Portuguese Golden Visa is Europe’s most successful residency and citizenship by investment programme
The Golden Visa residency permit allows the investor and his/her family to hold a European residence permit within 6 months and travel across the Schengen Area without any further documentation. Upon completion of the 5-years Golden Visa Program, the investor becomes eligible to apply for Portuguese Citizenship and consequent Portuguese Passport.
Introduction
Benefits
Types of Investments
Process
4 Options after the Golden Visa
Compare with other Programmes
Since its creation, the Golden Visas Portugal have been granted to approximately 10,700 applicants and a further 17,700 have been extended to their family members.
Introduction
The Golden Visa Portugal Programme is a family extended programme targeted at non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens to obtain EU residency and/or citizenship.
The Portuguese Golden Visa is Europe’s most successful residency and citizenship by investment programme.
The Golden Visa residency permit is issued by the SEF (Portuguese Borders and Foreign Agency) and allows the investor and his/her family to hold a European residence permit within 6 months and travel across the Schengen Area without any further documentation.
Upon completion of the 5-years Golden Visa Program, the investor becomes eligible to apply for Portuguese Citizenship and consequent Portuguese Passport.
The Portuguese Passport is currently ranked 5th in the Global Passport Power Ranking, according to the Passport Index 2022.
Once obtained the Portuguese Passport, the Main Investor and his/her family will be allowed to live, work and study anywhere within the European Union, without the hassle of visa applications and extra documentation.
Benefits
A favorable and hassle-free investment residence visa, with all the benefits extended to all dependent family members:
Family reunification
Family reunification entitles the Main Investor spouse, children and dependent parents to be included in the same Golden Visa application
as well.
Minimal stay
Minimal stay requirement in Portuguese territory of 7 days on average, per year.
Travel freely
Travel freely in the Schengen Area.
Portuguese passport
Portuguese passport, once obtained allows travelling visa-free across 186 countries.
Favorable taxation
Favorable taxation for non-habitual residents (NHR), such as no wealth tax and tax exemption on foreign income.
4 Options to choose from
4 Options to choose from, after the mandatory 5-years Golden Visa period.
Types of Investments
Types of Investments
Real Estate
Real Estate investment in order to be eligible for Golden Visa, requires an investment between €280,000 and €500,000, or more into Portuguese properties. The variation in the amount invested is dependent on the purchasing requirements outlined in the Golden Visa scheme. Such requirements outlay the specification of each property, namely its location (areas of urban rehabilitation, beautification or low-density areas) and the property use (residential or commercial).
Real Estate Investment
for Residential Purposes.
An investment in real estate for residential purposes is now limited to properties located in the interior territories of Portugal and in the islands of Madeira and Azores. Please refer to the map for the eligible locations.
Low-density areas.
“Low density areas” are the NUTS 3 regions, highlighted in light green on the map, which have less than 100 inhabitants per square kilometer or a per capita GDP of less than 75% of the national average.
This applies to the whole territory of Portugal apart from the municipalities highlighted in red in the map.
The islands of Madeira and Azores are also eligible for Golden Visa purposes.
Real Estate Investment
for non-Residential Purposes.
Another option for the Golden Visa is to invest in real estate for non-residential purposes. For non-residential purposes, you can invest anywhere in Portugal. The investment can be made whether as an individual owner or as a co-owner, provided that the Golden Visa main applicant invests singly the minimum required amount.
Types of Investments
Funds
Since November 2018 both Private Equity and Venture Capital Funds became eligible as an investment option within the Golden Visa Portugal Programme.
Investment funds in Portugal are dully regulated by CMVM – Comissão de Mercado de Valores Mobiliários (Portuguese Securities Market Commission).
As from January 2022, using Private Equity or Venture Capital Funds for Golden Visa purposes required a minimum investment of 500,000€.
A Fund to be eligible for the Portuguese Golden Visa must invest at least 60% of its funds in Portuguese companies.
Some of the existing funds that are eligible for the Golden Visa Programme choose to specialize in specific sectors such as, residential, retail, technology, agriculture and others, whilst other funds choose to have a more opportunistic and multi-sector investment strategy.
Types of Investments
Other Investment Options
Capital Transfer
A Capital Transfer in order to be eligible for Golden Visa Portugal, the amount transferred to a Portuguese Bank Account must be equal or higher then 1,500,000€.
Job Creation
A Job creation investment in order to be eligible for Golden Visa Portugal, the investment must aim to create at least 10 Jobs. This requirement may be reduced in 20% (8 jobs) when in a low-density territory (NUTS III level with less than 100 inhabitants per Km2 or PIB per capita less than 75% of the national average).
Investing in Companies
Investing in companies in order to be eligible for Golden Visa Portugal, the amount invested must be at least 500.000€ for the purpose of constitution of a commercial society with head office in Portugal, combined with the creation of five permanent working jobs, or for the purpose of reinforcement of the share capital of an already existing commercial company with head office in Portugal, combined with the creation or keeping 5 permanent jobs, for a minimum period of three years.
Investing in Research Activities
Investing in Research Activities in order to eligible for Golden Visa Portugal, the amount invested must be at least 500,000€ for the purpose of investing in research activities conducted by public or private scientific research institutions involved in the national scientific or technologic system.
