One of Europe’s most popular residency-by-investment programmes, the Portuguese Golden Visa, focuses primarily on investment in real estate. It has widespread uptake among non-EU nationals for its relative ease and freedom of movement in the Schengen Area (26 European countries).
By January 2021, a total of 9,389 investors and 16,050 family members benefited from the programme, bringing the country over €5.6bn since its inception in 2012.
The Golden Visa programme will divert investment away from the Lisbon, Oporto and coastal areas for applications made after January 1st 2022 for investments in property intended for residential purposes. Other GV residency-by-investment options, such as capital transfer requirements, will be increased. Until that date, the current requirements and benefits remain the same:
+ Resident’s permit to live, work and study in Portugal for 5 years with an option to apply for permanent residency
+ Permits for relatives
+ Access to social security, public education and healthcare services
+ Free movement to live and work within the Schengen Area
+ Spend 7 days in Portugal in year 1
+ Spend 14 days in Portugal every 2 years thereon
+ Minimum investment of €500,000 in a property
+ Or Minimum investment of €350,000 in a property requiring rehabilitation
+ Or Investment of €1million in capital transfers
+ Or Investment of €350,000 in a Portuguese Private Equity Fund
