Portugal started issuing residence permits in return for investment in 2012. 27,000 applicants received “golden visas” in the last 10 years.
Applicants are offered a choice of eight investment options. The option of purchasing a property for restoration for €350,000 or more modern real estate for €500,000 has proven to be particularly popular. The option to buy units in investment and venture funds for €500,000 is also gaining popularity.
These and other popular options also allow the initial investment to be returned after five years by selling the property or units in a fund.
After five years as a Portuguese resident, the investor and their relatives can apply for permanent residence or citizenship. At the same time, they are not required to live in Portugal: as long as they spend seven days a year in the country their residence permit remains valid.
Possibilities
Benefits of a Portuguese residence permit
1
Visa-free travel to the Schengen countries
Portuguese residence permit holders can visit the Schengen countries without a visa and spend up to 90 days out of 180 there.
2
Moving to Portugal or creating a “safe haven”
A residence permit by investment gives the holder the right to enter Portugal at any time, even when the borders are closed to tourists. Residence permit holders can stay in the country indefinitely. At the same time, living in Portugal is a right, not an obligation for Portuguese residence permit holders.
3
Tax optimization
Investors can obtain a special Non-habitual Resident (NHR) status in Portugal for 10 years. A NHR is not taxed in Portugal on income earned in other countries and their tax on income earned in Portugal is reduced to 20%. Without preferential status, the income tax rate in Portugal can be as high as 48%.
4
EU citizenship after five years
Investors can apply for permanent residence or Portuguese citizenship after five years as a resident. At the same time, they are not required to live in the country as long as they do not violate the terms of the program and regularly renew their residence permit.
Portuguese citizens can choose to live in any EU country for life and travel visa-free to 187 countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, the UK and Australia.
Who is eligible to apply for a Portugal residence permito
Main applicant with proven legal income
over 18 years of age
no criminal record certificate
money for investment must be transferred from outside Portugal
without debts in Portugal
valid health insurance
Spouse
Children under 18
Children from 18 to 26 years
financially dependent on the main applicant and
living with them or studying at a university
Investor or spouse's parents
financially dependent on the investor if younger than 65
Budget
Costs for an investor
Portugal offers investors seven options. The most popular one is the purchase of new residential real estate or properties for restoration. Investors can buy residential properties in the inland territories of Portugal, the Azores and Madeira. You can also purchase commercial properties in any region of Portugal.
1Option investment
Real estate purchase
€280,000+
Investors are offered two options:
1. €350,000 — a purchase of real estate built over 30 years ago or located in areas of renovation. If the object is also located in a sparsely populated area, its cost can start from €280,000.
2. €500,000 — a purchase of newer residential and commercial property in Portugal. €400,000 if the object is less than 30 years old and located in a sparsely populated area.
The property can be sold after five years and the money can be returned.
Purchase real estate
€280,000+
Transfer tax
6 to 8% of the real estate value
Stamp duty
0.8% of the property value
Annual property tax
0.4% of the cadastral property value
Medical insurance
€400+ per person
Application fee
€533 for each family member
Residence permit card
€5,340 for each family member
2Option investment
Purchase of units in an investment fund
€500,000+
This is the best way to get a residence permit in Portugal if the investor and his family do not plan to live in Portugal or do not want to invest in real estate.
An investment fund is a financial company whose task is to attract and increase the capital of investors. The fund collects investors’ money and puts it in selected assets: residential or commercial real estate, Portuguese companies, industrial facilities or the European stock market.
The minimum investment in funds is €500,000. You need to invest for at least 5 years, but more often the money is returned after 6 to 10 years. After receiving a profit, the fund distributes it among investors, minus a commission.
Purchase units in an approved fund
€500,000+
Commission when investing
Up to 7.5%
Annual commission on profits
0.5 to 3%
Tax on investment income for those who are not tax resident in Portugal
0%
Tax on investment income for tax residents in Portugal
14%
Medical insurance
€400+ per person
Application fee
€533 for each family member
Residence permit card
€5,340 for each family member
3Option investment
Support for culture and art
€250,000+
4Option investment
Investment in research projects
€500,000+
5Option investment
Capital transfer
€1,500,000
6Option investment
Business investment
€500,000+
with the creation of at least five jobs
7Option investment
Opening a company
Creation of at least 10 jobs
Individual calculation of the cost of a Portugal Golden Visa
Get an individual calculation for your family with all associated costs and government fees
Differences between residence permits by investment and other types of residence permits
Residence permit by investment
Other types of residence permits
Exam on knowledge of the Portuguese language
No
Yes
Compulsory stay in the country
7 days a year
183 days a year
Required to live in the country for the citizenship
No
Yes
Probability of refusal
Low
High
Stages and terms
Step-by-step procedure for obtaining a Portugal residence permit through the purchase of real estate
1 day
Preliminary checks
Preliminary checks
1 day
Our certified Anti Money Laundering Officer carries out practically the same Due Diligence check as the program department. Our verification allows us to identify all potential stumbling blocks in advance and reduce the risk of the application for a residence permit being rejected to 1%.
Our Due Diligence check is mandatory. We sign an agreement with the investor only after carrying out our check. If, during the check, risks are identified, we offer a solution that circumvents the problem: for example, we may recommend choosing another program or attacing additional documents to the application.
The preliminary check is confidential and we only need to see the investor’s passport before conducting the check.
