← All comparisons
Comparison · SPAIN ↔ ITALY
Head-to-head dossier
Spain vs ItalyGolden Visa, side by side — 2026
The short verdict
Italy. Italy edges Spain on the headline metrics most applicants weight first (entry price, speed, path to citizenship and physical presence).
The full picture is below — by the numbers, then category by category.
By the numbers
Headline metrics
| Metric | 🇪🇸 Spain | 🇮🇹 Italy |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Closed | Active |
| Headline minimum | €500,000 | €250,000 |
| Processing time | 20 days | 3–4 months |
| Path to citizenship | 10 years | 10 years |
| Physical presence | 1 day/year | Flexible (no fixed minimum) |
| Tax overlay | Beckham Law (24% flat for 6 years) | €200k/year flat tax for new residents (since Aug 2024) |
| Best for | If you already hold the visa, this is your renewal guide. If you're new — read the Digital Nomad and Non-Lucrative sections. | Founders backing Italian innovation, or HNWIs attracted by the new-resident flat-tax regime. |
Category by category
- 01
Lower entry price
Edge: ItalySpain starts at €500,000, Italy at €250,000.
Who each one is for
🇪🇸 Spain — best for
If you already hold the visa, this is your renewal guide. If you're new — read the Digital Nomad and Non-Lucrative sections.
- +Existing holders keep their residency and renewals
- +Digital Nomad Visa fills much of the gap for active professionals
- +Beckham Law tax regime still available
🇮🇹 Italy — best for
Founders backing Italian innovation, or HNWIs attracted by the new-resident flat-tax regime.
- +No funds transferred until visa is approved
- +Family included on a single application
- +Schengen access, low real-presence requirements
- +Renewable in 3-year increments
The honest tradeoffs
🇪🇸 Spain — working against you
- − Program permanently closed to new investors
- − Citizenship still requires 10 years (2 for Latin Americans)
- − Bureaucracy heavier than Portugal or Greece
🇮🇹 Italy — working against you
- − Citizenship reform in 2025 tightened jus sanguinis but residency timeline unchanged at 10 years
- − New-resident flat tax doubled from €100k to €200k in August 2024
- − Italian language B1 required for citizenship
Read the full dossier