Portugal is the most Western country of the continental Europe. It borders Spain on the one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. It might be difficult to believe that this peaceful region was once a great colonial power that existed for over 600 years without any significant changes.
If you touch upon Portuguese history and culture, phrase “the most…” will be rather frequent in your speech. The oldest bookshop in the world has been open in Lisbon for almost 300 years. The lengthiest peace treaty was signed with England in the 14th century and it is still in effect, though officially it has not been in force since the 20th century. One of the oldest universities founded in 1290 is located in Coimbra. The first person to travel around the world was a Portuguese explorer – Ferdinand Magellan in the 16th century.
– your partner or spouse;
– your minor children or children over 18 years of age who are financially dependent on you;
– your parents if they are over 65 years of age.
You will hardly be able to find another European country offering such numerous investment options for prospective holders of Golden Visa as Portugal does.
The easiest and most obvious way to invest in the Portuguese economy and get residency is to purchase real estate. A property you buy should remain in your possession for at least 5 years. Expected sums to be invested and characteristics of the property are indicated in the table below.
Investing in various financial assets or taking part in promising R&D and non-commercial projects.
If you use this option, the required sum of investment to acquire a Portuguese residency permit is not regulated. You are expected, however, to provide documentary evidence that due to your commercial activities at least 10 full-time jobs or their equivalents have been created for the Portuguese citizens.
The most suitable investment option depends on your plans for residency. If you are not going to live in Portugal, you might like to invest in financial assets of various risk degrees. If you plan to settle in this country and become a tax resident, you might be more interested in setting up your own business.
Purchasing real estate property is currently the most popular investment option to get the Portuguese Golden Visa as it can be your own home in this country or can be let providing you with additional income.
Since the number of aspiring residents of Portugal, ready to invest in the national economy, is growing, the process of acquiring a residency permit can last up to 6 months. It takes 2-4 out of 6 months for the immigration authorities to consider your application.
Our experienced immigration advisers will help you choose the most suitable investment option considering your goals and preferences. Besides, their assistance will allow you to avoid wasting time and money while you are applying for the Portuguese Golden Visa.
Once your application has been approved, you will be granted residency for a year. You will be able to extend it for two years twice. During your first year with the resident status, you will need to spend at least 7 days in Portugal. During the next two years, you can reside for 14 days in a row once.
If you apply for the Golden Visa to relocate to Portugal and live there, you can be granted permanent residency permit after you have lived in the country for 5 years on the permanent basis.
Additional requirements for the applicant:
In Portugal, the permanent resident status is granted forever; however, you will need to prove your status every 5 years.
If you can provide documentary evidence that you have resided in the country for 6 years and you have been a permanent resident during the last year, you and your relatives can apply for Portuguese citizenship.
Naturalisation means that you have successfully integrated in the Portuguese society, that is to say:
The Portuguese authorities do not expect that you will renounce your current citizenship. Thus, if you comply with the above mentioned requirements, you will soon become a proud holder of a Portuguese passport.
Since Portugal is an EU member, your new passport will allow you to live and work in any country of the European Union. It will also significantly improve your mobility as Portugal has agreements with 186 countries allowing you to travel there visa-free or to enjoy facilitated visa application process.
Portugal is a very welcoming country with a great number of opportunities for investors who have decided to apply for residency there. Investing in a Portuguese Golden Visa is profitable. Unlike investment programmes of other countries, the Portuguese one requires a rather modest financial contribution that you will be able to get back 5 years later if you choose the correct approach. You will even be able to get a compensation of a part of your expenses.
Once your temporary residency permit expires, you may apply for the permanent one and a year later, having successfully passed all the tests, you will become a proud holder of a Portuguese passport, that is to say, of an EU passport.
Highly qualified immigration advisers of Imperial & Legal will help you collect and prepare all the necessary documents for residency permit application. With assistance of our consultants, you will choose one of the 8 investment options. Most our clients prefer to purchase real estate (new houses or the old ones that are to be restored). If necessary, our specialists will also help you get a Schengen visa you need to go to Portugal to apply for the visa and provide you biometric data. Several months later you may wish to come to Portugal to collect your resident card yourself, but we can do it for you and send you all the documents. And you can definitely rely on legal guidance of our immigration experts if you make up your mind to apply for Portuguese permanent residency or citizenship.
We will work with you to find a customised solution for your immigration, second citizenship, business, tax and other needs.
Residence by investment
Second passport by investment
European passport