I think we both became aware of the growing tension in 2024, and it was genuinely difficult to live with that uncertainty, not knowing what might happen next. We both needed to do something to ease the pressure.
Despite everything, we did not want to leave the US. But we did need another option, and the Portugal Golden Visa gave us exactly that.
Obtaining residence permits abroad was a long and stressful process, but I’m glad we went through it. And I’m grateful that Immigrant Invest stood by our side throughout.
Alex and Jay
Investors from the US
Clients’ names and photos have been changed to protect their privacy.
Case at a glance
Applicants
Main applicant and their partner
Strategic goal
Plan B in Europe for stability and peace of mind
Current citizenship
United States
Chosen status
Portugal Golden Visa
Search for insurance
It was a Tuesday evening in early spring when Alex said it out loud: what happens to us if things keep going the way they're going? Jay closed his laptop and looked up, a hint of concern in his eyes. It wasn't a single event that prompted it but the accumulation — the slow, creeping sense that the stability they'd built was becoming harder to take for granted. America had given them so much. But it had also started to feel less certain than it once had.
Alex and Jay are a couple and successful entrepreneurs from the United States. Alex, 41, has spent 15 years navigating the world of IT consulting; Jay, 38, built an e-commerce operation from a spare bedroom into a multi-channel business. They are, in every sense, people who plan.
As political and legal uncertainty in the US continued to grow, Alex and Jay began thinking more seriously about their long-term security.
They approached the situation methodically. They were not looking to leave America immediately; they simply wanted the comfort of knowing they could, should the need arise. What they were looking for was a reliable Plan B: one that would offer greater stability, peace of mind, and a real option to relocate in the future without uprooting their lives in order to qualify.
The concept had a name they kept encountering: the Golden Visa. Several European countries offered residence in exchange for a qualifying investment, with no relocation required and no obligation to change their lives. They drew up a shortlist: Italy, Greece, Hungary. And Portugal, which kept rising to the top.
Why Alex and Jay chose Portugal
Portugal’s reputation preceded it: the country was consistently ranked among the world’s safest, and among the most LGBT-welcoming. Same-sex de facto unions had been legal since 2001, and same-sex marriage since 2010. The constitution explicitly prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. These were not small things, they mattered deeply.
The Portugal Golden Visa recognised same-sex partners even without formal marriage, which meant Alex and Jay could apply together under a single application, as a couple.
Trusted by 10,000+ investors
Check your eligibility for the Portugal Golden Visa
Trip that made it real
Alex and Jay didn't want to make a decision of this magnitude from a spreadsheet. Instead, they decided to travel to Portugal to experience the country firsthand and booked their flights.
Eight days in November — Lisbon, the Algarve, a night in Évora. Alex had half-expected charming but provisional, the way places sometimes look better in photographs. Instead he found himself in a sun-filled café, thinking: this is genuinely one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.
Alex,
Investor from the US
What struck us both was how calm and peaceful it felt. Lisbon is a busy, lively city, but people were relaxed, unhurried, going about their day.
And it felt safe. Just naturally, genuinely safe. We walked everywhere, at all hours, and it never crossed my mind to think twice about it.
Portugal felt unexpectedly warm to Alex and Jay. The November light was soft and golden, the landscapes looked almost cinematic, and the old European atmosphere was exactly what they had hoped for. But what stayed with them most was the people — open and genuinely friendly. They were switching effortlessly into English without making Alex and Jay feel like tourists to be managed.
By the time the couple boarded their return flight, the question wasn't whether to pursue Portugal's Golden Visa, It was how.
Portugal is a magnet for expats. By the end of 2024, the country was home to over 1.5 million foreign residents[1]Source: AIMA: Migration Report 2024, accounting for around 14.4% of the total population
Entering the process: where expertise begins to matter
Golden Visas looked simple from the outside. But when Alex and Jay tried to navigate European immigration rules on their own, they quickly realised the process was far more layered than it first appeared. To get a clear understanding of their options, they turned to Immigrant Invest and booked a consultation.
A dedicated expert walked them through every key aspect of the programme: how much they would need to budget, what the current timeline looked like, how the process would unfold, and which investment options were available.
Documents required to prove partnership
One of the main challenges was proving their partnership in a way that would be recognised by Portugal. Immigrant Invest explained which documents would be needed and helped Alex and Jay understand how to present their relationship clearly within the application.
Under Portuguese legislation, a partnership, or união de facto, refers to two people who have lived together in conditions similar to marriage for more than 2 years[2]Source: Diário da República: Civil partnership law. The documents typically required to prove such a partnership include:
- Certificate of Registered Domestic Partnership, Civil Union Certificate, or an equivalent official document from the US, confirming the registered partnership.
- Evidence of cohabitation for more than 2 years, such as lease agreements, mortgage documents, deed records, utility bills, bank statements, insurance documents, or tax records.
