Visas and residency to live in Alcúdia in 2026: which options remain and which suits you

Buying a house in Alcúdia does not give you the right to live in it all year. That sentence surprises many non-European buyers, and since the Golden Visa disappeared in 2025, the question "so how do I stay?" has become a common one. This guide reviews the routes still open at the time of writing, with their real requirements. It does not replace an immigration lawyer: it tells you what to ask them.

First: where are you from?

• European Union, European Economic Area or Switzerland: you have freedom of movement. No visa needed; just a registration if you stay more than three months.
• United Kingdom, United States, Canada and other third countries: you may stay 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. For longer, you need a residence permit.

Since autumn 2025 the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) automatically records every border crossing. The 90 days no longer depend on a passport stamp: they are counted for you, and overstaying has consequences.

EU citizens: registration

• What it is: enrolment in the Central Register of Foreigners, which gives you the registration certificate (the familiar green card with your NIE).
• When: if you are going to reside for more than three consecutive months.
• What they ask for: passport, sufficient means or an employment contract, and health cover (European Health Insurance Card if you still pay contributions at home, or private insurance).
• Where: the Immigration Office or a National Police station, by appointment. Appointments in Mallorca are scarce: book weeks ahead.
• Also: registering as a resident (empadronamiento) at Alcúdia Town Hall. It is free, quick, and you will need it for almost everything, from the family doctor to school.

The Golden Visa: what happened and what remains

The residence permit for property investment —the one obtained by buying property above a minimum investment threshold— stopped accepting applications on 3 April 2025. Those who obtained it beforehand keep their permit under the transitional rules; for anyone buying today, it is no longer an option. That leaves two main routes for non-Europeans.

Non-lucrative residency: to live without working in Spain

• Who it's for: retirees, people living off investments and, in general, anyone with income outside Spain who does not intend to work here.
• Financial means: a stable, provable level of income, set each year by reference to the IPREM index, which rises for each dependent family member. Proven with bank statements, pensions, rental income or assets. Ask the consulate or your lawyer for the current figure before preparing your application.
• Health insurance: private, from an insurer authorised in Spain, with no co-payments or waiting periods.
• Where to apply: at the Spanish consulate in your country of residence, not from Spain.
• Duration: one year initially, renewable for two-year periods. After five years you can apply for long-term residency.
• What it does not allow: employment or self-employment in Spain. It does, of course, allow you to own property.

Digital nomad visa: for remote workers

• Who it's for: employees of foreign companies or freelancers with clients outside Spain who can work from anywhere. Only a minor share of income may come from Spanish companies.
• Income: a monthly minimum linked to the Spanish minimum wage, reviewed every year and rising with each family member. Confirm the updated threshold with your lawyer before applying.
• Requirements: a university degree or three years' experience, an employment or commercial relationship of at least three months with the company, and the company must have been operating for a year.
• Key advantage: it can be applied for from Spain, while here as a tourist, in which case a three-year permit is granted directly, renewable for two.
• Tax: it allows you to opt into the special inbound-worker regime —a reduced flat rate on employment income, up to an annual cap— for six years. It is one of the reasons it has been so successful; a tax adviser will tell you whether it pays off in your case.

Alcúdia has fibre in its residential areas and a growing community of remote professionals. We cover it in remote working in Alcúdia.

The NIE is not a visa

The Foreigner Identification Number is just that: a number. You need it to buy the house, open a bank account or sign up for electricity, and you can obtain it without residing in Spain, at a consulate or a police station. Having one does not entitle you to stay beyond the 90 days. It is the first step of buying as a foreigner, not the last step of residency.

Tax residency: the question nobody asks in time

• The rule: if you spend more than 183 days a year in Spain, or the centre of your economic interests or your family is here, you are tax resident. You are taxed in Spain on your worldwide income.
• What it entails: an income tax return, and Form 720 if your assets outside Spain (accounts, securities or property) exceed the threshold set for any category. Your tax adviser will tell you whether it applies to you.
• What is not up to you: tax residency is determined by facts, not by the visa you hold. You can be tax resident without ever having applied for legal residency, and vice versa.
• Treaties: Spain has double-taxation agreements with Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and most countries. They prevent paying twice; they do not let you choose where to pay.

Conclusion

For a European, living in Alcúdia is a morning's paperwork. For a non-European there are two clear paths: non-lucrative residency if you live off your income, and the digital nomad visa if you work remotely, with the tax advantage of the latter. What no longer exists is the investment shortcut. And in either case, the decision that truly changes your situation is not the visa, but day 184.