The Portugal Golden Visa Program is one of the most popular residency by-investment programs in Europe. Since its introduction in 2012, the program has attracted thousands of investors and their families from all over the world.

In this article, you can look at the details of the program and what it takes to obtain Portugal residency by investment.

About Portugal Golden Visa

This is a residency-by-investment program that allows foreign nationals to obtain Portuguese residency. Besides residency, it provides other benefits including family reunification and visa-free Schengen travel.

Portugal Golden Visa was introduced in 2012 to attract foreign investment to the country. Since then, more than 11,000 applicants have received residency in Portugal. Now, it’s also one of the most popular residency-by-investment programs in the world.

To qualify for the program, applicants need to invest in a qualifying investment method. These include real estate investment, capital transfer, and donation. You can find more about these investment options in the next sections below. You can also check the possibility of Portugal golden visa ending at the end of this article.

Benefits of Portuguese Golden Visa

You can explore the main benefits of the Portugal Golden Visa below:

●     After five years of holding a Golden Visa, investors and their families are eligible to apply for permanent residency in Portugal. It’s also possible to get the right to apply for citizenship after that period as well

●     It’s sufficient to stay in Portugal for seven days each year on average

●     You can choose from a wide range of investment options

●     You don’t need a visa while visiting Schengen countries

●     If you prefer to stay in Portugal, you’ll find a developed education and healthcare system. Also, the quality of life is quite high in Portugal.

●     Portugal Golden Visa can bring the opportunity to apply for citizenship in the future. When you become a Portuguese citizen, you can work, study, and live anywhere in the European Union.

How to Apply for Portugal Golden Visa

To apply for a Portugal Golden Visa, applicants must follow these steps:

●     Choose an investment: Investors must choose an eligible investment option, such as real estate, job creation, or investment in a Portuguese company or fund.

●     Prepare documents: You must prepare a set of documents, including a valid passport, proof of investment, and criminal record certificate. Note that most of these documents must be translated into Portuguese. They also need to be notarized and apostilled.

●     Open a bank account and get a NIF number. NIF is a Portuguese tax number.

●     After completing your investment and registration, you can submit your Portugal Golden Visa application. You can do this through the immigration office, Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF).

●     You also need to attend the biometrics appointment. At this step, your family members need to come with you if you include them, too.

●     Then, you’ll wait for the approval.

What Are The Investment Options For Portugal Golden Visa?

As noted, you have several options when it comes to investment route for a Portuguese Golden Visa. Let’s look at each of them below:

●     Real estate option: There are four different investment amounts under this option. One is buying real estate worth at least €500,000. The other is a minimum amount of €400,000 if the property is in a low-density area. If the property is older than 30 years old and in an urban rehabilitation area, the minimum amount is €350,000. Finally, if such property is in a low-density place, the minimum required amount drops to €280,000.

●     Fund subscription: This option involves investing a minimum of €500,000 subscription in a qualifying Portuguese fund.

●     Capital transfer: This option includes transfering a minimum of €1,5 million to Portugal.

●     Job creation: Creating a minimum of 10 jobs in Portugal through your investment. Creating eight jobs in a Portuguese business is also possible if it’s in a low-density area.

●     Investment in an existing business: Investing a minimum of €500,000 in an existing Portuguese business is possible. The condition is that the business must create a minimum of five new jobs for a minimum of three years.

Donation: Finally, you can invest €500,000 in a Portuguese research and development project. Or, you can invest a minimum of €250,000 in the preservation of national heritage in Portugal.

The Future of Portugal Golden Visa

Recently,  the Portuguese Prime Minister announced some measures about the program which hinted at the possibility of the Portugal Golden Visa ending. In that regard, Portugal golden visa ending may be valid for new applicants. For existing visas, there may be some conditions to renew them.