- Evidence of a shared household and joint life — joint bank accounts, insurance policies, shared bills, joint tax filings, or beneficiary designations.
- Sworn declaration by both partners, confirming that they have lived in união de facto for more than 2 years.
- Birth certificates of both partners.
Investment options under the Portugal Golden Visa
Immigrant Invest explained the available options to Alex and Jay:
- purchase of fund units — €500,000+.
- support of arts and cultural heritage — €250,000+.
- donation to scientific research — €500,000+.
- business investment with the creation of 5+ jobs — €500,000+.
- opening a company with the creation of 10+ jobs — no minimum investment requirement.
Alex and Jay were immediately drawn to the fund route, as it offered the potential to recover their capital while also generating a return on their investment. After studying the details and weighing all the options, they decided the fund investment was the right route for them.
How Alex and Jay obtained their Portugal Golden Visas
The process of obtaining the Portugal Golden Visa took Alex and Jay around 16 and a half months. Immigrant Invest accompanied them at every stage, from conducting preliminary Due Diligence to helping the couple secure their residence permit cards.
Their total expenses amounted to €515,892.60.
Here is how their journey to Portuguese residence permits unfolded, with Alex acting as the principal applicant.
December 11th, 2024
Preliminary Due Diligence
Immigrant Invest checked whether there were any circumstances that could prevent Alex and Jay from participating in the programme. Once the check was successfully completed, Alex signed a service agreement, and the work began.
Immigrant Invest checked whether there were any circumstances that could prevent Alex and Jay from participating in the programme. Once the check was successfully completed, Alex signed a service agreement, and the work began.
+ 1 month, €2,000
Document collection
An assigned Immigrant Invest lawyer provided a personalised list of required documents and then guided the couple through gathering, certifying, and translating them.
An assigned Immigrant Invest lawyer provided a personalised list of required documents and then guided the couple through gathering, certifying, and translating them.
+ 2 months
Obtaining a NIF and opening a bank account
Immigrant Invest helped Alex obtain a NIF, a Portuguese tax identification number, and open a bank account with a Portuguese bank. Both steps were completed remotely.
Immigrant Invest helped Alex obtain a NIF, a Portuguese tax identification number, and open a bank account with a Portuguese bank. Both steps were completed remotely.
+ 1 month, €500,000
Fund selection and investment
Immigrant Invest presented Alex and Jay with eligible funds and arranged consultations with fund managers.
Once the applicants had selected a fund, they signed an investment agreement with the fund management company. The required capital was transferred to a Portuguese account and used to purchase fund units.
Immigrant Invest presented Alex and Jay with eligible funds and arranged consultations with fund managers.
Once the applicants had selected a fund, they signed an investment agreement with the fund management company. The required capital was transferred to a Portuguese account and used to purchase fund units.
+ 6 months, €1,264.2
Application
Immigrant Invest submitted the electronic application to AIMA, the Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum, on the applicants’ behalf. Alex paid the application fees for himself and Jay.
Immigrant Invest submitted the electronic application to AIMA, the Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum, on the applicants’ behalf. Alex paid the application fees for himself and Jay.
+ 3 weeks
Biometrics submission
The lawyers scheduled an appointment for Alex and Jay. Two days before the scheduled date, the couple travelled to Portugal to have their fingerprints taken and submit the original documents.
The lawyers scheduled an appointment for Alex and Jay. Two days before the scheduled date, the couple travelled to Portugal to have their fingerprints taken and submit the original documents.
March 27th, 2026, €12,628.4
Residence permit issuance
AIMA reviewed the file. Once the application was approved, Alex paid the residence permit issuance fee.
After the cards were ready, an Immigrant Invest representative collected them under power of attorney and delivered them to Alex and Jay in the US.
Residence permits are granted for 2 years and can then be renewed for subsequent 2-year periods.
AIMA reviewed the file. Once the application was approved, Alex paid the residence permit issuance fee.
After the cards were ready, an Immigrant Invest representative collected them under power of attorney and delivered them to Alex and Jay in the US.
Residence permits are granted for 2 years and can then be renewed for subsequent 2-year periods.
Life after the permit: a door left open
Alex and Jay continue to live in the United States, much as they did before: Alex still consults, and Jay still ships orders.
The Portugal Golden Visa hasn't changed the couple’s daily routine — and that, in a way, was always the point.
In May, Alex and Jay returned to Portugal for a proper holiday. First came Lisbon, then Porto, which neither of them had visited before. They liked the city immediately: the cobbled streets, the unhurried pace, the wine. Porto has stayed with them ever since. They have started talking about buying a small apartment there to stay during visits, and perhaps, eventually, something more.
Immigrant Invest is ready to help whenever they are, bringing the same understanding of the Portuguese market to their property search as it brought to their residence application. The next chapter, it seems, is already beginning to take shape.
If you are also considering the Portugal Golden Visa, contact Immigrant Invest to start your journey.
