Discover whether you can renew Spain’s Golden Visa in 2026, the requirements you must maintain and how the abolition affects investors and families.

Can Spain’s Golden Visa Still Be Renewed in 2026?

Yes. Although Spain stopped accepting new Golden Visa applications on 3 April 2025, certain investors who already held a valid investor visa or residence permit may still renew it in 2026.

The abolition of the Golden Visa did not automatically cancel permits that had already been granted. Nor does it necessarily mean that every investor must leave Spain when their current residence card expires. The legal reform introduced transitional provisions intended to protect certain situations created before the programme was abolished, particularly residence permits obtained through the acquisition of real estate in Spain.

However, renewal is not automatic. The investor must prove that the case falls within the transitional regime, that the investment on which the original permit was based continues to exist and that the relevant legal requirements are still satisfied.

The date on which the initial permit was granted, the precise investment category, whether the permit was valid on 3 April 2025 and any subsequent changes to the investment may all affect the outcome.

In this guide, Visal Immigration Lawyers explains who may renew a Spanish Golden Visa in 2026, which documents may be required, what happens to family members and which alternatives may be available when renewal is no longer possible.

If your authorisation is approaching its expiry date, you can schedule your consultation here so that one of our immigration lawyers can review your individual circumstances before the renewal is submitted.

New Golden Visa Applications Are No Longer Possible

The Spanish Golden Visa was the commonly used name for the visas and residence permits for investors regulated by Articles 63 to 67 of Law 14/2013 on support for entrepreneurs and their internationalisation.

The best-known route allowed a non-EU investor to obtain residence by purchasing real estate in Spain worth at least €500,000, with the first €500,000 free of liens or charges.

Other investment categories also existed. These included qualifying investments in Spanish public debt, shares or equity interests in Spanish companies, investment funds, bank deposits and business projects considered to be of general interest.

Organic Law 1/2025 removed the content of Articles 63, 64, 65, 66 and 67 of Law 14/2013 with effect from 3 April 2025. Consequently, purchasing qualifying property after that date—or relying on a previous purchase without having submitted an application in time—no longer enables a foreign national to submit a new Golden Visa application.

This must be distinguished from the renewal of an existing visa or residence permit. Abolishing access to a residence route does not necessarily extinguish the rights of people who had already obtained their permits legally.

The reform therefore introduced transitional provisions covering applications that were pending when the programme ended and the renewal of permits granted under the former rules.

What Happened to Applications Submitted Before 3 April 2025?

Investors who submitted their Golden Visa applications before the reform entered into force could have those applications processed under the legislation applicable on the submission date.

This means that an application properly filed before 3 April 2025 should not have been rejected or closed merely because the authorities had not yet issued a decision when the new rules came into force.

The same protection applies to applications submitted in time by qualifying family members of investors. The decisive factor is normally the application date, not the date on which the authorities issued their decision.

However, this transitional protection does not allow a person to submit a new application now simply because the investment was completed before April 2025.

Purchasing a property before the programme ended is not equivalent to having submitted a Golden Visa application. If no application was registered before the deadline, ownership of the property alone does not create a present right to apply under the abolished investor route.

If you completed an investment before April 2025 but did not apply for the permit, it will be necessary to consider a different immigration option.

Which Golden Visa Permits Can Be Renewed?

The second transitional provision introduced by Organic Law 1/2025 states that investor visas and permits that were valid on the date the provision entered into force would remain valid for the period for which they had been issued.

It also provides that renewal applications must be processed and decided under the legislation in force on the date the initial authorisation was granted.

A renewal may therefore remain possible when the following essential conditions are satisfied:

• The applicant genuinely obtained an investor visa or residence permit under Law 14/2013.

• The relevant visa or authorisation was valid on 3 April 2025.

• The conditions that originally generated the right to residence continue to be met.

• The investor continues to satisfy the applicable personal, financial, health insurance and documentary requirements.

• The renewal is submitted correctly to the competent Spanish authority.

The title of the second transitional provision expressly refers to renewals of visas and authorisations for investors through the acquisition of real estate. The legal protection is therefore particularly clear for holders of property-based Golden Visas.

At the same time, official information published by Spain’s Investor and Entrepreneur Residence Programme continues to provide guidance on the renewal of certain other former investor categories, including qualifying business projects and investments made through legal entities.

