Can I get residency in Spain by buying a property?

No, not any more. Spain’s Golden Visa for property buyers closed to new applications after the government announced its end on 3 April 2025. Permits already granted stay valid. Buying a home no longer gives non-EU buyers a right to residency.

If you want to live in Spain full time you need a visa that suits your situation. Retirees and others who do not work usually look at the non-lucrative visa. Remote workers may look at the digital nomad visa, and there are routes for work, self-employment and family.

Rules and income thresholds change, so use the Spanish consulate (London, Manchester or Edinburgh) as your source. The British Embassy cannot advise on Spanish visas.

Plenty of buyers do not need residency at all and use the property as a holiday home for the time they are allowed to stay, which is covered on our 90/180 page.

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and figures were last checked in November 2026 and change, so take independent advice from a Spanish lawyer for your own purchase.