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
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 EU travel rules for non-EU family members of EU citizens are different to the general rules for other nationals of non-EU countries.
If you are a citizen of an EU country living in or or travelling to another EU country, your family can join you, including core family members who are not EU citizens.
Non-EU core family members include spouse, children, dependent descendants, dependent parents or dependent grandparents. It also applies to non-EU registered partners, however only if the country they are travelling to considers registered partnerships as equivalent to marriage.
Spanish residency for non-EU family members of an EU citizen in Spain, is an extended right. Family member includes spouse or civil partner, children or dependants of who are part of the household, and under 21 years of age.
A citizen of an EU country has an automatic right to live in Spain, however must obtain their Spanish EU citizen residency certificate before their non-EU family members can then apply for their Spanish residency.
The non-EU family member makes their residency application in Spain, and must be legally present when they do so. The non-EU family member does not need to apply for a long term residency visa before they come to Spain. If they are a national of a country who’s citizens enjoy visa free travel as tourists to the Schengen zone, they can travel to Spain under Schengen rules and make their family member residency application whilst they are within their 90 days allowed under Schengen rules.
There are nine Spanish Consulates in the USA including Puerto Rico. The Consulates of Spain in the United States of America provide a number of legal and administrative services to both Spanish citizens and those intending to travel to or do business with Spain. This includes processing long term visa applications such as the non-lucrative visa for retired people who want to live in Spain.
NOTE: The consulates are in the process of outsourcing visa application administration to BLS Visa Centres. The Spanish consulates in the United Kingdom made the switch to BLS in 2023. You can read more about it here: https://lifestylegroup.es/spanish-non-lucrative-visa-applications-uk-handled-by-bls-international-visa-centres/.
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?
In the wake of Brexit and the introduction of the Windsor Framework, many UK vehicle owners have questions about the legalities of moving cars from Great Britain to Spain via Northern Ireland.
There is a claim that there is a “legal loophole” to route vehicles through Northern Ireland (NI) to avoid paying customs duty and VAT in Spain, even when the owner never lived in or used the vehicle in Northern Ireland.
So is routing a GB vehicle through Northern Ireland to avoid import taxes in Spain legal? In this article, we clarify how the Windsor Framework applies to vehicle movements, what is genuinely legal, and what could land you in trouble.
🚗 What Is the Windsor Framework?
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.
To get Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa, applicants must have sufficient funds to support themselves, proof they can work remotely from Spain, and must already have been working in their current ‘remote worker’ employment or self-employment prior to applying.
Holders of the Digital Nomad Visa or Residency Permit, may also be eligible for a special income tax rate fixed at 24% for the first 5 years, offering higher earners reduced income tax compared to normal residents.
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?