Investors whose permits were based on something other than the direct acquisition of real estate should therefore not assume that their renewal will be handled in exactly the same way. The initial decision, the particular investment category and the administrative criteria applicable to the case should all be examined.

You can schedule your consultation here if you would like our lawyers to determine whether your existing authorisation is protected by the transitional arrangements.

The Investment Must Still Be Maintained

The most important substantive requirement for renewing a Golden Visa is that the investor must continue to satisfy the conditions on which the original visa or residence permit was granted.

For a Golden Visa based on the acquisition of real estate, the applicant must normally remain the owner of the qualifying property investment. The authorities may verify the current ownership, the value attributed to the investment and any charges registered against the property.

It is not sufficient to demonstrate that the investor purchased the property several years ago. The applicant must prove that the investment remains within their ownership and continues to comply with the requirements of the legislation applicable when the original permit was granted.

Up-to-date information from the Spanish Land Registry will normally be necessary. Depending on the circumstances, the file may also require the title deed, Land Registry extracts, certificates of ownership and charges or documents explaining changes in ownership or financing.

If the investor has sold the property, transferred a percentage of it, created new charges over it or reorganised the investment through a company, the consequences should be carefully examined before the renewal application is filed.

A change that appears economically insignificant may affect the legal basis of the entire residence authorisation.

Must the Investor Keep Exactly the Same Property?

The former rules required the qualifying investment to be maintained. However, the legal consequences of replacing or modifying the assets on which the permit was based must be assessed carefully.

An investor should not assume that selling the original property and purchasing a different one automatically preserves the right to renew.

The authorities may examine whether there was genuine continuity in the investment, when the original property was sold, when the replacement property was acquired and whether the required conditions temporarily ceased to be satisfied.

The financing of the property is also relevant. Under the former property investment route, the first €500,000 generally had to be free of liens and charges. The portion of the purchase price exceeding that amount could be financed.

Consequently, a new mortgage, a transfer of ownership, a donation to a family member or a change in the way the property is held could have immigration consequences.

Before selling, mortgaging, donating or altering the ownership of a property connected to a Golden Visa, you should schedule your consultation here. It is much safer to understand the immigration consequences before carrying out a transaction than to discover the problem when the residence permit is due for renewal.

Personal Requirements for Renewal

Maintaining the investment is not the only requirement. The investor must also continue to comply with the general conditions applicable to the authorisation.

The authorities may review the validity of the passport, health coverage, sufficient financial resources for the investor and accompanying family members, criminal record requirements and whether the applicant is listed as inadmissible in Spain or the relevant territorial area.

The precise documents will depend on the applicant’s history, the type of permit being renewed and the legislation applicable when the initial authorisation was issued.

A renewal file may include:

• A complete and valid copy of the applicant’s passport.

• The current foreign national identity card and previous approval decision.

• Updated evidence of the qualifying investment.

• Valid public or private health insurance in Spain, when required.

• Evidence of sufficient financial resources for the principal applicant and accompanying relatives.

• Evidence that the applicable administrative fee has been paid.

• Updated family documents for relatives renewing their permits.

• Additional reports or certificates required for the specific investment category.

This should not be treated as an exhaustive list. The Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit may request further evidence if it considers that the documents submitted are insufficient to confirm that the original conditions continue to be met.

Foreign documents may also require legalisation or an Apostille under the Hague Convention, together with a sworn translation into Spanish.

How Long Will the Renewed Golden Visa Remain Valid?

There is no single answer applicable to every existing Golden Visa holder.

The transitional provision states that the renewal must be examined under the legislation in force on the date the initial authorisation was granted. This point matters because Law 14/2013 was amended several times during the years in which the investor programme operated.

Under the version of the legislation immediately preceding the abolition of the Golden Visa, investor residence permits could generally be renewed for successive five-year periods, provided the conditions that generated the right continued to be satisfied.

Earlier versions of the law contained different periods of validity. Therefore, the expected duration of the renewal should be determined after confirming when the initial authorisation was granted and which version of the legislation applies.

An investor should not be promised a five-year renewal without first examining the original approval decision and immigration history.

Where Is the Renewal Application Submitted?

An application to renew an investor residence permit must generally be submitted electronically to the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit, commonly known by its Spanish initials, UGE.

The UGE processes residence authorisations governed by the international mobility section of Law 14/2013. The application procedure is electronic, and the formal decision is issued by the competent Directorate-General for Migration.

When the applicant holds an investor visa rather than an investor residence authorisation, the competent authority may instead be the relevant Spanish diplomatic mission or consular office.

