonstrate that you have somewhere to live. You may be eligible if you fall into one of the following categories:

• Worker with a qualifying Spanish job offer
• Family member of a Spanish citizen who meets the relevant eligibility requirements
• Student enrolled on an eligible course in Spain (under a study authorisation)
• Self-employed person planning to run a business in Spain
• Entrepreneur planning to establish an innovative business that could benefit Spain’s economy

Visa routes to Spanish residency

If you’re a non-EU citizen buying a home with the goal of living in Spain, you’ll need a visa that leads to residency. Here are the main types available now the golden visa has closed:

Visa type	Requirements	Work allowed?
Non-lucrative visa (NLV)	Proof of sufficient financial means – generally €28,800 annually for the main applicant, plus €7,200 per dependant, based on IPREM. Savings or qualifying regular income may be accepted. Health insurance and a clean criminal record are also required.	No
Digital nomad visa	Remote income from outside Spain, health insurance, background check, minimum income (varies)	Yes – remote work for overseas employers or clients. Self-employed applicants may also undertake limited work for Spanish clients.

Which of the two fits depends less on your budget than on whether you intend to keep working. The non-lucrative visa rules out all work, including remote work for an employer outside Spain. Buyers who plan to keep earning tend to look at the digital nomad route instead.

How to apply for a Spanish visa

Visa applications are often submitted through the Spanish consulate responsible for your place of residence, although some residence routes allow applications from within Spain. The documents you’ll need depend on the visa you’re applying for, but common requirements include:

• Valid passport
• Evidence of sufficient funds or qualifying income
• Health insurance meeting the relevant visa requirements
• Completed visa application form
• Criminal record check and medical certificate, where required
• Evidence of employment, business activity or family circumstances, depending on the visa

If you’re buying property, you’ll also need an NIE number for the purchase process. However, owning a property and having an NIE don’t automatically qualify you for residency.

The funds requirement catches people out, because the threshold is set in euros while the savings usually sit in sterling. A few cents on the rate can move a €28,800 balance either side of the line. It’s worth reading how currency transfers and property purchases work before you have a bank certificate issued.

“The application timeline we always advise all our clients: start the application process, gathering all the documentation, three to four months before the intended move.”

– Raquel Perez, founder and managing director of Perez Legal Group

Registering your residency

Once you’ve received permission to live in Spain, there are a few administrative steps to complete.

Most non-EU residents staying for more than six months must apply for a foreigner identity card (TIE), usually within one month of entering Spain or receiving their residence authorisation.

You’ll also normally need to register your address with the local town hall through the padrón municipal. This confirms where you live and helps local authorities plan services such as healthcare, waste collection and education.

The exact requirements and deadlines depend on your nationality and residence status, so check these with your local authorities.

Tax residency rules in Spain

You may be classed as a tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Spain during a calendar year. You could also be considered a tax resident if your main economic interests are based there. The authorities may presume you’re resident if your spouse and dependent minor children usually live in Spain, although this can be challenged with evidence.

Tax residency affects how you’re taxed on your income and assets, so it’s worth seeking specialist advice before you move.

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Benefits of gaining Spanish residency

Becoming a legal resident allows you to live in Spain beyond the usual 90-day visitor limit. Depending on your circumstances, you may also qualify for public healthcare, although some residents need private health insurance. If you’re moving your main home to Spain, you may be able to bring your personal belongings without paying import duties, provided you meet the relevant customs requirements.

After five years of continuous legal residence, you may qualify for long-term residency. Spanish citizenship is generally possible after ten years of legal residence, although exceptions and additional conditions apply.

Residency also makes daily life easier. Opening bank accounts, setting up utilities and registering for services can all become smoother once you’re legally resident.

What should I do next?

If a move to Spain is on the cards, settle the visa question alongside the property search rather than after it. Work out which route fits your income and your plans to keep working. That single question usually decides between the non-lucrative and digital nomad visas.

With a route in mind, the practical detail comes next. Many buyers we help start with the Spanish buying process step by step. They then narrow down where they want to be by browsing homes for sale in Spain in the regions on their shortlist. It’s also worth speaking to one of our Spain property experts before you commit to a budget. The visa route you choose can affect what you need to prove, and when.

Summary

• Buying a home in Spain doesn’t by itself grant residency, at any budget.
• The property-based golden visa closed to new applicants on 3 April 2025.
• Non-EU buyers who want more than 90 days in any 180-day period need a visa, usually the non-lucrative or digital nomad visa.
• The non-lucrative visa requires proof of sufficient financial means, generally €28,800 annually for the main applicant plus €7,200 per dependant, based on current IPREM calculations. Qualifying savings or regular income may be accepted.
• The non-lucrative visa also rules out remote work, which pushes many working buyers towards the digital nomad route.
• Staying more than 183 days in a year usually makes you a Spanish tax resident.
• It’s worth speaking to a specialist before choosing a route, since each has different work rights and renewal conditions.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. Ley Orgánica 1/2025 – Boletín Oficial del Estado – the law that repealed Spain’s investor (golden visa) residency route, effective 3 April 2025.
2. Programa de Residencia para Inversores y Emprendedores – Ministerio de Industria y Turismo – official confirmation of the investor visa’s closure and the transitional renewal rules for existing holders.

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