Portugal Golden Visa

Frequently asked questions

• Who can get a Portugal Golden Visa?

  

  An adult investor with proven legal income earned outside Portugal can get a Portugal Golden Visa, also known as a Portugal residence permit by investment. The applicant must have no criminal records and valid medical insurance.

  A spouse, children under 26 and parents can get Golden Visas with the investor. Adult children must financially depend on the investor. For example, if they are students at a university, the investor pays tuition fees.

• How much to invest in getting a Portugal Golden Visa?

  

  The Golden Residence Permit Program offers investors five options. Supporting arts and the Portuguese national cultural heritage requires the least investment amount — €250,000.

  The most popular investment options is buying investment fund units for €500,000.

• Is it possible to return the investment?

  

  Some options provide investors with opportunities to return the money. For example, they can exit the investment in the fund units in five to ten years. In the meantime, the investor can receive passive income and benefit from the asset value growth.

• Can your company guarantee that I will get a Golden Visa?

  

  No one can guarantee that you will get a Portugal residence permit by investment. Moreover, if a company guarantees success, you probably deal with scammers.

  Immigrant Invest conducts a preliminary Due Diligence to reduce the rejection risk to 1%. A certified Anti Money Laundering Officer examines investors’ documents considering the nuances of Due Diligence in the particular country. If there are any risks revealed, we search for a solution. For example, to add specific documents or choose another program.

• What duties arise after getting a residence permit in Portugal?

  

  The investor must spend at least seven days a year in Portugal to maintain the residence status. It is also important to renew the residence permit card on time every two years.

  The investor pays taxes if buying and maintaining real estate. Income derived from sources in Portugal is also taxed.

  If an investor lives in Portugal for more than 183 days a year, they become a tax resident and begin to pay taxes at the rates for the country’s tax residents. New tax residents can also qualify for the beneficial Non-habitual Resident status to reduce the tax burden for the next 10 years.

  The investor doesn’t have to live in Portugal permanently, take language proficiency tests or serve in the Portuguese army.

• What family members can I include in my Portugal Golden Visa application?

  

  The list of an investor’s family members eligible for the Portugal Golden Visa includes the following:

  • a spouse;

  • children under 18;

  • adult children under 26, financially dependent on the main applicant and living with them or studying in a university;

  • siblings under 26 in the investor’s custody;

  • parents who are financially dependent on the investor.

• Do I have to pay taxes in Portugal?

  

  One must pay taxes in Portugal if one earns income there or owns a property.

  You can become a tax resident in Portugal if you spend more than 183 days in a year in the country. This will lead to paying taxes on most of your income there at the rates for tax residents. However, it may be quite beneficial: there’s a 10-year special tax regime for new residents that allows them to reduce their tax burden.

• Can I apply for a Golden Visa in Portugal through a fund investment?

  

  One may purchase units of a Portuguese investment fund or a venture capital fund for €500,000 to get a Golden Visa.

  At least 60% of the fund’s money must be invested in Portuguese companies, and the maturity of units at the moment of the investment must be at least five years.

• What documents are required for the Portugal golden visa?

  

  The general list of documents includes the following:

  1. A passport or another valid travel document.

  2. Health insurance.

  3. Certificates of criminal record from the country of origin and the countries where the applicant resided for more than a year.

  4. Permission to the competent authorities to check criminal records in Portugal.

  5. A sworn statement in which the applicant declares that they will comply with the minimum quantitative and temporal requirements of the investment activity.

  6. Evidence of proper tax filing by submitting a no-debt issued up to 45 days in advance by the Tax and Customs Authority and the Social Security or, if this is impossible, a no-record return from these entities.

  Also, an investor must submit documents connected with the investment — there’s a list for each option. Additional documents may be required.