Spain Investment Immigration Programs Overview
When Spain
was left with a surplus of housing after the 2008 collapse of its real estate
market, it got creative. The result is a residency-by-investment program that
aims to attract foreign buyers for those homes, many in coastal tourist areas,
which are largely owned by the banks.
But since
the country’s unemployment rate remained high, especially among youths, the
program is geared toward those who can create jobs. Especially targeted are investors and entrepreneurs
as well as those who pack with them enough savings or income to support
themselves and contribute to the local economy.
But that
income, even if it originates elsewhere, is subject to tax in Spain. A Spanish
permanent residency visa assumes you will spend at least six months out of each
year in the country, the same amount of time that allows Spain to tax your
worldwide income.
You don’t
actually have to reside in Spain but can travel throughout the rest of Europe’s
26-nation Schengen Area with your residency visa, though not work there. Should
you choose to live in Spain continuously for 10 years, you may apply for
Spanish citizenship, which requires renouncing your previous nationality,
demonstrating you are financially stable with no criminal record,
and proving you have integrated sufficiently into Spanish society.
The price tag for residency can run from a few thousand to 2 million euros. Processing typically takes at least three months, depending on the visa applied for. Foreigners approved for residency may bring a spouse or domestic partner, children under 18 and adult dependents enrolled in school.