This distinction is important. A visa and a residence authorisation are not identical legal documents, even though both are frequently referred to as a Golden Visa.

Before filing the application, the applicant should confirm exactly which document was granted and which procedure is now required.

Visal Immigration Lawyers can review the previous resolution, identify the appropriate renewal procedure and prepare the electronic application. You can schedule your consultation here to receive advice based on your actual authorisation.

When Should the Renewal Be Submitted?

The safest approach is to prepare and submit the renewal before the existing authorisation expires.

Waiting until the final day creates unnecessary risks. The investor may discover that a Land Registry certificate is outdated, that the insurance policy does not provide adequate coverage or that the evidence of financial resources is incomplete.

The general procedural provisions of Law 14/2013 state that filing a renewal application extends the validity of the previous residence situation until the application is decided.

The legislation also provides for this extension when the renewal is submitted within the 90 days following the expiry of the previous authorisation, although the authorities may initiate the corresponding sanctioning procedure.

Filing after the expiry date should not be treated as the normal or preferred strategy. It can create legal uncertainty and practical difficulties and may expose the applicant to an avoidable sanctioning procedure.

Preparing the renewal in advance gives the investor sufficient time to obtain updated certificates, review the investment, confirm health coverage and resolve any problem before the application is registered.

Must a Golden Visa Holder Live Permanently in Spain?

One of the main advantages historically associated with the investor residence permit was its flexibility regarding physical presence in Spain.

The previous rules permitted the renewal of an investor residence permit even when the holder had spent more than six months per year outside Spain.

This made the Golden Visa particularly attractive to international investors who wanted a Spanish residence permit but did not intend to establish their principal home in Spain immediately.

However, renewing the investor authorisation must not be confused with qualifying for long-term residence or Spanish nationality.

Long-term residence generally requires five years of legal and continuous residence, subject to the permitted limits on absences.

Spanish nationality by residence also requires legal, continuous residence immediately before the application for the period applicable to the individual’s nationality and personal circumstances.

A person may therefore satisfy the requirements to renew a Golden Visa while failing to satisfy the continuity requirements for long-term residence or Spanish citizenship.

If you have already held investor residence for several years, it may be advisable to compare renewal with the possibility of applying for long-term residence. You can also read our guide to the differences between Spanish long-term residence and EU long-term residence.

What Happens to the Investor’s Family Members?

Family members who obtained residence as dependants of the principal investor may also be protected by the transitional regime.

Their renewal will generally depend on the principal investor continuing to qualify, the relevant family relationship remaining in place and each family member continuing to satisfy the applicable requirements.

Particular care is required when children have reached adulthood, when adult descendants are no longer financially dependent, when a marriage or registered partnership has ended or when a family member may already qualify for an independent residence status.

Submitting identical applications for every relative is not always the most appropriate strategy. One family member may already qualify for long-term residence, while another may need to demonstrate continuing financial dependency.

In other situations, a spouse or adult child may have obtained employment or developed circumstances that provide access to a separate and potentially more secure residence authorisation.

You can schedule your consultation here so that our lawyers can compare renewal as a family member with any independent residence options that may be available.

What Happens If the Property Has Been Sold?

Selling the property on which the Golden Visa was based may prevent renewal if the qualifying investment is no longer maintained.

The Golden Visa was not granted simply because an applicant had purchased a property at some point in the past. The residence right was linked to the continued existence of the investment during the validity of the authorisation.

If the sale has already taken place, it will be necessary to examine the relevant dates, whether a replacement investment was made, whether the change was communicated to the authorities and what the investor’s current immigration status is.

Law 14/2013 required foreign nationals to maintain the conditions that allowed them to obtain their visas or authorisations. Relevant changes affecting those conditions had to be communicated to the UGE.

The authorities were also empowered to verify compliance and, after the appropriate procedure, terminate an authorisation when the legally required conditions were no longer met.

Concealing a sale or submitting incomplete information is not a solution. The appropriate approach is to determine whether renewal remains legally defensible or whether the applicant should move to another residence category.

Alternative Residence Options

The fact that a Golden Visa can no longer be renewed does not necessarily mean that the foreign national must leave Spain.

Depending on the person’s professional activity, income, family circumstances and length of legal residence, another authorisation may be available.

