Looking for a place to relocate or get a second passport? If you are ready for a quick solution that requires investments, Portugal may be a good option. The Golden Visa Residence program gives you an opportunity to make investments in Portuguese business or real estate and obtain a 5-year residence permit. The good news is that you are under no obligation to live in Portugal full-time during this period: you will need to stay in the country for just 7 days a year to keep the visa valid. In 5 years, you can apply for citizenship. In this post, we will focus on the basic requirements you will need to meet to qualify.
Please visit our portal to find out more about the Portugal Golden Visa for families. You will also find a link to another available Portuguese program, the D2 Visa, if you see that the Golden Visa is not exactly what you need. There are numerous articles on different residency- and citizenship-by-investment programs, so you have something to choose from. You can also book a free session with our expert to get qualified answers to any questions or make a final decision about the best country for relocation or obtaining residency – it’s free! We also provide full support in visa acquisition to our customers for a moderate fee.
Why Portugal?
The Portuguese Golden Visa program is very popular and can be rightfully considered to be the best one in Europe. Here are the main reasons why:
- The program is family-friendly, which means that you can include as many dependents in the application as you want to. Your children will take advantage of the best European schools, and the tuition fee will be lower (the discount for EU members will apply).
- The investment amounts are not very high, which makes the program accessible to the middle class. What is more, your investment is refundable: most people who invest in real estate resell it in five years (while keeping the permit) and get a higher price than they initially paid, so the program costs them nothing at all.
- If you have a Golden Visa, all Schengen countries will be accessible to you without a visa or limits as to the terms of stay.
- You can get an EU passport in the end (many of those who applied five years ago have successfully acquired one). It will give you an opportunity to live and work in any EU member country plus some others that have relevant agreements with the EU (like Switzerland).
- You are free to live in any place as you will only need to spend 7 days a year in Portugal.
- Portugal is a part of the EU and OECD, so it will never be blacklisted by these organizations. It means that you can safely start a business in Portugal and enjoy all the perks of a respected jurisdiction!
Impressed? Add a laid-back lifestyle, perfect weather, tasty local cuisine, and friendly people, and you are sure to fall in love with Portugal at first sight!
Golden Visa: Requirements
Here are the main conditions that are quite easy to fulfill:
- You will have to prove the legal origin of the funds you are going to invest in the residence program.
- The principal applicant and any dependents (spouse, children) must have a clean criminal record.
- All applicants are required to have health coverage for the whole term of their stay in Portugal.
- No applicant should have a history of restrictions on entry to the European Union (like visa refusals).
- Be sure to stay in Portugal for 7 days a year.
- If you include children in the application, you will need proof of their financial dependence on you (documents confirming their studies, for example).
- Meeting the investment criteria is a must, of course. You will need to provide a document that evidences your investment in real estate, business, creating jobs, and so on.
- Any assets acquired to qualify should be held for 5 years to keep the visa valid.
As you see, you are sure to be eligible. However, if you have any questions or doubts, you can click on the link above and contact our expert for clarification.
Investment Options
There are 8 investment options available, and you can invest as an individual, an independent entrepreneur, or a company.
Let’s look at the options:
- Investing the amount of 1.5 million euros and more in equity, public debt, securities in non-documentary form or held in individual custody, or simply making a deposit with a Portuguese bank.
- You will need to create no less than 10 jobs for the locals.
- You will need to buy government-approved real estate in Portugal that costs at least 500,000 euros. Mind that popular areas, like Lisbon and coastal areas, are not available.
- You can buy a property built more than 30 years ago that is situated in an urban regeneration area by investing at least 350,000 euros in it. It is important to note that the amount includes the cost of the property and the amount spent on its renovation. That is, you can buy a house for 280,000 euros and spend 70,000 euros on its repairs to qualify.
- You can simply invest 500,000 euros in private or public research and development.
- You can invest 250,00 euros in national heritage reconstruction, art support, or artistic production through socio-cultural associations, state-owned companies, local authorities, and so on.
- You can invest 500,000 euros in the shares of investment/venture funds.
- Finally, you can invest 500,000 euros in the local business. You are allowed to start your own company or invest this amount in the registered capital of an existing company in Portugal. You will also need to create 5 jobs for at least 3 years.
You get a 20% discount on all options (including the creation of jobs) if you choose underdeveloped or sparsely populated areas for this purpose.
Conclusion
You can follow the above link to see what documents you will need and some details about each investment option. The amount of administrative work is impressive, so we provide support if you need a smooth experience with minimum effort on your part. Please get in touch with us if you need help or have any doubts – we are just a click away, and it costs nothing to talk to our expert!