Short-stay or residence visa for foreigners making a significant capital investment, understood as:
- An initial investment of at least 2 million euros in Spanish public debt securities, or 1 million euros in stocks or shares in Spanish companies undertaking actual business activities, or in investment or venture capital funds incorporated in Spain, or in bank deposits in Spanish financial institutions.
- The purchase of unencumbered real estate for a minimum of 500,000 euros, (if the investment is made by a couple married in community of property, one of the spouses may obtain an investor visa, and the other spouse, a visa as a family member of the investor).
- A business project in Spain considered to be of general interest, as regards the creation of jobs, the significant socio-economic impact on the geographical area in which the project is to be carried out, or its significant contribution to scientific or technological innovation. In this case, the visa may be obtained by a representative designated by the investor to manage the project.
Investments made by legal persons will be accepted, provided that the legal person is not based in a tax haven, and that the investor holds, directly or indirectly, majority voting rights and the power to appoint or dismiss the majority of the members of the board of directors.
The following family members of the investor may also obtain the visa:
- The spouse or unmarried partner.
- Children and adult children who are financially dependent on the investor and who have not created a family unit of their own.
- Relatives in the ascending line in the investor's care.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR THE INVESTOR
1.- One Application form (![]()
National Visa Application form): Each applicant must complete and sign a national visa application, filling out every section. It can be filled out electronically or handwritten in capital letters. If the applicant is a minor, one of their parents or a duly accredited representative must sign the application.
2.- One photo: Glued or clipped (not stapled) onto visa application form. Photo specifications: Passport-size, color photograph, recent (taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance), printed on matte/glossy paper, taken against a white, light, clear, uniform background, facing forward, without dark or reflective glasses, or any garments concealing the applicant’s full oval of the face.
Photos with a dark background or with objects or people that can be seen behind your head will not be accepted. Photographs of babies must not show any part of the adult holding them.
3.- Valid, unexpired passport: Original and photocopy of the page or pages of the passport that contain biometric data. The passport must be valid for at least the requested time of stay and must contain at least two free pages for visas. Passports issued more than 10 years ago will not be accepted.
If the passport does not meet the requirements, it must be renewed before applying for the visa.
4.- Proof of legal residence in the United States. Non-U.S. citizens must also submit proof of legal residence in the United States: A photocopy of the valid U.S. long term Visa or a notarized copy of the U.S. Resident Card (Green card; please do not submit the original document).
B1/B2 visa holders do not qualify to apply for a visa at this Consular Office. They must apply for a visa in their country of residence or country of origin.
5.- Proof of residence or study in the consular district. The applicant must be a legal resident or be enrolled in in-person studies in a center within our consular jurisdiction (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina).
Residence must be proved by one of the following, valid documents: Photocopy of U.S. Driver’s license, State ID, University Student ID. Please do not submit the original document.
If you do not have a U.S. Driver's license or State ID it is possible to prove residence in our consular district by other documents, e.g. a copy of a lease agreement or utility bill.
6.- Documents accrediting the investment. Original and a copy of the following documents:
- Investment in unquoted stocks and shares: Declaration of investment made at the Foreign Investments Registry of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation.
- Investment in quoted stocks: Certificate from the financial intermediary registered at the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) or at Banco de España, accrediting that the interested party has made the investment.
- Investment in public debt: Certificate from the financial entity or from Banco de España accrediting that the applicant is the sole owner of the investment for a period equal to or exceeding 5 years.
- Bank deposit: Bank certificate indicating that the applicant is the sole owner of the investment.
- Investment in a business project: Favourable report from the relevant Economic and Commercial Office of this consular district, stating the general interest that will be served by the business project.
- In the event of an investment made through a legal person: Favourable report from the relevant Economic and Commercial Office of this consular district, stating that the company is not based in a tax haven, and that the investor holds, directly or indirectly, majority voting rights and the power to appoint or dismiss the majority of the members of the board of directors. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
- Investment in real estate: Certificate from the Land Register with up-to-date information on ownership and encumbrances, issued no more than 90 days earlier, and deed of sale.