Investing in Arts and Heritage
Investing in Arts and Heritage in order to be eligible for Golden Visa Portugal, the amount invested must be at least 250,000€ with the purpose of investing in artistic output or supporting artistic projects, for the purpose of reconstruction or refurbishment of the national heritage, through local and central authorities, public institutions, public corporate sector, public foundations, private foundations of public interest, networked local authorities, local corporate sector organizations, local associations and public cultural associations, pursuing activities of artistic output, and restoring or maintenance of the national cultural heritage.
Process
Timeline Golden Visa Portugal
The initial application and the supporting documents are submitted online to Foreigner and Border Services (SEF). SEF is the official immigration and border services office in Portugal. Once they approve your application, you then need to schedule an interview in person.
There are numerous SEF offices across Portugal, and you may apply from any of them, regardless of where you made your investment. By doing so you are avoiding long waitlists clutter such as the SEF offices in Lisbon district.
Year 0
It takes approximately 6 months for SEF to approve and provide a date for your biometrics appointment.
As the main applicant, you and all your dependents can book the SEF appointment simultaneously. After the in-person interview, you will receive your Golden Visa cards within four months. Once the permit cards arrive your residence becomes effective, starting on the day of its issue.
Year one and Year two
Your initial Golden Visa residence permit will be valid for 2-years. In these two years, you must spend a total of 14 days in Portugal, including Madeira and Azores.
At the end of this period, you need to renew your residence permit.
In order to renew your residence permit, you need to resubmit the up-to-date documentation (ie. criminal records), biometrics, and necessary application processing fee.
Year three, four and five
Once renewed, the Golden Visa residence permit will be valid for an additional 2-years. Within those 3-years, you must spend at least 21 days in Portugal, including Madeira and Azores.
At the end of the fifth year
At the end of the fifth year, you have 4 options, continue with the Golden Visa temporary residence program, apply for Permanent Residence by investment in Portugal, apply for Permanent Residence or apply for the Portuguese Citizenship and passport.
Please refer to page 24 for further information on the 4 options.
Know why you should choose Portugal
Extended Family Eligibility
- Spouse
- Children under 18 years old
- Children under 25 years old, enrolled as full-time student
- Children over 18 years old that are dependent, enrolled as student and unmarried
- Dependent parents of the applicant or spouse
- Siblings under18 years old in the custody of the applicant or spouse
Application Requirements
- Make an eligible investment in Portugal
- Stay in Portugal for a minimum of14 days, consecutive or non-consecutive, for each 2-year period
- NO age requirement
- NO education requirement
- NO work skills requirement
- NO income requirement
Documents to be obtained in your country:
- Valid passport and, if applicable, a valid Schengen Visa for each applicant.
- Criminal record certificate for each applicant who is over 16 years old, issued by the country in which the applicant has most recently reside for the minimum of a year.
- Proof of residence issued in less than 3 months, such as a copy of the driving license, a recent utility bill or a recent bank statement for the main applicant.
- Proof of professional occupation of the main applicant, such as letter issued by the employer or a payment slip, employment contract, annual income declaration issued by the employer.
- Documentation proof for the eligibility of family members application (marriage certificate for the spouse, birth certificate for the children, proof of enrolment as students if over18 years old and birth certificates for the applicants having dependent parents in addition to provide evidence of no income if the parent are under 65 years old).
-
Tax Identification Number from the country of origin.
Documents to be obtained in Portugal:
- Portuguese tax identification number (The applicant must appoint a tax representative in order to obtain the tax identification number).
- Certificate of no debts from Portuguese tax and national insurance offices and provide proof of no Portuguese criminal record.
- Signed statement by the applicant proving the investment fulfilment requirements.
- Evidence that the minimum investment has been made (Document issued by the appropriate registry office and, if applicable, a letter from a local bank confirming the transfer of required funds).
- Receipt of payment of the application fee.
Regarding documents obtained in your country: Please note, most documents need to be apostilled or legalized in the nearest Portuguese consulate or by an apostille of Hague convention. Additionally, documents not in Portuguese are required to be translated by a Portuguese consulate accredited translator or by a Portuguese lawyer.
Regarding documents obtained in Portugal: Power of Attorney with the necessary powers to represent the investor before the Portuguese Tax Offices, dully legalized by the Portuguese Embassy, with the Hague Apostille or prudentially by a Portuguese Lawyer or Notary. Proof of health Insurance (if the investor have been living in Portugal for 1 year or more). The Bank’s compliance department might ask for further documents for the opening of the Bank Account. All the aforementioned documents must be either in Portuguese or English.
Process
Government Fees
The Portuguese government charges the Main Investor and every applicant under his/her application an initial fee per application. It also charges for the residence permit issue fee per applicant. Please refer to the table below to see the fees transcript per stage of application.
4 Options
to choose from, after the 5 years Golden Visa period
Comparison
with other European Golden Visa Programmes
Use CRYPTO to invest
If you would like to use crypto for the investment related with your Golden Visa application, please contact us and we will get back to you immediately.
