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Visa-Free Countries
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The Portugal Golden Visa offers foreign investors a pathway to residency in Portugal through qualifying investments. Launched in 2012, it allows investors and their families to live, work, and travel within the EU’s Schengen Area, with the potential for citizenship after five years. With investment options like real estate, capital transfer, and business creation, the program is a flexible and attractive option for those seeking European residency.
The Portugal Golden Visa is a residency-by-investment programm allowing non-EU nationals to gain residency through qualifying investments in Portugal. It offers the opportunity to live, work, and travel in the EU, with a path to citizenship after five years.
Select a qualifying investment route, such as contributing a minimum of €250,000 to cultural preservation projects or €500,000 to a regulated investment fund.
Prepare necessary documents, including a valid passport, proof of investment, health insurance, and a clean criminal record.
Submit your application to the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (AIMA), providing all required documents and proof of investment.
Processing times can vary, but it typically takes over a year to receive approval and your Golden Visa residence card.
Once approved, you will receive a temporary residency permit, valid for two years, which can be renewed.
Proof of identity and nationality
Documentation confirming your qualifying investment
Coverage valid in Portugal
From your home country and any country of residence in the past five years
Demonstrating financial stability
Required for financial transactions in Portugal
Investments linked to the Golden Visa, such as venture capital or business startups, carry financial uncertainty. Real estate, once a popular route, is now excluded, and market fluctuations previously posed risks to investors.
The application process can be lengthy and demanding, often involving strict documentation and long approval times. Staying updated and working with legal experts is crucial.
Recent reforms, including the 2023 ban on real estate-based applications, reflect Portugal's shift toward sustainable investments. Future changes may further reshape eligibility, making timely decisions important.
It’s a residency-by-investment program allowing non-EU nationals to gain residence in Portugal through qualifying investments.
The lowest qualifying investment is €250,000 in cultural or artistic support, or €500,000 in regulated investment funds.
No. As of late 2023, real estate is no longer an eligible investment route for the Golden Visa.
On average, approval can take 12 to 18 months due to processing backlogs.
No. You only need to spend an average of 7 days per year in Portugal to maintain your residency.
Yes. Spouses, dependent children, and parents can be included under one application.
After 5 years of legal residency, provided you meet language and other basic requirements.
Yes. After five years, you can apply for either permanent residency or citizenship.
Only on income earned in Portugal, unless you register under the Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) regime, which offers tax benefits.
Yes. Much of the process, including document submission and investment, can be done from abroad with legal representation.
Compare the different programs in a nutshell and discover their features
Check the cost estimates for each offered program
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