In 2024 Spain implemented significant reforms to its immigration laws to enhance migrant integration and address labour market needs.

Key Spain rule and law changes that are relevant to people that are not citizens of EU countries who are looking to move to Spain include:

Property Investor ‘Golden Visa Residency

In November 2024, the residency scheme for property investors, or ‘Golden Visa’ as it’s commonly known, was deleted from the Law, (Ley 14/2013, de 27 de septiembre, de apoyo a los emprendedores y su internacionalización), that brought it into being.  As of 3rd April 2025, the ‘Golden Visa’ is no longer available to new applicants.  Existing holders of the visa / residency and their family members can carry on renewing their residency, for as long as they continue to qualify under the rules as they were.  New applications by family members of existing holders are also possible.

Non-Lucrative Visa

An update to another law published in january 2025, (Real Decreto 1155/2024, de 19 de noviembre, por el que se aprueba el Reglamento de la Ley Orgánica 4/2000, de 11 de enero, sobre derechos y libertades de los extranjeros en España y su integración social), adds a condition of renewal that the applicant must ‘have actually and effectively resided in Spain for more than one hundred and eighty-three days during the calendar year’.

This counters the September 2023 Spanish Supreme Court ruling which declared null, the article of law that allowed temporary residence permits to be terminated when there had been absences from Spain for more than 6 months in the year.

This means that becoming tax resident in Spain is now a requirement for anyone who wants to renew their non-lucrative residency on an ongoing basis.  The same article also notes that at renewal, ‘failure of the foreign person to comply with their tax and social security obligations during the validity of their authorization, will also be checked and assessed.

Other changes in the same law also defined specific details that documents from foreign institutions such as bank statements must include.  These are listed as:

a) The business name or full name of the bank or credit institution, as well as its address.
b) The complete identification of the accounts.
c) The date of opening or cancellation or, where applicable, the dates of granting and revoking the authorization.
d) The account balances as of December 31 of the year prior to the year in which the application is submitted and the average balance for the last year.

Although not mention in this law, we have experienced an increasing number of requests from immigration for foreign bank statements to be certified by a notary public and legalised and translated.

Other Visas & Residency

Student Visa

For those who come to Spain to study higher education for more than one year they will now not hhave to renew their residency permission every year.  The initial permit will be vaild for the full duration of the period of study.

Options for working up to 30 hours per week, while studying and or getting a work permit after finishing studies are also improved.

Undocumented Immigrants

Changes in the Law lighten the requirements for individuals who are in an ‘irregular residency situation’ who wish to get themselves straight.  Theses changes include shortening the period of ‘irregular reidence’ from three to two years, removing the requirement of proving integration where the individual has immediate family that are permanently resident in Spain, and second chance for those who have not been able to renew the residency that they had.

According to new agency Reuters, Spain plans to regularize approximately 300,000 undocumented migrants annually over the next three years to address labor shortages and sustain its welfare system amidst an aging population.

All of these changes, effective May 20, 2025, aim to streamline the processing of residence and work permits, aligning with national regulations and European directives. They reflect Spain’s commitment to improving migrant integration, addressing demographic challenges, and ensuring that immigration policies align with labour market needs.

Property Tax of 100% for Non-EU Buyers

Despite what you may have seen or heard, a 100% property tax for non-EU buyers of property has not come into affect and is unlikely ever to.  It was simply an idea put forward by the Prime Minister as a measure to help address some significant imbalances in Spains property market.

Foreign buyers make up around 15% of ther overal market, and this percentage includes nationals of EU countries (approximately half) and Non-EU nationals who are resident in Spain.  The actual percentage of non-resident non-EU national buyers is really quite small, so bringing in such a tax woudl have little  effect.

In any case even if this tax were to come in, it should not scupper anyones plans for buying a property and moving to Spain.  All they’d have to do is move first and then buy which is what a lot of people do anyway, i.e. rent for 6 to 12 months to explore, get a feel living in Spain and find that perfect home in Spain before committing to their purchase.

British citizens / UK nationals now have to follow the same process as other non-EU national citizens of third countries to get Spanish residency, i.e. there is a requirement to first obtain a visa.

The financial means required for a British Citizen / UK national to obtain a residency visa, is a lot higher than it was when the UK was in the EU.  A single applicant needs to have around €30k per year in either income or savings, whereas a citizen of an EU country €6k is sufficient.

British nationals also have to obtain a police criminal report, get official supporting documents legalised, and medical certificates are also required for most visa applications.

UPDATE

In November Congress approved a bill that included text to scrap the ‘Golden Visa’ and end this residency scheme as soon as January 2025. On December 2nd, the Senate vetoed the bill sending it back to Congress delaying the ending of the Golden Visa for property purchases in Spain for several months.  The legislation has now been passed and will come into effect 3rd April 2025.

It will be possible to apply for a ‘Golden Visa up to that date, and anyone who has been granted residency under the scheme will be able to continue renewing in the future.

Background to the End of the Spain’s Golden Visa

The end of the Spanish Golden Visa for UK British Nationals and other non-EU citizens, has been on the cards since Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s announcement in April 2024.

The Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa offers residency to British nationals who have the financial means to support themselves without working.  The Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa scheme is therefore ideal if you are retired, or have passive income, for example income from rental properties or other investments.  The Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa is intended for full-time residency in Spain, i.e. 6 months or more per year.

What does the Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa Offer UK British Nationals?

The Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa offers residency to nationals from non-EU countries who have the financial means to support themselves without working.  The Non-Lucrative Visa residency scheme is therefore ideal if you are retired or have passive income, for example rental income from properties or income from other investments.  The Non-Lucrative Visa is for people who want to live full-time in Spain, and requires the holder to become tax resident.

What does the Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa Offer?

Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa and Residency is now more than two years old and has become the second most popular Spanish residency after the Non-Lucrative Visa.  This visa or residency permit allows the holder to live in Spain and work remotely or online.  It can be applied directly in Spain, or via the Spanish Consulate in the country in which you currently reside.

All three Spanish Consulates in the UK have outsourced handling of Non-Lucrative Visa applications to BLS International.

The consulates in London and Edinburgh were the first to make the switch at the start of summer in 2023 at the onset of Student Visa application processing.

Manchester consulate continued handling Non-Lucrative Visa applications in house, though to the end of October 2023, before making the switch.

Everything is now handled by BLS so all former procedures through the Consulates have been done away with, and new processes with BLS are in place.

Who Are BLS International?

It’s now the beginning of the 4th year since the UK left the EU changing the requirement and costs for British nationals to get residency in Spain.  British nationals apply for a Spanish residency visa if they want to live in Spain, and by far the most popular is the Non-Lucrative Visa.

We initially published this article early in 2021 not long after Brexit, and now three years into the ‘new norm’ for Brits, we revisit the requirements and costs for British nationals to a Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa and highlight the most recent changes.

We cover the general requirements in our article Spanish Residency Requirements for British Citizens and UK Nationals.

Here we drill down further into what the Spanish residency requirements for British nationals and the costs in real terms.

The Spanish Consulate in London covers the southern counties of the UK, Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories.  So if you live in East Anglia, the South East or the South West, you’ll take your application to the BLS International Visa Centre in London which handles visa processing for the Consulate of Spain in London.

Locations that come under the Spanish Consulate in London

The Spanish Consulate in Manchester covers Central UK.  So if you live in the Midlands, the North West, Isle of Man or Wales, you’ll take your application to the BLS International Visa Centre in Salford Manchester, which handles visa processing for the Consulate of Spain in Manchester.

Locations that come under the Spanish Consulate in Manchester