Spain Golden Visa - Touchstone Lifestyle

Spain - Golden Visa

The Spain Golden Visa program is a pathway for non-European investors and their families to obtain residency in Spain by investing in real estate. By investing in properties meeting the specified financial threshold, investors can secure residency permits, allowing them to live, work, and study in Spain, with the possibility of eventually obtaining permanent residency or citizenship.

Program Overview:

Spain is in the EU since 1985 and in the Schengen area since 1995. The country’s high standards of living and developing economy are the factors that make it an attractive option for relocation. Both families and businesses nowadays treat Spain as an important candidate for future investments.

Especially for non-EU nationals who want to pursue their career or life goals in Europe, Spain Golden Visa Program is a great option. It allows one to reside, study, and work in Spain. In addition, it may also lead to permanent residency, and eventually citizenship.

After five years of temporary residence, you may apply for permanent residency in Spain. Following 10 years of permanent residency, you may apply for citizenship through the process of naturalisation, provided that certain criteria are met.

Program Benefits:

Residency Rights: The Golden Visa offers a streamlined pathway to Spanish residency for investors and their families. It allows visa-holders to reside, work, and study in Spain, providing access to public services and benefits.

Flexible Investment Options: Investors have various options to meet the investment threshold, typically starting at €500,000, by investing in real estate, which can include residential, commercial properties, or land.

Schengen Zone Access: Holders of the Spain Golden Visa enjoy visa-free travel within the Schengen Area, comprising 26 European countries, allowing freedom of movement across participating nations for business or leisure.

Family Benefits: The program extends to the immediate family, including spouses, dependent children, and, in some cases, dependent parents. Each family member can apply for residency under the main investor’s application.

Potential for Permanent Residency and Citizenship: After residing in Spain for a certain period under the Golden Visa, investors may be eligible to apply for permanent residency or citizenship, offering long-term settlement options.

Quality of Life: Spain’s attractive lifestyle, Mediterranean climate, rich culture, renowned cuisine, and excellent healthcare and education systems make it an appealing destination for investors seeking a high quality of life.

Requirements & Eligibility:

There are several investment options in Spain Golden Visa Program. You may choose to invest either €500,000 in property, €2 million in Spanish Government Bonds, or €1 million in shares in Spanish companies.

Apart from the financial requirement, you’re required to be at least 18 years of age and possess a clean criminal record and a private or public health insurance policy.

Detailed criteria:

You’re over 18
You’re not an illegal resident of Spain
You don’t have a criminal record in the last five years
You’re not on the list of undesirable people
You have private healthcare to cover your stay
You’re able to prove sufficient funds to live on without working in Spain
You’ve not been rejected for residence from certain other countries or from Spain
You don’t have any of the illnesses according to a 2005 regulation

Investment Options:

Real Estate Investment

This route requires you to invest a substantial amount into Spanish real estate. The designated amount of the program is €500,000. You can opt for a residential or commercial property or a combination of both. The property involved 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.

Business Development in Spain

This route to Spain residency by investment more directly aims to aid the Spanish economy. If you choose this option, 1) you must create employment 2) the investment needs to have a socio-economic impact on the country 3) contribute to scientific/ technological innovations. The minimum investment requirement of this option is €1 million.

Capital Transfer

You may also opt to invest a substantial amount in Spanish Treasury Bonds to benefit from Golden Visa program Spain. Because of these bonds’ financial security, this option is quite popular among the applicants. Treasure Bonds are backed by the government. It represents a relatively safe form of investment, with which you can get competitive returns. The minimum investment requirement of this option is €1 million. Otherwise, you may invest a minimum of €1 million in shares in Spanish companies or bank deposits with a Spanish financial institution.

Renewal Process:

The initial Golden Visa that is granted lasts for a year. You may choose to extend the validity for up to 5 years. After 5 years, you may apply for a permanent visa.

In order to be able to extend the Residence Visa:

You must have a current Investors Residence Visa or one that has expired no more than 90 days earlier,

You must have visited Spain for at least a month during the previous year,

Your investment must still be in place,

You must still satisfy the visa requirements that allowed you to obtain a residence visa in the first place.

Citizenship:

Spain Golden Visa is a residency by investment program which offers investors residency in Spain in return for an investment. It’s not a direct route to citizenship. However, if you get your Golden Visa and decide to live in Spain, you might be eligible for citizenship after 10 years.

However, there are certain criteria that need to be met to acquire citizenship in the country, such as renouncing your original citizenship. This is why speaking to professionals and lawyers will be useful before you make a commitment.

The benefits of Spain's Golden Visa.

The program’s appeal also extends to the applicant’s immediate family members, including spouses, children, and, in some cases, dependent parents, who can also benefit from the residency rights granted by the Golden Visa.

The Spain Golden Visa offers a strategic pathway for global investors seeking residency in Spain, alongside the prospects of European travel and access to excellent education and healthcare systems within the Schengen Area.

Path to
Citizenship

After ten years of holding the Golden Visa, you become eligible for Spanish citizenship. This grants you the rights and privileges of a European Union citizen, providing access to education, healthcare, and other social benefits.

Flexible Investment Options

Investors have various options to meet the investment threshold, typically starting at €500,000, by investing in real estate, which can include residential, commercial properties, or land.

Visa-free travel in Schengen Zone

Holders of the Spain Golden Visa enjoy visa-free travel within the Schengen Area, comprising 26 European countries, allowing freedom of movement across participating nations for business or leisure.

Extended Family Benefits

The program extends to the immediate family, including spouses, dependent children, and, in some cases, dependent parents. Each family member can apply for residency under the main investor’s application.

FAQ's

Can I keep my tax residence outside of Spain?

Yes. You can keep your tax residence outside Spain, as long as you stay in Spain for a period less than 183 days per year. Also, the residence permit can be renewed even with absences longer than six months per year.

How long can I stay in Spain with the Golden Visa?

The residence visa authorises you to stay in Spain for one year. Once this period is expired, a residence authorisation can be requested for a period of two years, renewable for two more years if you prove the maintenance of the investment.

Can I buy more than 1 property?

Yes. The reference to real estate assets made by the law does not mean only one property and not only one type of property. In any case, the investment has to be carried out before requesting the visa.

What requirements do I have to comply with to access the long-term residency?

In order to access the long-term residency, it is required that you have lived legally and effectively in Spain for five years. That the residency is effective means that the periods lived out of Spanish Territory must be less than six consecutive months and not exceed a total of ten months during the said five years.

Can I access directly to the residence authorization for two years without having to obtain an investor’s authorisation?

No, it is necessary to have the investors’ authorisation which is valid for one year. During this year, the residence authorisation can de requested at any moment without having to wait to complete the year.

Which types of Golden Visa in Spain?

The law distinguishes two big groups. The capital investments (in public debt, social shares of Spanish companies, bank deposits in Spanish financial entities, and the acquisition of real estate assets) and other kinds of investments (creation of a company of general interest, high qualified professionals, and transactions within the same company).