This comparison has a clear answer on availability. Spain's Golden Visa is closed to new applicants, while Latvia still offers residence by investment with several routes.
Information, not advice. Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Always confirm the present rules with the official program authority and a licensed professional before you act.
Spain's Golden Visa offered residence in return for an investment, most often property of at least 500,000 euro. It closed to new applicants in April 2025 over housing concerns, so it is now a legacy programme rather than a live option.
Latvia's residence by investment remains open and offers several routes, including company investment, real estate, government bonds and a bank deposit. It is one of the more accessible EU residence routes by entry cost.
Spain's route is closed, so there is no current qualifying figure to plan around. The former 500,000 euro property level applies only to those who applied before the programme ended.
Latvia offers a company investment from 50,000 euro into a small company, with a one time state fee of 10,000 euro, or 100,000 euro into a larger company. Other routes include real estate from 250,000 euro with a 5 percent government fee, government bonds of 250,000 euro, or a bank deposit of 280,000 euro. Confirm each figure with OCMA.
Spain no longer accepts new applications, so there is no live processing timeline. Existing holders renew under the prior rules.
Latvia processes a complete application in roughly one to three months. The residence permit runs for five years, and you need only enter Latvia about once a year to keep it registered.
Both are or were residence routes, not passports. Spanish residence could lead to citizenship after long legal residence, and that path still applies to existing holders.
Latvian residence allows Schengen area travel, with citizenship possible only after about ten years and a language and integration test. Neither route is a fast passport.
Spain is no longer an option for new applicants, so anyone drawn to it should look at open European routes instead.
Latvia suits an applicant who wants a low cost EU residence with a light stay requirement and a choice of investment routes, and who does not need an immediate passport.
| Item | Spain legacy Golden Visa | Latvia residence by investment |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Closed to new applicants since April 2025 | Open |
| Main routes | Property from 500,000 euro, now closed | Company from 50,000 euro, real estate from 250,000 euro, bonds 250,000 euro, deposit 280,000 euro |
| Indicative processing | Not accepting new applications | About one to three months |
| Permit length | Renewable for existing holders | Five years, enter about once a year |
| Official authority | Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration | Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs |
Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, and the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA), Latvia publishes the binding detail. Verify before you act.
No. Spain ended the Golden Visa for new applicants on 3 April 2025. Only those who applied before that date keep and renew their status.
Yes. Latvia continues to offer residence by investment through company investment, real estate, government bonds and a bank deposit, each with its own threshold and fees. Confirm current figures with OCMA.
Latvian citizenship is generally possible only after about ten years of residence, with a language and integration test. The investment permit is a residence route, not a fast passport.
Information, not advice. Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Always confirm the present rules with the official program authority and a licensed professional before you act.
The rules for this route changed recently. Confirm the current position with current guidance before you act.
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