How do I get the Golden Visa for Mallorca?

Since Britain left the European Union, many British residents who own property in Mallorca have been left feeling confused. For a long time, British residents have made up a huge proportion of the second-home buyers, staying in Mallorca for several months at a time. Brexit has threatened this and left British property owners with doubts about buying a home in Spain. Is there a time cap on how long I can stay? How much paperwork is involved? Is it more difficult to buy property in Mallorca now?

Your answers to these questions could be resolved with a Golden Visa, allowing Brits freedom of travel for up 183 days of the year. This is good news for British citizens in Mallorca looking to stay on the island for longer than the current 90 days maximum (with a non-European tourist visa). It also settles the question of whether it is worth becoming a Spanish resident, which although beneficial in allowing you to stay in Mallorca as long as you want, affects your fiscal status in the UK.

Here we explain what the benefits are with a Golden Visa and how you can apply. If you are looking to buy property in Mallorca and are interested in knowing more about life on the island, sign-up to the hc/ newsletter and get the latest recommendations from resident of 20 years, editor Helen Cummins.

The Golden Visa was introduced in September 2013 by the Spanish Government as a way of attracting more international property investors outside Europe. It is a permit that allows non-Europeans (and now British residents) to stay in Mallorca for longer without it affecting their UK fiscal status.

A Golden Visa offers a British buyer in Spain freedom of travel with the option to stay in Mallorca for up to 183 days of the year. This is because a Golden Visa does not entail any tax residency, allowing for multiple entries of any length of stay. It is better than the standard non-European tourist visa which gives you just 90 days within a 180-day period.

Do note that if you stay in Mallorca for more than 183 days (longer than 6 months) then you are deemed by the Spanish Tax Office a fiscal resident of Spain. This hasn’t changed and was the case for British nationals before Brexit.

To qualify for a Golden Visa, you must first meet one very important requirement. The investment value of your property must be worth at least €500,000 and free of charges. If the property is bought with a mortgage, then the free equity must be €500,000.

The main applicant of the Golden Visa is free to add a spouse, civil partner and their children to the permit. For a spouse of civil partner, the most important thing is that they are in a marital property system with joint ownership of a €500,000 property or more. If they do not own a property together, then between them they will need to own €1.000.000 worth of property.

The best way to apply for a Golden Visa is to hire a reliable real estate lawyer who can help you with the legal process. The lawyer will be able to advise on your application and give you the best chance of getting it quickly and efficiently.

For a reputable property lawyer in Mallorca see our selection of the best law firms below. They will be happy to help you apply for the Golden Visa for a property in Mallorca, and give you all the local expert advice you need. All will be able to offer their services in English.