Practice area · Bilingual ES/EN firm · Lex Prudens network
Company incorporation, post-Golden Visa visas, M&A due diligence and FDI Screening. Comprehensive advice in Spanish and English for non-resident investors operating or looking to operate in Spain. Direct access to the partner on every case.
Spain holds a privileged position as a foreign investment destination in Europe: the eurozone's fifth-largest economy, direct access to the EU single market, skilled talent, top-tier infrastructure and a competitive tax regime for impatriates and newly created companies. The Startups Act and the reformed Beckham regime have strengthened the country's appeal in recent years.
However, the legal framework for the non-resident investor has changed substantially in 2025. Organic Law 1/2025 abolished the real-estate Golden Visa. Royal Decree 571/2023 introduced mandatory FDI Screening for investments in strategic sectors. And residence alternatives have diversified into three routes with different requirements.
Dobarro y Asociados advises foreign companies and investors throughout the full cycle: from the initial assessment of the investment structure to company incorporation, visa processing, pre-acquisition due diligence and ongoing regulatory compliance. All in Spanish and English, with direct access to the managing partner on every file.
Sample photo (Foreign Investors) No. 1
Three specialised sub-areas
Comprehensive advice in the disciplines that concentrate the greatest legal complexity for the non-resident investor operating or looking to operate in Spain.
Company Incorporation
NIE, company name, deed and registration. Comparison table SL / SA / Branch / UTE. FDI Screening triple test (RD 571/2023): when you need prior authorisation from the Council of Ministers.
Learn more →Visas & Residence
Post-Golden Visa (Organic Law 1/2025): the three routes currently in force — Entrepreneur Visa, Highly Qualified Professional Visa and Digital Nomad Visa. Comparison table and compatibility with the Beckham Law (24% / 6 years).
Learn more →M&A Due Diligence
Six dimensions: legal-corporate, regulatory, environmental, labour, tax and real estate. Red Flag, full memorandum or vendor DD formats. SPA with R&Ws, indemnities, escrow and RWI Insurance.
Learn more →Spain as an investment destination
Spain is an EU Member State with a recognised civil-law legal system. Corporate, registry and contract law offers security and predictability for the non-resident investor.
Operating from Spain gives direct access to the European single market: free movement of goods, services, capital and people. A strategic advantage for investors from outside the EU.
Corporate tax at 25% (15% for newly created companies in their first two years). Beckham regime: 24% on employment income up to €600,000/year for 6 fiscal years.
Spain concentrates skilled talent in technology, industrial and advanced services sectors. The Digital Nomad Visa and the Highly Qualified Professional Visa make it easier to attract international profiles.
Our differentiating approach
All documentation, negotiations and advice can be conducted entirely in English. The managing partner attends personally to international clients. Contracts, deeds and reports in both languages.
Dobarro y Asociados is a member of Lex Prudens, a network of boutique firms specialising in public business law with a presence in multiple jurisdictions. Cross-border coordination when the matter requires it.
From scouting and due diligence through to incorporation, visas, regulatory compliance and closing the deal. A single point of contact who knows the investor's entire file in Spain.
The legal framework for investors in Spain changes frequently: abolition of the Golden Visa (2025), FDI Screening (RD 571/2023), the reformed Beckham Law. Our advice always starts from the rule currently in force.
“We needed to set up a Spanish subsidiary, obtain the necessary permits and navigate the FDI screening process — all within four months. Dobarro handled everything in English, on time, and with no surprises. That is rare.”
— CFO, multinational energy sector company · Central Europe
Yes. Organic Law 1/2025 abolished the real-estate Golden Visa in April 2025. The alternatives currently available for obtaining residence are: the Entrepreneur Visa (Law 14/2013), the Highly Qualified Professional Visa (20-day fast-track) and the Digital Nomad Visa (remote work, less than 20% of income from Spanish clients). All three are compatible with the Beckham Law (flat 24% for 6 fiscal years).
Royal Decree 571/2023 regulates foreign investment screening. It requires prior authorisation from the Council of Ministers when the investor is a non-EU resident, the investment exceeds 10% of share capital, and the company operates in a strategic sector: energy, defence, critical infrastructure, sensitive data, biotechnology, media or artificial intelligence. Processing usually takes 3 to 6 months.
The special impatriate regime (Beckham Law) allows taxation at a flat rate of 24% on employment income and business activities up to €600,000/year, for 6 fiscal years. Compared with the general personal income tax rate, which can reach 47%, this represents very significant tax savings. It is only available to those who have not been tax resident in Spain in the 5 years prior to relocating.
The usual timeline is 6 to 8 weeks: NIE (2-4 weeks) → company name reservation (24-48h) → bank account and deposit of the minimum capital of €3,000 for an SL (1-3 weeks) → notarised deed and registration with the Commercial Registry (2-4 weeks). If the investor is non-EU and the investment targets a strategic sector, the prior FDI Screening process can add a further 3-6 months.
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