What a foreigner needs to buy property in Spain

Key rules

• Who can buy: Foreigners can generally buy property in Spain, with extra permission needed only in restricted military zones.
• Spanish bank account: Not required by law, but in practice you need one to pay traceably and run the home.
• Residency: Buying a home gives you no residence rights.
• Golden visa: The property investor visa has ended, so a purchase no longer qualifies you for residence.

Can a foreigner buy property in Spain?

Yes. Spain does not bar foreigners from buying, whether you are from the EU or outside it, and whether or not you live here. You have the same property rights as a Spanish citizen. The main exception is certain military and border zones, covered below.

What you need before you buy

A NIE. This is the tax ID every foreign buyer needs. You do not need it to make an offer, but you need it for the deposit contract, the notarial deed, a bank account and registering the property. Many sellers ask for it earlier, so get it before you start serious house-hunting. The checklist below covers how to book it.

A Spanish bank account. No law says you must have one. In practice you will want one, because the notary expects significant payments to be traceable, by bank transfer or cheque. A Spanish account is also needed for a Spanish mortgage and for direct debits for utilities, community fees and taxes. Cash payments are restricted. The limit is 1,000 euros when a business or professional is involved, and 10,000 euros for non-residents. Notaries report how payments were made to the authorities.

Proof of where your money came from. Spain has anti-money-laundering rules, so be ready to show it. The checklist below lists what to gather.

Restricted zones: extra permission for non-EU buyers

Some border, coastal and strategic areas near military installations, including parts of certain islands and coastal strips, are restricted. If you are not an EU citizen and the property is in one of these zones, you need military authorization (autorización militar) from the Ministry of Defence. EU citizens are exempt.

• Ask your notary or lawyer early whether the property is in a zone.
• The application is normally filed before the deed is signed, often by your notary or lawyer. Expect weeks to a few months for a decision.
• The notary will not complete the deed without it. If it is refused, the purchase cannot go ahead. If the authorities do not answer within the legal period, that counts as a refusal.

Confirm the current process and timing with your notary or the Ministry of Defence before you commit money.

What buying does not give you

No right to stay longer. Owning a home does not let non-EU visitors stay beyond 90 days in any 180 days, if you do not need a visa. To stay longer you need a visa or residence permit, such as non-lucrative residence. That requires proof of means and private health insurance. EU and EEA citizens move freely and register their residence after three months.

No golden visa. The route that gave residence for property investment of 500,000 euros or more ended on 3 April 2025. Applications filed before then continue under the old rules, and existing holders can renew. Do not buy expecting residence in return. Other investor routes, such as entrepreneur or digital nomad visas, are separate and do not depend on owning a home.

The timeline, documents and warnings below cover the steps in order.

Timeline and deadlines

Order and deadlines

• Get your NIE: before you commit to a purchase, and before any deposit contract

• Apply for military authorization if you are a non-EU buyer in a defence zone: before signing the deed; the decision usually takes some weeks to a few months

• Stay in Spain as a visitor if you are a non-EU national who needs no visa: up to 90 days in any 180 days, even after you own a home

• Apply for a visa or residence permit, such as non-lucrative residence, with proof of means and private health insurance: before you want to stay beyond 90 days in any 180 days

• Register your residence if you are an EU or EEA citizen: after 3 months in Spain

Documents you need

Documents you need

• Your NIE, the Spanish tax ID for foreigners. You do not need it to make an offer, but you need it for the deposit contract, the notarial deed, a bank account and registering the property.

• A copy of your passport. It is part of the file for the NIE and for any military authorization application.

• Military authorization (autorización militar) from the Ministry of Defence, only if you are a non-EU buyer and the property is in a defence or border zone. It is requested through the regional Capitanía General or military delegation, and a notary or lawyer often files it. The application includes your ID and passport copies, your NIE, a description and location of the property, and the purchase details.

What to have in place before you start house-hunting

• Book a NIE appointment first, at a Spanish consulate abroad or at a police station (Extranjería) in Spain, using form EX-15 and paying the fee.

• Allow anything from the same day to several weeks for the NIE, and ask a representative with power of attorney to apply if appointments are scarce.

• Open a Spanish bank account once you have the NIE, so you can pay by traceable transfer and set up direct debits for utilities, community fees and taxes.

• Gather proof of funds: passport and NIE, recent bank statements, proof of sale of a previous property, salary or tax records, and any inheritance or gift papers.

• Keep the money in an account in your own name, and keep proof of where any foreign transfer came from.

• Hire an independent lawyer to check title, charges, licences, debts, community arrears and the contract, before you sign anything. A fee around 1% of the price is common.

• Consider a gestor, who can handle paperwork such as the NIE, taxes and registration.

• Set a budget that covers more than the price: transfer tax (ITP) for resale homes, or VAT plus stamp duty (AJD) for new builds, plus notary, Land Registry and gestoría fees.

• Add the smaller costs to your budget: agent commission if you pay it, valuation for a mortgage, sworn translations, insurance, utility connections, moving, furnishing and any reform work.

• Ask for any community fee and IBI (local property tax) arrears to be checked before you commit to a home.

What to watch out for

What to watch out for

• Military authorization can be refused: If you are a non-EU buyer in a defence or border zone, a refusal blocks the purchase. The notary will not complete the deed without the authorization, and no answer after the legal period counts as a refusal. Ask your lawyer or notary early whether the property is in such a zone, and apply before you sign the deed or pay anything non-refundable.

• Paying without a Spanish bank account: No law forces you to have a Spanish account, but in practice you need one for a Spanish mortgage, utility direct debits, community fees and taxes. Open an account once you have your NIE and pay through it.

• Large cash payments: The notary requires big payments to be traceable by bank transfer or cheque, and reports how you paid to the authorities. Cash over 1,000 euros is restricted when a business or professional is involved, and the limit is 10,000 euros for non-residents. Pay the price and deposits by bank transfer from an account in your name, and keep the proof.

Check the current cash limits and the military authorization process with your notary or lawyer before you pay or sign.

Quick answers for foreign buyers in Spain

Can a non-EU citizen buy property anywhere in Spain?

No, a non-EU citizen cannot buy freely in designated border, coastal and strategic military zones without military authorization. EU citizens are exempt. The zones are mostly near military installations, certain islands and coastal strips, so ask the notary to check any plot.

How long does a NIE take for a property purchase?

A NIE can take from the same day to a few weeks at a police station, and from days to several weeks at a consulate. Waits depend on appointment availability, which is scarce in some provinces. A representative with power of attorney can sometimes get it faster.

Does owning a Spanish home let me stay longer than 90 days in 180?

No, owning a home does not let non-EU visitors stay beyond 90 days in any 180 days. Longer stays need a visa or residence permit, such as non-lucrative residence, which requires proof of means and private health insurance. EU/EEA citizens move freely and register after 3 months.

Can I still get a golden visa by buying property?

No, the real-estate golden visa ended on 3 April 2025.