Spain After the Golden Visa: What Ended in April 2025, and the Entrepreneur, Highly Qualified and Arraigo Routes

For years Spain’s Golden Visa was the best-known investor programme in southern Europe. It no longer exists. In this article I explain what changed, what existing investors can still do and which routes I now recommend instead. The sources are Organic Law 1/2025, the Ministry of Inclusion, Law 14/2013 and the BRIDGES article on the abolition.

What ended on 3 April 2025

Final provision 21 of Organic Law 1/2025 removed articles 63 to 67 of Law 14/2013, the investor route. Since 3 April 2025 it is no longer possible to apply for residence by buying property for €500,000, investing €1 million in shares or deposits, buying €2 million of public debt or presenting a business project of general interest.

What existing investors keep

• applications filed before 3 April 2025 are decided under the rules in force on the filing date;
• investor permits valid on that date keep their validity, and renewals are decided under the rules of the initial grant;
• according to the Ministry’s management criteria, the right of residence cannot be transferred by inheritance or gift, and an investment cannot be switched from another type into real estate.

The entrepreneur permit

The closest replacement for business people is the entrepreneur permit under Law 14/2013. You need a business project that is innovative or of special economic interest for Spain, and ENISA, the state innovation agency, must issue a favourable report. The Ministry of Inclusion grants the permit for three years, after which it can be renewed. Unlike the Golden Visa, this is a real business that must operate in Spain.

Highly qualified professionals and the EU Blue Card

If a Spanish company hires you, the highly qualified professional permit is fast and handled by the Large Companies Unit. In 2026 the national route requires a gross salary of €41,356.36 a year. The EU Blue Card uses the same threshold, with a lower figure of €33,085.09 for shortage occupations and recent graduates, according to the Ministry’s salary note and Order PJC/44/2026. The permit lasts as long as the contract, up to three years.

Arraigo for people already in Spain

Since 20 May 2025 the 2024 Regulation provides five types of arraigo: social, socio-labour, socio-training, family and second chance. In general they require at least two years of stay in Spain. This is a route for people who already live there, not for planning a move from abroad. More on the Ministry of Inclusion page.

My honest view

Investors who wanted a passive residence permit in exchange for capital should look at Greece, Portugal or other countries. In Spain, the realistic options are the non-lucrative visa for passive income, the digital nomad visa for remote work, and the entrepreneur permit for a real business.