- The Certificate from the Land Register (“Certificado de dominio y cargas del Registro de la Propiedad”) must indicate updated information on ownership and encumbrances. We do not accept “Notas Simples” or “Notas informativas” from the Land Register.
- We do not accept certificates issued more than 90 days earlier than the day you apply for the visa.
- If there is a mortgage, the encumbrances in this certificate must reflect that the amount of the investment (without the mortgage) is at least 500.000 €.
- The deed of sale must be dated during the period of validity of the Law 14/2013 (after September, 29, 2013).
Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
7.- Financial means. Original and a copy of the documents proving sufficient own financial means, or accrediting a regular source of income for the investor and, where applicable, for the family members accompanying them.
The minimum required amount is equivalent to 400% of Spain's Public Multiple Effects Income Indicator (IPREM). To this amount must be added 100% of the IPREM for each accompanying family member (spouses, children or ascending relative).
The IPREM indicator changes every year. In 2024, the IPREM equals 600€ (approx. $700) per month, or 7200 € per year (approx. $8000).
400% = 28.800 € (approx. $32.000)
100% = 7.200€ (approx. $8.000)
In 2024 the required amount is $32.000 per year for one applicant, and $8.000 must be added for each dependent family member.
Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
8.- Health insurance. Original and a copy of the certificate accrediting the public or private health insurance contracted with an insurance entity authorized to operate in Spain.
It must cover at least all the preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation assistance activities that are carried out in health centers or socio-health centers, as well as urgent health transport.
The health insurance must not have a deficiency, copayment, or coverage limit; that is, it must cover 100% of the medical, hospital, and out-of-hospital expenses.
9.- Criminal record check certificate: Applicants of legal age (18 years old and older) must submit the original and a photocopy (not notarized) of their criminal background check(s) issued by their country or countries of residence in the past 2 years. The criminal background check must be issued by the U.S. Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). We do not accept State or Local Police Background Checks.
- The background check must be issued within the 6 months preceding the submission of the visa application.
- Criminal background checks must be authenticated with the Hague Apostille. We do not accept background checks without the Hague Apostille.
- The apostille must certify the signature on the Criminal Background check, not other signatures (e.g. we don’t accept apostilles that certify the signature of a notary that stamps a seal on the criminal background check).
- Criminal background checks must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish by a sworn/certified translator. The official translation can include the translation of the Apostille as well, but it is not necessary (the translation does not need an Apostille and the Apostille does not need a translation). You can find certified translators through the AMERICAN TRANSLATORS ASSOCIATION or Buscador de traductores jurados del MAEC.
- The criminal background check will not be accepted if it has been altered or damaged in any way, including damage caused by removing staples.
If the applicant has spent more than 6 months (more than 180 days) during the last 2 years in another country (outside the USA) an additional criminal background check from every country of residence must be provided. The criminal background checks must be authenticated with the Apostille of The Hague, unless it is issued by an EU member state. The criminal background check issued by an EU authority does not need to be apostilled to be accepted. If the country in which the applicant has lived in the past 5 years does not subscribe to The Hague Convention of 1961, the background check must by authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country and then by the Consulate of Spain in this country. The background check must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish (if the original is not written in Spanish or does not include the text in Spanish).
Please submit the original and a photocopy of all the documents: Background check, Apostille and official translation.
10.- ![]()
Responsible Declaration (original and a photocopy) of the absence of criminal records in the countries where you have resided during the previous 5 years.
11.- Proof of the representative's identity and capacity. If the visa application is submitted through a representative, a copy of the identity document or passport of the representative and of the power of attorney or document accrediting representation must be submitted. The originals must be shown when submitting the application. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
13.- Payment of the visa fee. Different rates are applied due to reciprocity. Fees in 2024:
- U.S. citizens: $190
- Citizens of Australia: $3.111
- Citizens of Canada: $811
- Citizens of Ethiopia: $508
- Citizens of Mauritania: $263
- Citizens of the UK: Different rates apply. The fee must be consulted with the Consular Office.
