Since the golden visa ended in April 2025, Spain has two realistic routes for expats: the non-lucrative visa for people living on passive income, and the digital nomad visa for remote workers. Here they are with 2026 numbers — no salesmanship.
Last verified: 8 July 2026| Visa | Who it's for | Money requirement (2026) | Leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-lucrative visa (NLV) Full guide → | Retirees and anyone living on pensions, savings, rents, or dividends. No work of any kind — including remote work | €2,400/month (€28,800/year) for the main applicant + €600/month per dependant — 400% + 100% of IPREM | 1-yr permit → two 2-yr renewals → long-term residence at 5 yrs |
| Digital nomad visa Full guide → | Remote employees of non-Spanish companies and freelancers with mostly foreign clients | €2,849/month (200% of the 2026 minimum wage, annual basis) + €1,068.38/month first family member + €356.13 each additional | 1-yr consular visa, or a 3-yr permit if you apply inside Spain; renewable; long-term residence at 5 yrs |
| Golden visa What happened → | Investors — abolished 3 April 2025 (Organic Law 1/2025) | No longer available. The €500k property route and all other investor categories are closed to new applicants | Permits issued before 3 Apr 2025 remain valid and renew under the old rules |
Consular visa now valid 1 year, covering your first year of residence (RD 1155/2024). Apply for your TIE residence card within 1 month of entry.
Two renewals of 2 years each (1+2+2). NLV renewals now require 183+ days a year actually lived in Spain.
After 5 years' continuous legal residence. Absences allowed: max 6 months at a stretch, 10 months total over the 5 years.
10 years' residence for expats — the famous 2-year track is for Ibero-American nationals only. A2 Spanish + civics test, and Spain requires renouncing your prior nationality.
US and Canadian citizens can visit Spain visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day window. Since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) records your entries and exits biometrically — the count is automatic, so overstays are visible. ETIAS, a €20 pre-travel authorisation, is scheduled to start in the last quarter of 2026; travellers over 70 are exempt from the fee.
€2,400/month income, the insurance rules, US vs Canadian fees, and the 183-day rule that changes everything.
Read the guide → Guide€2,849/month remote income, the 3-year in-country route, and the 24% Beckham tax option.
Read the guide → GuideNIE, TIE, empadronamiento, long-term residence at 5 years — and the real 10-year citizenship path.
Read the guide →How Schengen counting works under EES, and what ETIAS (late 2026, €20) means for over-70s.
Dependants on the NLV and DNV, income add-ons, and schooling basics.
Grandfathering after Organic Law 1/2025, the realistic alternatives, and the part-timer's honest option.
Read the guide →Visa applications fail on paperwork details. We'll introduce you to an English-speaking immigration lawyer we've independently vetted — licensed, and experienced with expat cases in Spain.