Portugal Golden Visa explained: new rules, updates, and how to qualify

1. Compliance with immigration rules. A qualified lawyer ensures that the chosen investment fully meets the legal requirements of the Portugal Golden Visa. They carefully check documents, prepare the application, and make sure it aligns with immigration law, which minimises the risk of rejection.

2. Representation before authorities. A lawyer handles communication with Portuguese authorities on behalf of the investor. From preparing and submitting forms to monitoring deadlines and answering official requests, they take care of all bureaucratic procedures, saving the client time and effort.

3. Tax and residency planning. A lawyer may provide general guidance to help investors understand Portugal’s tax system, double taxation agreements, and available planning strategies.

Detailed tax and residency planning should be done with specialised professionals.

4. Protection in investment fund subscriptions. For investors choosing to participate through Portuguese investment funds, a lawyer provides an additional layer of security. They review fund documentation, accompany regulatory compliance, and check for potential risks. This ensures that the investor’s capital is protected and that the chosen fund qualifies for the Golden Visa.

5. Long-term legal support. A Portugal Golden Visa lawyer continues to assist even after the residence permit is granted. They help with renewals, family reunification applications, and future steps toward permanent residency or citizenship. This long-term support gives investors confidence that their legal status in Portugal will remain secure.

Selecting the right Portugal Golden Visa lawyer is crucial: an inexperienced or dishonest advisor can cost you time, money, and even your residency permit. For example, not every investment fund qualifies for the Portugal Golden Visa. 

An error can result in a refusal from the immigration authorities and significant financial loss. Here’s how to evaluate a lawyer before you decide to work with them.

Verify qualifications and licences

Agents without a law degree and accreditation might be fraudsters who can cause applicants to lose both money and time. Sometimes they forge documents to gain the trust of their victims. Here is how to verify the authenticity of documents.

Technically, investors can submit a Golden Visa application themselves through the official immigration authority, Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum, AIMA, formerly SEF. However, doing so carries significant risks. 

The application process involves preparing numerous documents that must be notarised, apostilled, and translated, and even minor errors often lead to rejection. The investment itself must strictly comply with eligibility requirements, and a single oversight can result in a refusal.

Applications for many citizenship by investment programs cannot be submitted directly by investors themselves, only through an agent who has undergone a vetting process and received government accreditation.

Usually, licensed agents publish a “Licences” or “Documents” page on their websites. The authenticity of a licence can be verified on the official website of the respective program. 

For example, lists of licensed agents are available on the websites of the St Lucia Citizenship by Investment Program and the Residency Malta Agency, which manages the Malta Permanent Residence program.

Ensure the company operates legally

Sometimes fraudsters set up shell companies, lure clients with promises of guaranteed residence permits in record time, and then disappear with the money.

Several signs can confirm that the company truly exists and operates in compliance with the law.

Offices. Check if a company’s physical offices can be found on Google Maps and one can arrange a meeting there. 

Applying for residency by investment involves disclosing information about assets, personal history, and future plans. Some questions may be uncomfortable to discuss over the phone or video call, so the agent should be ready to meet clients in person at the office.

Contract. Licensed agents work officially and sign a contract. The document specifies the responsibilities of both parties, the process, and the payment terms. It must also include a confidentiality clause, since the agent gains access to sensitive client information such as income sources, litigation history, and family relations.

No 100% guarantee. An agent cannot promise a guaranteed status: the final decision is always made by the authorised state authorities. If an advertisement or a contract claims that a Portuguese residence permit is guaranteed, it means at best the lawyers are incompetent, and at worst the company is fraudulent.

Transparent payment. Agent services are usually paid by bank transfer to the company’s official account, not to another organisation or, even worse, to a private individual’s card. Some agents may accept cash or even cryptocurrency, but only at the client’s request and as an exception.

Check client reviews and reputation

Intuitively, it may seem that a reputable agent will only have positive reviews. In reality, satisfied clients often do not leave feedback, while dissatisfied ones are more likely to write about their experience. Even a reliable and experienced agent may have a few negative reviews. 

What matters is that reviews look genuine, written by real clients rather than hired copywriters. Authentic reviews usually include details about cooperation and the agent’s performance.

If an agent lacks expertise, even a standard situation may end in failure. For example, an inexperienced consultant might overlook whether parents are financially dependent on the investor, and the entire family could be denied residence permit.

It is helpful if the agent is recommended by friends or colleagues. In that case, ask the following questions about their experience:

1. Did the agent clearly explain each stage of the process?
2. Were problems resolved quickly?
3. Did the agent know what to do in unusual situations?
4. If it was an agency, did all staff members leave a good impression?

Evaluate expertise and content

Experienced immigration consultants often publish blogs where they answer questions about second residency and anonymously share client cases. Key points to look for:

1. Does the agent’s website appear at the top of search results when looking up immigration questions?
2. Do the articles include details, figures, timelines, and specifics?
3. Does the content give the impression that the authors truly know what they are writing about?

Dishonest agents sometimes copy or compile content from competitors’ websites. This suggests a lack of expertise and a careless approach to client service. If you see the same image, table, or text fragment on multiple websites, compare the articles. The one with more detail and specificity is likely the original.

Look for proven experience

Even well-trained but inexperienced lawyers may not know the nuances of certain programs. It is better to focus on companies that have been in the market for over 5 years. This information is usually highlighted on the “About Us” page. 