- All other nationalities: $99
Visa fees are revised quarterly according to current exchange rates and can be subject to changes.
14.- (DOes not apply for investors in real estate). USPS Self-addressed and Pre-Paid Priority Mail Express envelope from the Post Office to have the passport returned by mail, if the applicant wishes for their Passport to be mailed back to them once the visa has been issued. We do not accept any other type of courier or messenger service (no FEDEX or UPS). Tracking of mailed items is the sole responsibility of the applicant.
Required documents for family members
For each family member accompanying the investor, the following must be submitted:
- All the required documents specified in sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12 and 13. Where applicable, those specified in section 9, 10, 11 also. In the case of minors, the visa application must be signed by one of their parents or by a duly accredited representative.
- Documents proving family relationship with the investor: Birth certificate, marriage certificate issued by the civil registry, certificate of registration as an unmarried couple.
- In case of an unregistered couple with a stable emotional relationship equivalent to a registered couple: notarized declaration stating that you are an unregistered unmarried couple with an stable emotional relationship equivalent to a registered couple, and any other document proving the unregistered partnership with the applicant for at least 1 year, for evaluation.
- In case of adult children (18 y.o. and older): Documents proving financial dependence, the adult child's civil status and that they continue to form part of the family unit. It can be certificates of disability, of single status, of cohabitation at the same address, of studies, etc.
- In case of relatives in the ascending line (65 y.o. and older parents): documents proving financial dependence and that they form part of the family unit.
Foreign official documents must be apostilled or legalized and must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
Please submit the original and a copy of all the documents proving family relationship.
When necessary to assess the application, the Consular Office may request additional documents or data and may also ask the applicant to come in for a personal interview.
PROCEDURE
This Consular Office is competent to accept visa applications from legal residents in our consular district. (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina).
Who can apply for a Visa: Visa applications must be submitted in person by the applicant, or by one of their parents if they are a minor. They may also be submitted through a duly accredited representative.
Visa application period: 1 year as of the capital investment. This period is not applicable to investments in real estate; investments in real estate made before 29 September 2013 will not be eligible.
Place of submission:
- For investors in real estate and accompanying family members: Starting December 1, 2024, the application must be submitted by appointment only to the BLS Spain Visa Application Center for Spain in Washington DC.
BLS - SPAIN VISA APPLICATION CENTER, WASHINGTON DC
1660 L St NW, Second Floor, Suite: 216, Washington, DC 20036
Phone number: 516-888-1169 (BLS call-center for USA)
Please be sure that you have already all the required documents before scheduling an appointment, as only complete applications with all the requirements will be admitted.
Please note that there are different sections for Schengen Visa and for National Visa appointments.
- For other investors (not in real estate) and accompanying family members: Applications must be submitted in person at the Consular Office by appointment only.
Once you have all the required documents you must scan and e-mail them to cog.washington.vis@maec.es. If there is not enough space to include all the attached documents, you can send them in different, numbered emails. Please write the email subject as follows: “APPOINTMENT REQUEST. Visa Type. Given Name FAMILY NAME. Email Number”
When we receive all the required documents, we will answer your mail and schedule an appointment to come in person to the Consular Section of the Embassy to submit the application.
- Rectifying the application: The Consular Office may ask the applicant to submit any missing documents, or to provide additional documents or data that are necessary for a decision regarding the application. The applicant may also be called in for a personal interview.
- Decision period: The legal period for reaching a decision is 10 days as of the day after the submission date of the application, but this period may be extended when an interview or additional documents are requested.
- Visa refusal: Visa refusals will always be notified in writing, setting forth the grounds on which the decision adopted was based.
- Appeals: If a visa is refused, the applicant may submit an appeal for reconsideration to this Consular Office in Spanish within 1 month of the day following the date on which notification of the refusal is received. An application for judicial review may also be filed with the High Court Justice of Madrid within the 2-month period beginning the day after the date on which the applicant receives notification of the visa refusal or of the dismissal of the reconsideration appeal.