Spain remains one of the most desirable destinations to live, work, or invest. Its quality of life, climate, healthcare system, and connectivity with Europe lead thousands of people to consider moving there every year. However, looking ahead to 2026, this move requires careful consideration: Spain's residency system is entering a new phase, with regulatory changes that will affect both prospective residents and those already living here.
Spain Digitizes Residency System
Starting in 2026, Spain will implement a centralized digital platform for managing most immigration procedures: residency applications, renewals, document submission, and official notifications. This transformation, which will begin after the new regulations come into effect on May 20, 2025, aims to simplify a system that has been fragmented and heavily dependent on regional criteria.
The goal is clear: more standardized processes, less in-person interaction, and greater predictability for those planning a move or a life project in Spain.
What Really Changes with the Reform
The reform does not modify the Immigration Law itself, but rather its implementing regulations. However, the practical effects will be significant:
- Unification and simplification of procedures, reducing redundancies and differences between provinces.
- Greater clarity in documentation, with more defined requirements and fewer unexpected applications during the process.
- Revision of long-term stays, reinforcing the need to prove effective residence in Spain.
- More flexibility in family reunification, expanding the grounds and improving the rights of family members of Spanish residents and citizens.
All of this responds to a dual institutional objective: to better protect the rights of foreigners and to make the system more efficient and understandable.
New Categories and Key Improvements
Among the most relevant changes are some new features that facilitate regularization and residency in Spain:
Creation of the socio-laboral integration category, which reduces the required period of irregular status from three to two years, provided there is a job offer.
- Evolution of residency permits for training towards socio-educational residency, allowing work of up to 20 hours per week and expanding training options.
- A new residency card for family members of Spanish citizens, unifying procedures and granting permits of up to five years with the right to work from the date of application.
- Improvements to the student visa, which will now cover the entire duration of studies and facilitate the transition to the labor market.
- Introduction of second-chance residency permits, designed for people who have worked legally and subsequently become undocumented.
These measures reinforce a key idea: Spain wants to facilitate more stable immigration geared towards genuine integration.
Who will be most affected by these changes?
Although the new framework will apply to all future residents, some profiles will particularly feel its effects: digital nomads and remote workers, who will benefit from clearer processes; international families, with more family reunification options; and students, who will be able to better plan their stay and their access to employment. And retirees or non-profit residents, for whom the requirement of effective residency is strengthened, but with greater legal certainty.
How to prepare if you're thinking of moving to Spain
If your goal is to move to Spain in 2026, anticipation will be key. Digitizing your documents, knowing the available residency options in advance, and planning timelines with ample flexibility will allow you to approach the process with greater peace of mind. Furthermore, with the elimination of the Golden Visa for real estate, it's even more important to carefully analyze your residential and housing strategy from the outset.
A new beginning in Spain
The new immigration regulations mark a turning point. Moving to Spain will be clearer, more digital, and more predictable, both for those seeking a new chapter in life and for those wishing to settle long-term.
From a real estate perspective, this change will also impact demand: more people will be able to plan their residency with certainty, which reinforces the interest in quality homes in prime locations, intended not only as investments but also as homes.
At AProperties, we guide international clients through this entire process, combining residential advice, regulatory knowledge, and a comprehensive understanding of the real estate market. Because moving to Spain isn't just a formality: it's the start of a new way of life.