Experienced agents also often share anonymised client stories with detailed descriptions of cases and solutions.

Price ranges. The cost of hiring a Portugal Golden Visa lawyer varies depending on the complexity of the case and the scope of services. 

On average, fees range between €5,000 and 15,000 for a standard application. More complex cases, for example, involving family reunification, tax planning, or appeals, may require higher fees.

What is included. Legal fees typically cover the full application process: verifying the chosen investment, preparing and submitting documents, representing the client before Portuguese authorities, and providing residency advice. 

Many lawyers also assist with renewals and future applications for permanent residency or citizenship, ensuring continuous support.

Why cheaper is not always better. Legal services are not the main expense compared to the required investment itself. However, trying to save on professional fees can be costly in the long run. Inexperienced or underqualified lawyers may miss important details, leading to application rejection or compliance issues.

Even though Portugal’s Golden Visa is one of the most reliable residency by investment programs in Europe, applications are sometimes refused. Most rejections are linked to avoidable mistakes, often made when investors work with inexperienced or unlicensed agents.

Typical reasons for refusal:

• incomplete or incorrectly prepared documents: missing apostilles, poor translations, or expired certificates;
• non-eligible investments: undervalued assets, or subscribing to funds that do not qualify;
• incorrect family applications: failing to prove that dependent parents rely financially on the investor, or mistakes in children’s documentation;
• delays in communication with AIMA, missed deadlines for renewals or additional submissions.

Sometimes, inexperienced agents mislead investors with false promises. For example, we had a case where an investor purchased fund units in Portugal for their Golden Visa. The agent assured them that a Portuguese tax number would be issued automatically after the transaction, which is not true, since a NIF must be obtained directly from the tax authorities.

Immigrant Invest fully meets all the requirements of a reliable Portugal Golden Visa lawyer outlined above: our team is licensed, experienced, transparent, and trusted by clients worldwide. Beyond formal compliance, we also focus on making the entire process comfortable and stress-free for every investor.

Experience and expertise you can rely on

Immigrant Invest has been specialising in investment migration for many years, with a proven track record of successful Golden Visa applications in Portugal and across Europe. 

Our lawyers are experts in international law, tax planning, and cross-border investments. 

Thanks to this expertise, we anticipate potential issues before they arise, provide tailored advice for complex cases, and maintain one of the highest approval rates in the industry.

Additional support services

Obtaining a Portugal Golden Visa is not the end. An investor may also need to buy property, open a bank account, or get a visa for another country. These are complex tasks that can take a great deal of time and effort if an investor handles them alone.

An experienced agent will try to help the client resolve all important issues, either personally or through trusted partners. They will quickly provide the right contacts.

At the same time, an agent must not promise to solve matters that cannot legally be solved. If an agent guarantees to handle absolutely everything on a turnkey basis without the client’s personal involvement, it is a reason to seek a second opinion from another professional.

Our offices: always open to clients

In Portugal, Immigrant Invest has a fully staffed office where clients can personally meet with our experts. Unlike shell firms that exist only online, we operate through real offices with professional teams. 

Beyond Portugal, you can also find us in Austria, Hungary, Malta, and other jurisdictions where we provide services. 

Meeting face-to-face allows investors to discuss sensitive matters, such as financial history, family circumstances, and long-term relocation plans, with complete confidence and privacy. Our offices are easy to locate on Google Maps, and clients are always welcome to arrange a personal consultation.

Immigrant Invest experts are pleasant to work with

Sometimes an agent may meet all the formal criteria, yet it still feels uncomfortable to work with them. Even if the agent is legal and trustworthy, an investor may be reluctant to share confidential information with people they simply do not like. This, in turn, can lead to problems with the documents.

To ensure comfortable cooperation, it helps to pay attention to the people who will work with you directly. Their personal qualities can be assessed during the first calls or meetings.

Key things we provide to our clients are:

1. Tact and attentiveness.
2. Ability to meet deadlines.
3. Quick response to client requests.
4. Knowledge of English, German, Turkish, and Spanish.
5. Professional ethics.
6. Personal approach and relationship building.
7. Willingness to help in unusual situations.

If you notice doubts in several areas, or if you simply find the agent unpleasant as a person, it may be better to decline cooperation.

1. Law degree and formal training. The firm’s staff must be qualified lawyers with diplomas and verifiable credentials.
2. Valid licences. The company must hold official licences to participate in investment migration programs. These can be checked on the relevant government websites.
3. Physical offices. A serious firm has real offices where clients can attend consultations, not just a virtual presence.
4. Professional content and transparency. Their website and social media should feature original, detailed articles, client case studies, and practical guidance that demonstrate expertise, such as a page dedicated to the visa chosen.
5. Authentic client reviews. Feedback should look genuine, with details of cooperation. Recommendations from acquaintances or colleagues are even more valuable.
6. Official contracts and payments. A reliable firm signs contracts, accepts payments by bank transfer to the company’s account, and issues receipts.
7. No unrealistic guarantees. They will not promise 100% success, as the final decision lies with AIMA, the Portuguese immigration authority.
8. Problem-solving approach. A good lawyer warns clients about possible issues and proposes practical solutions.
9. Comfortable communication. Staff should be tactful, attentive, responsive, multilingual, and pleasant to work with.

Source: Portal ARI gives investors and their families, AIMA