Golden Visa to be eliminated in Spain

In 2013, the Spanish government under the then head of government Mariano Rajoy had decided to introduce a so-called golden visa (Ley 14/2013, de 27 de septiembre, de apoyo a los emprendedores y su internacionalización).

These visas grant investors a long-term residence permit (Residencia) as a kind of additional consideration for investments made in Spain.
This legislative measure was intended to attract foreign capital from investors outside the EU area who invested at least €500,000 in Spanish real estate.

The aim was to reduce the oversupply and vacancy rates of Spanish real estate caused by the Spanish financial and real estate crisis from 2008 by attracting foreign capital.
At the time, it was primarily the coastal areas in parts of Catalonia, Valencia on the Costa Blanca and Andalusia that were affected.

Spanish lawmakers have now passed Law 1/2025 of 2 January 2025, which will abolish the Golden Visa as of 3 April 2025.
Until that date, applications can still be submitted in accordance with the applicable provisions. Existing Golden Visas remain valid.

The primary reason for the legislative measure is the significant changes in the framework conditions of the Spanish economy since 2013:

Spain’s economy is booming and is leading in the EU in terms of economic growth and M&A activities by foreign investors.

The property market has also long since emerged from the crisis in many regions, particularly in coastal areas and metropolitan areas. In many regions, apartments are once again in short supply, with locals competing with foreign buyers.

In this context, the change in the law makes sense, but it could also prove problematic for certain investor groups, such as property buyers from the UK.