Spanish citizenship by investment

Looking for a reliable way to relocate capital and your family to Europe amid current global instability? Obtaining Spanish citizenship by investment is one of the most prestigious, safest, and most promising options for modern Ukrainians.

For many domestic entrepreneurs and investors, this is an effective tool for diversifying risks, gaining direct access to the European banking system, and securing high-quality European education for their children.

It is important to clearly understand: direct and instantaneous purchase of a passport in this European jurisdiction is not provided for by current legislation. However, the country’s government offers a transparent and fully regulated path through the so-called “Golden Visa” (residence permit by investment).

In this expert article, we will analyze in detail what it is, who exactly has the legal right to this premium status, what steps must be taken, and how a qualified migration lawyer will help you guaranteed to go through all the stages to obtain a European passport.

What is Spanish Citizenship by Investment in the Legal Field?

From a purely legal standpoint, the term “Spanish citizenship by investment” describes a long-term, multi-stage legalization strategy. The normative foundation of this process is Law 14/2013 (Ley de Apoyo a los Emprendedores y su Internacionalización).

This legal act allows foreign investors from non-EU countries to obtain a Spanish residence permit (Residency by Investment) through a maximally simplified and accelerated procedure.

This privileged migration status gives the investor and their immediate family the undisputed right to fully legally live, study, work, and conduct business activity in the Iberian state, as well as travel visa-free throughout the entire Schengen area.

An important advantage of this type of permit is the absence of a strict initial requirement to constantly stay in Spain (minimum 183 days a year) merely to maintain the basic residence permit.

However, if your final goal is precisely a Spanish passport by investment, you will definitely have to become a full tax resident and strictly comply with the residency requirement. Spanish citizenship for Ukrainians becomes legally available only after ten years of continuous and absolutely legal actual residence in the country in the status of an official resident.

In other words, your financial investments are a strong starting ticket for quick legalization in Spain, which over time safely transforms into a full passport of a sovereign European Union citizen.

Who Can Obtain the Status and What Investment Options Are Available?

Any adult citizen of Ukraine who is not a resident of the European Union has the legal right to obtain the investment Golden Visa and subsequently successfully acquire Spanish citizenship.

The candidate must not have any criminal convictions in Spain or in countries of previous residence over the last five years, must not be prohibited from entering any Schengen Agreement countries, and is obliged to own 100% legal funds and arrange full private medical insurance.

The program is extremely loyal to whole families: it allows the official inclusion of a legal or civil partner, as well as financially dependent children (even adult students) and parents of the main investor in one joint application.

To successfully begin the legalization process, the main applicant must consciously choose and practically implement one of the financial instruments clearly permitted by law:

• Purchase of liquid real estate. Obtaining a Spanish residence permit through the purchase of real estate is traditionally the most popular and clear request among our investors. The law strictly requires investing exclusively own funds (non-mortgage and non-credit) in the amount of 500,000 euros or more in one or several properties at once. This can be elite residential real estate, high-yield commercial real estate, or just a plot of land for construction. You can flexibly combine different properties (for example, a villa on the coast for your own seasonal residence and premises in Barcelona for long-term rental), the main thing is to reach the total minimum threshold of half a million euros.
• Bank deposits or corporate shares. A one-time investment of at least 1,000,000 euros in shares of registered Spanish companies or placing this same significant amount on a special deposit in a licensed local bank is required.
• State sovereign bonds. Investment of 2,000,000 euros or more in official state debt securities of the Kingdom of Spain.
• Innovative business project. Creation and further development of a new company directly in Spain. Such a project must be officially recognized by the competent authorities as representing significant general public interest: ensuring the creation of real new jobs, having a significant positive socio-economic impact on the local region, or successfully introducing important technological or scientific innovations in the relevant sector.

Procedure: Key Stages for Obtaining a European Passport

The process of systematic and correct transition from the status of an ordinary foreign investor to a full-fledged European citizen requires a certain amount of time, patience, and impeccable, scrupulous adherence to local strict migration rules.

From the perspective of migration law, the main stages of legalization are as follows:

1. Selection of the investment object and initial preparation. At this first stage, you, together with experts, carefully analyze the current market, make the final decision to buy real estate in Spain for a Residence Permit (RP) or choose another asset, issue a notarized power of attorney to your lawyer, obtain a foreigner’s identification number (NIE), and open a current account at a local bank after strict compliance screening.
2. Execution of the approved investment. Transfer of own legal funds and strict legal execution of the transaction: signing an official purchase and sale agreement with a notary, transferring funds to a special investment account, or officially registering a new enterprise.
3. Obtaining the Golden Visa (Residence Permit). Collection of a complete, legally verified package of documents and its submission to the Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration. The Investment RP is immediately issued for a long term of three years with the unhindered right to further automatic extension for another five years (provided the initial investment asset is fully retained in your ownership).
4. Obtaining Permanent Residence (PR). After five full years of legal, continuous stay in the country, you acquire the legal right to submit your documents for PR (Tarjeta de Larga Duración). From this important moment, you can finally profitably sell your investment asset without any risk of losing your migration status.
5. Application for citizenship and passportization. After ten years of actual residence in the country (staying at least 183 days annually), you officially acquire the right to apply for Spanish citizenship. This requires successfully passing two mandatory state exams: for fluent knowledge of the Spanish language (DELE exam level A2 or higher) and an exam on the socio-cultural and constitutional realities of Spain (CCSE exam).

It is very important to note a crucial legal nuance: according to current laws, Spain requires Ukrainians to formally submit a written renunciation of their first citizenship when taking the oath to the King.

However, in practice, Ukraine does not legally recognize the voluntary automatic loss of status without a corresponding signed Presidential Decree, which currently creates a specific legal field for investors with two passports.

How Can a Migration Lawyer in Spain Help with the Application?

European migration legislation is becoming increasingly complex every year and contains many dangerous bureaucratic nuances.

Any attempt to independently and blindly go through all state institutions very often leads to fatal errors in documents, official rejections, unjustified loss of precious time, and even a serious risk of account blocking by strict financial monitoring.

An experienced migration lawyer in Spain becomes your reliable shield and provides comprehensive “turnkey” legal support at every stage:

• In-depth Due Diligence audit (check for legal cleanliness). Detailed, scrupulous verification of all real estate objects for the possible presence of hidden encumbrances, utility debts, or judicial arrests before signing any financial transactions.
• Preparation of the investment dossier. Collection, correct apostille, consular legalization, and certified sworn translation (Traductor Jurado) of all necessary certificates. Opening an account for Ukrainians is currently greatly complicated by enhanced financial monitoring (KYC/AML). A specialized lawyer will help competently prepare tax declarations and justify the legality of the origin of your funds, so that the European bank guaranteed accepts the money without blocking.
• International tax planning. Expert legal consultations on the lawful optimization of taxation and the correct application of international agreements for the avoidance of double taxation. This is necessary so that your business assets in Ukraine and capital in Europe are reliably protected from unnecessary financial losses.
• Representation in state bodies. Continuous communication and professional representation of your personal interests in local migration services, banking institutions, and notary offices based on a signed power of attorney, which allows you not to waste your personal time on queues.

Thanks to our professional legal support, the services of a migration lawyer pay off through saved nerves, and you guaranteed and safely receive the coveted Spanish passport by investment without any unnecessary stress or exhausting bureaucratic hassle.

Our experts will analyze your unique personal situation in detail, select the most optimal and financially secure investment option, and help you obtain the desired resident status and Spanish citizenship as quickly as possible, absolutely legally, and strictly confidentially!