Portugal Golden Visa

Any citizen of a country outside the EU and EEA can apply. The applicant must meet one of the investment conditions and other general requirements, such as being over 18 and having no criminal record.

Close relatives may also qualify: a spouse, children, and financially dependent parents.

The investment amount depends on the selected option:

• €500,000 — in research, business, fund units, or venture capital;
• €250,000 — in the arts and national heritage.

Another option is creating 10 jobs in Portugal, with no minimum investment amount.

Not anymore. Residence permits are now granted for investments in funds, science, arts, business, or job creation — but not real estate.

Funds collect capital and invest in diversified assets and sectors, helping reduce risk. Units must be held for at least five years; typically, returns are paid in 6—10 years. Average returns are about 10% per year, with dividends paid quarterly or annually.

Investments must be held for at least five years. The funds are usually returned within 6—10 years, and units can be sold to other investors or the fund itself.

No, Portugal hasn’t stopped issuing Golden Visas, but in 2024, the conditions have changed. Real estate and bank deposits are no longer eligible. The valid options now are investment in arts, science, investment and venture capital funds, or business.

Apply for a residence permit based on employment, university studies, investment, or family reunification.

Applicants must provide documents, prove financial stability, and show proof of accommodation. Investment-based residence permits start from €250,000. The process takes around 12 months.

After 5 years of legal residence, foreigners can apply for permanent residency. 

After 10 years, a foreign national becomes eligible to apply for citizenship. To do so, they must demonstrate ties to the country and pass a basic exam on the Portuguese language, culture, history, and legal framework.

There’s no official term for Golden Passport. Investors can apply for Portuguese citizenship only 10 years after obtaining their residence permit.

Applications are submitted to AIMA — the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum, Agência para a Integração Migrações e Asilo. Processing times vary by case but generally take at least 12 months.

Previously, the SEF, Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras, handled applications. It has been dissolved, and AIMA was created to speed up the process. However, some applicants still wait up to two years, and AIMA has a backlog of over 375,000 renewal requests.

Investors tax residents in Portugal by staying over 183 days per year. Residents pay income tax on employment, business, rent, royalties, and interest. Rates are progressive: 13.25—48%.

Non-residents pay 25% tax on income earned in Portugal. Property purchases are also taxed; a stamp duty of 0.8% applies.

Permanent residency is granted after living in Portugal for at least 183 days per year. The status is valid for life, but the residence card must be renewed every five years.

Citizenship is granted by naturalisation after 10 years of legal residence. Other citizenship routes: birth, descent, repatriation, or marriage.

Investors obtain citizenship by naturalisation and must:

• be over 18;
• have no criminal record;
• pay taxes on time in Portugal;
• learn Portuguese to A2 level;
• integrate into Portuguese society.

Portuguese citizenship is inheritable. Children of naturalised citizens are considered Portuguese by birth.