Immigration to Portugal (EU)

Program Overview

The Portuguese Golden Visa program is a program that offers citizenship by investment in a real estate asset. Introduced in October 2012, the program has come to be one of the most popular citizenship by investment programs in the world. Non-EU citizens are simply required to hold the investment for a period of 5 years. Investors and family members are granted a Permanent Residence status after 5 years, and then qualify to become Portuguese Citizens after 6 years (1 more year after gaining PR status). After making the real estate investment, applicants are issued a “golden visa” which allows visa free travel to the entire EU until the applicants wait for their PR status after 5 years. Portugal is a part of the European Union so this process allows you to become part of the EU as well.

Qualifying Criteria

Investment in real estate for a minimum of 5 years.

• Acquisition of property worth € 500,000

Relaxed Residency Requirement

• Residency requirements are only 7 (seven) days during the first year and 14 (fourteen) days every 2 (two) years afterwards.

Benefits of the Golden Visa

• Children aged 18 and above involved in continuous education qualify.
• Parents (if dependent on applicant) will also qualify as dependents.
• No need to obtain a visa to enter the European Union countries.
• Living and working in Portugal, even with residency in a different country
• Residency extended to family members
• Extremely low minimum stay periods
• Permanent Residency after 5 years
• Citizenship after 6 years. After which, one can live/work anywhere out of 26 Schengen countries.
• Health and Education benefits similar to those of Portuguese citizens.