Portugal Golden Visa Program
Introduction
Portugal suffered a heavy blow from the economic crisis in 2008. To promote economic recovery, the government took the lead in launching the Gold Residence Visa program in Europe on October 2012, namely, investor is eligible to apply for the Golden Residence Permit via purchasing a property worth at least 350,000 euros. The aim was to attract foreign investment to revitalize the real estate market and replenish the national finances. In October 2018, a new investment method was introduced, where obtaining the Golden Residence Permit required investment of at least 350,000 euros.
At the Portuguese Ministerial Council meeting in January 2021, the Law No. 14/2021 of February 12th was approved and released, amending the investment residence permit policy. The options for fund investment: the minimum investment requirement has increased from 350,000 euros to 500,000 euros. This came into effect on January 1st, 2022 and the policy for purchasing a property came to the end in October 2023.
Fund investment is now the primary way to obtain Portugal RP. Investors need to invest at least 500,000 euros in funds regulated by the Portuguese Securities and Markets Commission (CMVM), and hold the investment for at least 5 years and more than 60% of the funds must be invested in Portuguese domestic enterprises, and the remaining 40% in other regions of the European Union.
Portugal suffered a severe blow due to the economic crisis in the early 2000s. In order to promote economic recovery, the government launched the Golden Visa program in Europe on October 8, 2012, aiming to attract foreign investment to revitalize the real estate market and bolster national finances. However, the Portuguese property investment immigration policy was terminated in October 2023. Fund investment has become the main way to go to Portugal. Investors are required to invest at least 500,000 euros in a fund regulated by the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (Comiss?o do Mercado de Valores Mobiliários/CMVM), with a holding period of at least 5 years. The fund must invest more than 60% of its funds in Portuguese domestic enterprises, and the remaining 40% can be invested in other EU regions.
Application Requirements
1. The main applicant must be at least 18 years old and a non-EU national.
2. Proof of legal possession of €500,000
3. No criminal record
Programme Advantages
1. Spouse, Children and parents are eligible to apply for GV together with main applicant.
2. The fund can be redeemed after five years, along with any returns.
3. Flexible Residency Requirements—only living seven days per year.
4. Eligible for citizenship 5 years after paying the application fee
5. Holders of GV are granted to travel freely amount 29 Schengen States
6. Children enjoy 12-year free public education and are eligible for Overseas Chinese College Entrance Exam
7. Newborns automatically are qualified for citizenship if either parent has held a Portuguese residence card for over one year.
Application process
1. Sign Service Agreement
2. Sign Fund Subscription Agreement and Legal Service Agreement
2. Sign POA
3. Apply for Fiscal number and bank account
4. Complete the Fund Subscription
5. Submit Online Application
6. Receive Online-application Approval
7. Land to Portugal for Biometrics
8. Approval for PR Cards