The future of 'golden visas' is under debate in the central government once again. In February, Más País presented a bill to the Spanish Congress of Deputies to eliminate the 'golden visa' for foreign investors who buy a property worth €500,000 in Spain. The government is now considering whether to abolish this residence permit or toughen the requirements for obtaining it by having to invest more money.
Iñaki Unsain, real estate personal shopper and managing director of ACV Gestión Inmobiliaria, believes that this measure only adds to foreign investors' instability and uncertainty: "Investors buy because they want to own a home in Spain, not because they want to obtain a 'golden visa'," he argued.
Data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs show that in 2022, 136 residence permits were issued for real estate investments, 72% less than the previous year. "The number of investors who obtain this 'golden visa' is tiny and insignificant when compared to the total investment in our country," said the former president of the Spanish Association of Real Estate Personal Shoppers (AEPSI). He also pointed out that only 1% of total investment corresponds to investors who buy a property for a 'golden visa'.
Following in Europe's footsteps
European countries, such as Portugal and Greece, have already started the process to repeal this law, which the Executive is considering abolishing in whole or in part. The real estate expert stated that raising the minimum investment required to obtain the 'golden visa' would not have any direct effect other than reducing the number of residence permits granted.
Iñaki Unsain pointed out that these measures "contribute to creating obstacles to real estate investment by foreign capital, who, attracted by the good conditions in our country, are finding it increasingly difficult to invest in the Spanish economy".
Abolishing 'golden visas' has been and continues to be one of Más País' flagship proposals. In February, the party presented a bill along the same lines and took advantage of the final stage of the Housing Law to introduce an amendment to eliminate these visas. However, the proposal was rejected by Congress.
Foreign residence permits can also be obtained by making investments of more than €1 million in deposits or shares in Spanish capital companies or more than €2 million in government bonds.
Errejón supports maintaining the 'golden visa' for foreign investors who buy Spanish debt worth €2 million or develop a business project in Spain.
Aedas invests €30m in 137-home development in El Verger, Alicante
Property developer Aedas Homes, currently in the media spotlight following a takeover bid by Neinor Homes, has announced a €30 million investment to build a residential project of 137 homes in the Alicante municipality of El Verger, located between the beaches of Les Deveses and La Almadraba.
Ibiza, from mega-luxury to shanty towns: the housing crisis gripping the island
Ibiza has two faces. On one side, the Ibiza of mega-luxury: vast, exclusive nightclubs and dream-like villas. On the other, an Ibiza of shanty towns and housing exclusion. It's no longer news that soaring property prices are forcing people to leave the island because they can no longer find homes at affordable rents.
The 10 most expensive cities to live in Spain in 2025
If there’s one clear trend in Spain’s housing market, it’s rising prices, both for buying and renting. While the rankings of the most expensive cities remain relatively stable, the cost of living in them is becoming increasingly out of reach.
Tini Menorca, the award-winning prefab home on the Balearic Islands
Discover this prefab home perched on a hillside, surrounded by pines and Menorcan ullastre trees, offering an unrivalled panoramic view of the Mediterranean.
Urgent property sales in Spain
Buying property in Spain is a dream for many, but the process can often be time-consuming and expensive. With summer now in full swing, there’s no better moment to secure your perfect home and start enjoying the sunshine right away. Luckily, urgent property sales offer a quick and cost-effective way to find fantastic deals within days or weeks.
What to keep in mind before buying a prefabricated home in Spain
More and more people are considering a prefabricated house as their next home in Spain. These properties are typically built faster than traditional homes and often come with fixed prices and no hidden costs.
Five Torremolinos plots released for over 200 subsidised homes
Torremolinos City Council has launched the sale of five municipal plots, covering nearly 11,500 m², for the construction of over 200 publicly subsidised homes (VPO). According to Málaga’s Councillor for Urban Regeneration, Marina Vázquez, only 100 VPO units have been built in the past 30 years, making this initiative an “important step” towards improving access to affordable housing for many families in this Málaga town. The total value of the plots is close to €9 million.