Possible alternatives include the international teleworking residence permit, commonly known as the Digital Nomad Visa; non-lucrative residence; a highly qualified professional permit; self-employed residence; residence based on a family relationship; or long-term residence after the necessary period of legal and continuous residence.

The Spanish Digital Nomad Visa may be appropriate for professionals who work remotely for companies or clients located outside Spain.

The Spanish non-lucrative residence permit may be suitable for applicants who have sufficient resources and do not intend to carry out professional or employment activities.

The correct strategy should be chosen before the person’s immigration position deteriorates. Some permits can be applied for from within Spain, while others require the applicant to obtain a visa from the Spanish consulate with jurisdiction over their country of residence.

Common Golden Visa Renewal Mistakes

One of the most frequent mistakes is assuming that renewal is guaranteed because the applicant previously obtained a Golden Visa.

The authorities will review the relevant requirements again. A favourable initial decision does not prevent a renewal from being refused if the investment has disappeared, the insurance is no longer valid, the financial resources are insufficient or the documents fail to demonstrate the applicant’s present circumstances.

Another common error is submitting an old copy of the title deed without updated Land Registry evidence.

The title deed proves that a transaction took place, but it does not necessarily establish the current ownership and charges affecting the property. Updated certificates may therefore be essential.

Some investors also wait until the permit is about to expire before seeking advice. Cases involving companies, multiple properties, mortgages, inheritance, divorce, donations or changes in ownership may require considerably more preparation.

Finally, investors sometimes confuse Golden Visa renewal with long-term residence. These are different procedures with different requirements, particularly regarding physical presence and continuity of residence.

Five Frequently Asked Questions About Spain’s Golden Visa in 2026

Can I submit a new Golden Visa application if I purchased property before April 2025?

No, unless the application itself was submitted before 3 April 2025. The property purchase date does not replace the application date. If you completed the investment but failed to register the Golden Visa application before the programme ended, you will normally need to consider a different residence route.

Can I renew if my Golden Visa was valid on 3 April 2025?

In principle, yes, particularly when the permit was granted through a qualifying real estate investment and the investment and remaining requirements are still maintained. The authorities will apply the legislation in force when the initial permit was granted, so the original decision and current circumstances must be reviewed.

How long is a renewed Spanish Golden Visa valid?

The duration depends on the legislation applicable when the initial authorisation was granted. Under the final rules in force before the programme was abolished, renewals could generally be granted for successive five-year periods. Earlier permits may be governed by different provisions, so the individual immigration history must be examined.

Can I renew if I spend most of the year outside Spain?

The former investor rules allowed renewal despite absences exceeding six months per year. However, extensive absences may prevent the investor from subsequently qualifying for long-term residence or Spanish citizenship. Renewing an investor permit and demonstrating continuous residence for another immigration procedure are legally different matters.

Can my spouse and children renew their permits?

Family members who already obtained residence through the principal investor may normally renew if the investor remains eligible and the family requirements continue to be met. Special attention is required for adult children, financial dependency and changes in relationships. Some relatives may already qualify for a more suitable independent permit.

The Golden Visa Has Ended, but Certain Renewals Continue

It is no longer possible to submit a new Golden Visa application in Spain in 2026. Nevertheless, the abolition of the programme did not automatically cancel investor visas and residence permits that were valid when the reform entered into force.

Existing holders, particularly those whose residence was obtained through a qualifying real estate investment, may continue renewing their permits if they fall within the transitional regime and maintain the conditions on which the original authorisation was based.

Each application must be assessed individually. The date of the original decision, the type of investment, the validity of the permit on 3 April 2025, registered charges, time spent outside Spain and the circumstances of accompanying relatives can all affect the result.

Do You Need Personalised Legal Advice?

Visal Immigration Lawyers is a Spanish law firm specialising in immigration law and international mobility.

We can review your Golden Visa, verify whether the investment still complies with the relevant requirements, prepare the supporting documents and submit the renewal electronically to the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit.

If you would like to understand your actual chances of renewal, you can schedule your consultation here. One of our immigration lawyers will examine your case and explain whether renewal remains possible or whether another Spanish residence permit would be more appropriate.

You can also contact us by sending a WhatsApp message to +34 618 702 253. Please note that this number is available for WhatsApp messages only, not telephone calls.

For further information about living legally in Spain, visit www.visalimmigration.com.

We recommend reviewing the case well before the expiry date. Early preparation makes it possible to identify problems involving the investment, Land Registry documents, health insurance, financial resources or family circumstances before the renewal is submitted.