As of September 2026. Spain’s investor residence permit, widely known as the golden visa, was abolished with effect from April 2025. Applications are no longer accepted, whether based on real estate, public debt, funds or investment in Spanish companies. Permits granted before that date keep their validity and renewal rules under transitional provisions. If you were planning to buy a company in Spain to obtain residency, that route no longer exists.
What still exists
Spain’s entrepreneur and mobility law still provides residence routes for people who run an economic activity, not for passive investors:
- Entrepreneur residence for projects considered of general economic interest, assessed by the Spanish authorities on innovation, job creation and investment. Buying and actively managing an operating company can, in some cases, be framed as such a project; it is not automatic.
- Highly qualified professional and intra-company transfer permits for executives the company employs.
- Self-employed or business residence under the general immigration regime, which is slower and has stricter requirements.
- Non-lucrative residence, for people with passive income who will not work in Spain, which is incompatible with running the company.
Which of these applies depends on your nationality, your role in the company and the business plan. Confirm with an immigration lawyer before relying on any route; we work with lawyers who advise our buyers and can introduce you after the NDA.
What this changes for buyers
Nothing in the acquisition itself: foreigners can own 100% of a Spanish company, close from abroad through a power of attorney, and manage it without residing in Spain. What changed is the reason to buy: the companies in our portfolio are bought for their brand, contracts and yield, not for a permit. The full acquisition process, step by step, is in buying a company in Spain.
Why most search results are wrong
Immigration agencies still rank with pages written before April 2025 that describe investment thresholds and property routes that no longer exist. If a page tells you that buying property or shares gives you a Spanish residence permit today, it is out of date.