PORTUGAL GOLDEN VISA PROGRAM
A perfect program for immigrants who wish to invest in the development of Portugal and benefit from its high quality of life.
ELIGIBILITY for portugal investor visa
Investment
The applicants must invest in one of the eligible investment options: capital transfer (minimum €500,000), real estate acquisition (€280,000 to €500,000), or job-creating business investment for at least five years.
Admissibility
The applicants aged at least 18 years old must have never been convicted of a criminal offense in any jurisdiction. This evidence must be provided at the submission of the golden visa application.
Documentation
The applicants must provide the proper documentation to establish their identity, proof of qualifying investment and its ownership by the applicants, healthcare coverage, etc.
PORTUGAL
Fact Sheets
Capital: Lisbon
Major cities: Porto, Braga
Population: 10.3 million (2021)
GDP: $254 billion (2021)
Average Income: €21,000
KEY BENEFITs of portugal golden visa
INVESTMENT OPTIONS in portugal
Settlement in Portugal
Upon issuing the golden residence permit, the principal applicants, their spouses, and dependent children can settle in Portugal to live, work, study, and travel visa-free to 188 countries.
Low Physical Presence
A golden residence permit holder can maintain their status by visiting the country a minimum of seven days per year and by abiding o the other visa conditions.
Access to Citizenship
Golden residence permit holders can apply for Portugal citizenship after a minimum of five years if they fulfill the conditions of their citizenship and establish themselves in Portugal.
Real Estate Investment
Acquisition of a real estate property worth (i) €500,000 (or €400,000 for a property located in a low-density area), or (ii) €350,000 – including the cost of renovation if built 30 years ago or more, or located in an urban rehabilitation area (or €280,000 for a property located in a low-density area), excluding residential real estate property in Lisbon, Porto, and other non-eligible areas.
Capital Investment
Capital transfer of (i) € 1.5 million into a Portuguese bank account or approved investments, or (ii) €500,000 into an investment or venture capital fund units committed to capitalization of companies incorporated under Portugal law, for five years and with 60% of the portfolio in companies registered in Portugal. Lower investment thresholds are provided for scientific and technological research investments and support for artistic projects, national cultural maintenance, or recovery.
Business Investment
The Portugal Golden residence permit program also allows (i) investments leading to the creation of at least ten new jobs (or eight new jobs in an area where the population density is lower than 100 inhabitants per square kilometer or if the gross domestic product is lower than 75% of the national GDP average), or (ii) € 500,000 for the incorporation or company share capital increase registered according to Portugal laws, creating or maintaining at least five permanent jobs for a period of three years.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
To qualify for Portugal's golden residence permit, the applicant must:
- Not be a European Union, European Economic Area, or a Swiss national.
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Make a qualifying investment before the submission of the application.
- Have never been convicted of a criminal offense in any jurisdiction.
- Provide the relevant documentation required at the time of submission.
The principal applicant may bring spouses, dependent children, and dependent parents through the family reunification procedure.
To qualify, the dependant children must be under 18, or 26 years old, if full-time students.
To maintain the golden residence permit, one must stay in Portugal for at least seven days per year.
A Portugal golden residence permit is valid for two years and renewable for subsequent three-year periods.
At the end of the fifth year, the are three options available to the Portugal golden residence permit holder:
- Apply for Portugal permanent residence
- Apply for Portugal citizenship
- Continue with the Portugal golden residence permit.
If the applicant becomes a permanent resident of Portugal, the golden residence permit no longer needs to be maintained, and new conditions will apply to renew this new status.
As of January 2023, applications filed by Russian nationals are suspended at the moment.
Among several investment options, the main and most sought-after ones are:
- Real estate property acquisition with a value of:
- At least € 350,000 with construction older than thirty years or located in urban regeneration areas for renovation (€ 280,000 for a property located in a low-density area).
- At least € 500,000 for a new residential or commercial real estate (€ 400,000 for real estate with construction of fewer than thirty years and located in a low-density area).
- Capital transfer of at least € 500,000 for the acquisition of units of investment funds or venture capital fund capitalizing companies whose maturity is at least five years and at least 60% of the investments are realized in commercial companies with head office in Portugal.