Benefits of the Spain Residence by Investment Program:
1) High quality of life
2) Ability to include a spouse or unmarried partner, financially dependent children of any age (adult children must be full-time students), and financially dependent parents of the main applicant and/or their spouse who are 65 years and older
3) Access to the public healthcare and education systems in the country
4) A vibrant EU country that has majestic landscapes
5) The possibility to apply for Spanish citizenship after two years of effective residence for Sephardi Jews and citizens of Equatorial Guinea, Latin America, and the Philippines, and 10 years for other nationals
6) Excellent schools, with tuition available in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Mandarin
Requirements
Requirements of Spanish residence by investment:
The Spain Residence by Investment Program requires that a foreign individual invests into either a real estate project, a business project, company shares or bank deposits, or government bonds.
Applicants are required to fulfil one of the following investment options in the country:
1) The acquisition of real estate with a minimum value of EUR 500,000 (one or several properties)
2) The creation of a business project to be developed in Spain, duly recognized as being of ‘general interest’
3) Company shares or bank deposits with a minimum value of EUR 1 million in Spanish financial institutions
4) A government bonds investment with a minimum value of EUR 2 million
Documentary evidence of the investment must be provided as part of the application process.
Process and Procedure
Procedures and time frame of the Spain Residence by Investment Program:
Applications to the program must be made through the prescribed forms and must be accompanied by the appropriate fees and supporting documents. Residence permits are usually issued after a 20-day consideration period and have an initial duration of two years, renewable for five years upon request, provided that a minimum investment in Spain is maintained by the applicant.
The application process comprises two stages:
1) In the first phase, applicants apply in their home country for a Spanish residence visa that allows them to reside and work in Spain for one year.
2) In the second phase, applicants apply for a Spanish residence permit. If they have come to Spain on an ordinary tourist visa, they may apply for the residence permit directly, thus omitting the first phase.
The residence permit applies to the main investor, spouse or partner (including unmarried or same-sex unions), and all economically dependent descendants.
There is no minimum stay requirement to maintain residence status but obtaining the first residence permit requires a visit to Spain.
Citizenship
Residents may apply for citizenship only in their 10th year of residence in Spain. However, Sephardi Jews and citizens of Equatorial Guinea, Latin America, and the Philippines can apply for Spanish citizenship after only two years of effective residence in Spain. Dual citizenship restrictions apply to most foreign nationals.
