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Comparison · SPAIN ↔ USA
Head-to-head dossier
Spain vs United StatesGolden Visa, side by side — 2026
🇪🇸Spain Golden Visa
Spain
Closing April 3, 2025 — what comes next.
From
€500,000
Time
20 days
Citizenship
10 years
Stay
1 day/year
🇺🇸EB-5 Immigrant Investor
United States
The slowest, most expensive Golden Visa — and the most powerful.
From
$800,000
Time
24–36 months (rural priority)
Citizenship
5 years from green card
Stay
Maintain US residency
The short verdict
It depends. Spain and United States solve different problems — neither program "wins" in the abstract.
The full picture is below — by the numbers, then category by category.
By the numbers
Headline metrics
| Metric | 🇪🇸 Spain | 🇺🇸 United States |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Closed | Active |
| Headline minimum | €500,000 | $800,000 |
| Processing time | 20 days | 24–36 months (rural priority) |
| Path to citizenship | 10 years | 5 years from green card |
| Physical presence | 1 day/year | Maintain US residency |
| Tax overlay | Beckham Law (24% flat for 6 years) | None — US taxes worldwide income |
| 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. | Families relocating to the US permanently, especially those with children entering US universities. |
Category by category
- 01
Lower entry price
Edge: SpainSpain starts at €500,000, United States at $800,000.
- 02
Faster path to citizenship
Edge: United StatesSpain: 10 years. United States: 5 years from green card.
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
🇺🇸 United States — best for
Families relocating to the US permanently, especially those with children entering US universities.
- +Path to US green card and then passport
- +Family included (spouse + children under 21)
- +Rural TEA route has dedicated visa allocation = faster
- +Children can work and study in US during processing
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
🇺🇸 United States — working against you
- − US taxes worldwide income for green card holders and citizens
- − Multi-year processing even with reform
- − 10 jobs must be created and sustained
- − Capital is at-risk — no guaranteed return
Read the full dossier