Residencia para inversor (Golden Visa) en España

What you need to have at hand

1. Cl@ve or a digital certificate (FNMT, DNIe) to submit online. 2) Valid passport. 3) Proof of the investment (and that it meets the minimums). 4) Criminal record certificate apostilled and sworn-translated. 5) Health insurance without copayments. 6) A bank card to pay the fee on the sede. 7) Some patience: the platform won’t forgive sloppy uploads.

Documentation

• Complete passport (all pages, in one clear PDF).
• Criminal record certificate from your country of residence for the last 2 years, with apostilla and traducción jurada.
• Proof of investment:
  1. Property: certificación de dominio y cargas from the Registro de la Propiedad + escritura.
  2. Shares/participations: certificate from the financial intermediary registered in CNMV/Banco de España.
  3. Deposits: certificate from the bank.
  4. Public debt: certificate from Banco de España or authorised entity.
• Health insurance valid in Spain, no copayments or odd waiting periods.
• Proof of funds: bank statements/certificates.
• For family: marriage/partnership and children’s birth certificates, apostilled and translated.
• For the TIE: EX-17, tasa 790-012 and a DNI-size photo.

Step by step

1. Prepare everything: apostille and sworn translations. Check expiries (criminal records, 90 days is common practical limit).
2. File online at https://sede.inclusion.gob.es the “Autorización de residencia para inversores (Ley 14/2013)” with UGE-CE. Upload clear PDFs and pay the fee.
3. If you’re abroad, apply for the investor visa at the Spanish Consulate with the same documents. Enter Spain with that visa.
4. Wait for the resolution (target 20 días hábiles; silencio positivo can apply). Monitor notifications and download the resolution.
5. With the resolution, book fingerprints at https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/icpplustie/ and pay the 790-012 at https://sede.policia.gob.es/Tasa790_012/.
6. Fingerprints at the comisaría: bring passport, resolution, EX-17, payment proof, photo and (if asked) empadronamiento. They give you a receipt (resguardo).
7. Collect the TIE in ~3–6 weeks with the resguardo and passport.

Tips that save time

• Split PDFs into groups (passport, criminal record, investment…). The sede sometimes limits file size; multiple clearly named files work better.
• Always use sworn translations for documents not in Spanish. No home-made translations.
• If the website misbehaves, try Chrome and disable ad-blockers. Keep screenshots of every upload.
• TIE appointments disappear fast: check early morning and midday. Have everything printed so you don’t lose the slot for a trivial reason.
• If you don’t yet have a NIE, don’t worry: they assign it on the resolution. Bring the number to the fingerprints appointment if you have it.

Common mistakes that can ruin the process

• Mortgage on the first 500.000 € of the property: that portion won’t count as the minimum investment. Expect rejection.
• Criminal certificates without apostilla or non-sworn translations: instant inadmissibility.
• Insurance with copayments or strange waiting periods: they reject it.
• Expired certificates (criminal, bank statements): they’ll ask you to fix it and you lose weeks.
• Forgetting the 790-012 or the photo at fingerprints: you lose the appointment and start again.
• Not proving real ownership/control if you invest through a company: they’ll ask for proof you control the company (and the money).