5 days to 3 weeks
Remote selection of real estate
Remote selection of real estate
5 days to 3 weeks
Immigrant Invest’s real estate specialists select several properties for the investor to consider. If necessary, an employee of the company in Portugal goes to the site to take photographs and videos of the property. When an investor chooses a priority option, we negotiate the terms of the purchase-sale of the property with the seller on behalf of the investor.
2 to 5 days
Trip to Portugal
Trip to Portugal
2 to 5 days
The investor needs to visit Portugal to see the selected property and choose the appropriate option. Within two or three days, they can open a bank account, get an individual foreigner’s number at the tax office and draw up a power of attorney for their lawyer in Portugal.
1-2 months
Registration of purchase and sale transaction
Registration of purchase and sale transaction
1-2 months
Immigrant Invest’s lawyers accompany the purchase process up to its conclusion and are responsible for the legality of the transaction.
The investor’s lawyer in Portugal signs a preliminary sales contract and closes the deal. The investor transfers the money. The lawyer in Portugal receives the ownership certificate for the property through a power of attorney. This certificate will be needed when applying for a residence permit.
1.5 to 2 months
Collection of documents and submission of application
Collection of documents and submission of application
1.5 to 2 months
Immigrant Invest’s lawyers provide the investor with an individual list of documents that must be provided in order to apply for a residence permit. They also fill out the relevant state forms, translate and certify documents and collect the documents related to ownership of the property. This takes up to two weeks.
Electronic copies of the documents are sent for consideration to the SEF, the Portuguese Immigration Office. There, the application is considered for 4-6 weeks.
1 day
Submission of biometric data
Submission of biometric data
1 day
The investor and their family need to come to Portugal to submit their biometric data for residence permit cards and submit original documents. The biometrics are recorded in advance in the SEF electronic register.
When the investor and their family have submitted their application and their biometrics, SEF will issue a confirmation document to them. This can be used to live in Portugal until the residence permit cards are issued, but you cannot enter or leave the country until the residence permit cards are received.
From 4 to 6 months
Approval and receipt of residence permit cards
Approval and receipt of residence permit cards
From 4 to 6 months
SEF checks the documents of the investor and their family. This takes up to six months from the date the original documents and biometric data are submitted.
When approval is received, the investor pays the fee for the residence permit cards. They are prepared within two weeks and issued personally to the investor or their lawyer by proxy, who then sends the documents to the investor.
Every 2 years
Renewing a residence permit
Renewing a residence permit
Every 2 years
In order to maintain a residence permit, the investor and their family members must spend at least seven days a year in Portugal. The residence permit has to be renewed every two years. The procedure is similar to the initial application: you need to collect the same documents and submit them in electronic form, submit biometrics and originals, and obtain new residence permit cards.
Additional services
Citizenship and Immigrant Invest will remain with you
Portugal’s residence permit card needs to be changed regularly. Over time, other needs may also arise, such as a residence permit for a newborn child or a new spouse. You may need to collect documents for citizenship or to become a tax resident. This is how we can help.
We help the investor extend their residence permit
We help our clients renew and extend their residence permit cards every two years.
We submit applications for citizenship or permanent residence for our clients
We prepare the required package of documents and submit them on behalf of the investor.
We arrange for new and additional family members to be added to the application
We help the spouse, children and parents of investors obtain a residence permit by adding them to the original application.
We arrange for our clients to become tax residents
We help our client obtain preferential tax status, provided that they spend more than 183 days a year in Portugal.
We order a replacement residence permit card in case of loss
We prepare applications for a replacement residence permit card and make sure a new residence permit card is received.
We help open a bank account
We prepare the required documents and fill out the forms for our clients.
We select real estate
We help the investor choose a finished apartment or buy one under construction. We closely follow each step of the purchase transaction.
Schedule a meeting in one of the offices or online. A lawyer will analyze the situation, calculate the cost and help you find a solution based on your goals.
Who can get a Portugal Golden Residence Permit by investment?
A Portuguese residence permit can be obtained by an adult investor with proven legal income earned outside Portugal. They must have a valid no criminal record certificate. They must also have medical insurance coverage.
Together with the investor, a residence permit can be obtained by their spouse, children under 26 years old and parents at least 65 years old. Adult children must be financially dependent on the investor: for example, if they are students at a university, their educational costs have to be paid by the investor.
How much do I need to invest to get a Portugal Golden Visa?
The Portuguese residence permit program offers investors eight investment options. The smallest investment amount of €250,000 is payable when the applicant selects the option to support Portuguese culture and art.
The most popular options are purchasing real estate for restoration for €350,000 or any other property for €500,000. There is also growing demand for purchasing investment fund units for €500,000.
Is it possible for the initial investment to be returned to the investor?
Some options allow the initial investment to be returned to the investor. For example, real estate and securities can be sold five years after obtaining a residence permit. In the meantime, the investor must continue to hold the investment and can receive rental income and benefit from the growth in the value of their assets.
Can your company guarantee that I will receive a residence permit?
No one can guarantee that you will obtain a Portuguese residence permit by investment. If someone makes such a promise, the offer is almost certainly fraudulent.
To reduce the risk of rejection to 1%, Immigrant Invest conducts a preliminary Due Diligence check. The investor’s documents are reviewed by a certified Anti Money Laundering Officer who is an expert on Due Diligence in different countries. If they find a potential weak point, we will look for an alternative solution to circumvent or avoid the problem: for example, we may add additional documents for submission or recommend another program.
What are my responsibilities after getting a Portugal residence permit?
In order to maintain your residence permit, you need to spend at least seven days a year in Portugal. It is also important to renew your residence permit card on time every two years.
