Spanish Golden Visa
On September 30th 2013, Spanish Parliament passed an important new law that aims to promote new business schemes within an international reach. Law 14/2013 regulates how to gain a residence permit when investing in Spain, most likely through buying property.
Only certain types of investment qualify in these circumstances. Though property is a popular choice, there are several possible investment paths to obtain a Golden Visa and Spanish residency. In all cases, you must be able to meet the minimum investment thresholds using your own money. These are the investment options available for Golden Visa applicants:
- Purchasing at least 500,000 € of Spanish real estate (can be a singular property or multiple smaller properties with an overall worth of 500,000 €)
- Buying shares in a Spanish company or investment funds worth at least 1,000,000 € or depositing this amount in a Spanish bank
- Acquiring Spanish Treasury Bonds of at least 2,000,000 € (investing in Spanish public debt)
- Investing in a major new business project in Spain that will provably create jobs, have a positive social and economic impact, or contribute to scientific and technological innovation
In principle, the minimum real estate investment is €500,000 per person for a residence permit. However, in the case of a family, further investigation should be conducted to show that the head of the family is able to support their dependants (spouse and children under the age of 18) through a Sponsorship letter.
The Spanish Golden Visa allows non-European citizens to obtain a permit allowing family residency. This visa can be renewed every 2 years, and after 5 years the opportunity to gain permanent residency in Spain arises. Once you have achieved 10 years of citizenship, you no longer need to stay in the country to retain and renew the Spanish Golden Visa, as you can apply for full-time citizenship.
The original visa remains valid for 1 year and can be extended and renewed as residency every 2 years. The same conditions apply for renewal as when the individual first obtained the Spanish Golden Visa. They must also travel to Spain at least once during their first year of residency.
Applicants must be able to meet all other requirements to become a resident, such as holding public or private health insurance, having appropriate resources for themselves and their family, and being able to prove a clean criminal record. You’ll also have to pay the application fees for all relevant documents for yourself and your family.
If you would like to find out more about the Spanish Golden Visa and receive assistance with your application, you can get in touch with Manzanares Lawyers by filling out our online form for a FREE consultation. You can also email us at clientservices@manzanareslawyers.com or call us on +34 952 59 50 42 (Alhaurin) or +34 952 82 41 12 (Marbella).
General Requirements
The documentation required to complete a Spanish Golden Visa application includes but is not limited to:
- Golden Visa application form and proof of payment of the application fee
- Valid passport plus 2 passport size photographs
- Recent bank statements or other proof of sufficient income to support your family
- Current police records showing no criminal history
- Health insurance certification from either a public or private Spanish provider
- Medical certificate proving you do not provide a public health risk
- Land Registry certificate (for property purchases)
- Statement from the Spanish Registrar of Foreign Investments of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (for investment in Spanish company stocks or shares)
- Certificate from the Bank of Spain or the relevant Spanish financial institution (for bank deposits or government bonds)
- Marriage or birth certificates for dependant family members
If the documents are not already written in Spanish, they must be translated into Spanish and apostilled in the country they were issued in.
FAQs
