What is the average rental yield in Galicia?

Average gross yield on the Costa da Morte is 6-9% for tourist rental and 4-6% for residential. Best areas: Corcubión (8-9%), Cee (7-8%), Camariñas (7-9%). The Spanish average is 4-5%.

Is investing in Galicia property a good idea?

Galicia offers competitive prices (€800-1,800/m²), growing tourism demand, improving infrastructure, and high quality of life. Low risk combined with high relative returns makes it attractive.

Vacation rental or long-term?

Vacation rentals generate 30-60% more income but need active management and a tourist license. Long-term offers stability. The optimal strategy is usually mixed: vacation in high season, long stays the rest of the year.

What expenses does a rental property have?

IBI (€400-1,200/year), community fees (€600-1,800), insurance (€300-600), maintenance (1-2% of value), management (15-25% with agency), platform fees (3-15% for tourist). Net income is typically 60-75% of gross.

Investing 12 April 2025 4 min 768

Golden Visa Spain from Galicia: Requirements, Benefits and Process 2025

What is the Spanish Golden Visa?

The Golden Visa or Investor Visa is a Spanish residence permit granted to non-EU foreign citizens who make a significant investment in Spain. For real estate investment, the minimum required amount is €500,000 per property, free of any mortgage charges.

This program, regulated by Law 14/2013, offers a fast and flexible pathway to obtain residency in Spain and, by extension, free movement throughout the Schengen Area. Unlike other European countries that have closed or modified their programs, Spain maintains the real estate Golden Visa active in 2025.

Key tip: The €500,000 must come entirely from your own funds. You can finance the remainder of the purchase price with a mortgage, but the Golden Visa portion must be unencumbered.

Why choose Galicia for the Golden Visa?

Choosing Galicia as the base for your Golden Visa investment has strategic advantages over traditional destinations like Madrid, Barcelona or Marbella:

Superior purchasing power: With €500,000 in Marbella you buy an 80m² apartment. In Galicia, you can acquire a luxury 300m² house with land and sea views.
Cost of living 30-40% lower than Madrid or Barcelona, maximizing your quality of life.
Stable real estate market with sustained growth of 3-5% annually, without the bubbles seen in the Mediterranean.
Tourist rental yield between 5% and 7% in areas like Sanxenxo, Baiona or Costa da Morte.
Exceptional quality of life: natural landscapes, top-tier gastronomy, low population density and safety.
Connectivity: Santiago (SCQ), A Coruña (LCG) and Vigo (VGO) airports with direct flights to major European cities.

Real estate investment requirements

Requirement	Details
Minimum investment	€500,000 per property (free of charges)
Property type	Any: residential, commercial, land, garage
Multiple properties	Yes, can combine several to reach €500,000
Financing	The €500,000 portion must be cash; excess can be mortgaged
Title holder	Can be individual or company
Maintenance period	Maintain investment for the entire duration of the permit

Step-by-step process

The complete process to obtain the Golden Visa by investing in Galicia takes an estimated 2 to 6 months:

Open a bank account in Spain (1-2 weeks): Abanca, Santander or BBVA are the best options for non-residents.
Obtain the NIE (1-3 weeks): Foreign Identity Number, necessary for any procedure in Spain.
Select and purchase the property (1-3 months): Work with a local real estate agency specialized in international clients.
Sign before notary (1 day): The notary will verify the investment and issue a certificate.
Register the property (1-2 weeks): At the corresponding Property Registry.
Apply for the Golden Visa (2-3 months): Submit application to the Large Business Unit of the General Directorate of Migration.
Receive authorization (1-3 months): Favorable resolution and TIE card (Foreign Identity Card).

Family inclusion

One of the greatest attractions of the Golden Visa is that it includes the entire family:

Spouse or registered partner
Children under 18
Adult children who are economically dependent and have not formed their own family
Parents of the applicant and spouse if economically dependent

Advantages of the Golden Visa

Schengen free movement: Visa-free travel to 26 European countries.
Flexible residency: Only 1 visit per 12 months required to renew.
Work permit: You can work or start a business in Spain.
Path to citizenship: After 5 years of continuous residency (183+ days/year) or 10 years without continuous residency.
Tax optimization: Possibility of benefiting from the Beckham Law with a flat 24% rate.
No stay limit: Initial visa is 1 year, then renewed for 2 years each time.

Renewal and citizenship

Stage	Duration	Presence requirement
Initial authorization	1 year	1 visit to Spain
First renewal	2 years	Maintain investment + 1 visit
Second renewal	2 years	Maintain investment + 1 visit
Permanent residency	5 years	183+ days/year for 5 years
Spanish citizenship	5-10 years	5 years continuous or 10 years without

Comparison with Portugal

Portugal closed the real estate route of its Golden Visa in October 2023, making Spain the most attractive option on the Iberian Peninsula:

Aspect	Spain	Portugal (current)
Real estate investment	Yes (€500,000)	No (closed in 2023)
Fund investment	€1,000,000	€500,000
Citizenship	5-10 years	5 years
Minimum presence	1 visit/year	7 days/year
Language for citizenship	DELE A2 + CCSE exam	A2 Portuguese exam

Recommended Galicia properties for Golden Visa

With a budget of €500,000, in Galicia you can choose strategies like:

Strategy 1 - Single premium property: Luxury sea-view villa in Sanxenxo or Baiona (300-400m², plot, pool). Tourist rental value: €2,000-3,500/week in high season.
Strategy 2 - Two properties: An apartment in Santiago Center (€200,000-250,000) + a house on Costa da Morte (€250,000-300,000). Risk diversification and dual rental income.
Strategy 3 - Yield investment: 2-3 tourist apartments in high-demand areas (Sanxenxo, Baiona, Cambados). Combined yield of 6-8% annually.

Tax considerations

If NOT tax resident: You only pay taxes on income earned in Spain (IRNR at 24% for EU or 19% for treaty countries).
If YES tax resident: You pay taxes on worldwide income. But you can opt for Beckham Law with flat 24% rate on Spanish income for 6 years.
Wealth Tax in Galicia: 100% exemption until 2026. Galicia is one of the most favorable regions for this tax.
Inheritance Tax in Galicia: 99% reduction for groups I and II. The best autonomous community in Spain for this tax.