The Golden Visa is outlined in the Immigration Law and is intended for all those who, being foreign citizens, wish to invest in Portugal and thereby obtain a residence permit and, later, Portuguese nationality.
The main and distinguishing requirement for acquiring a Golden Visa is proof of making an investment among those provided for by law, which include:
- The creation of at least 10 jobs;
- Investment in research activities conducted by public or private scientific research institutions, with a value equal to or greater than €500,000;
- Investment or support for artistic production with a value equal to or greater than €250,000;
- Investment equal to or greater than €500,000 in units of participation in non-real estate collective investment schemes (investment funds) that are established under Portuguese law, with a maturity of at least five years at the time of investment, and at least 60% of the investment value is realized in commercial companies based in national territory;
- Capital transfer in the amount equal to or greater than €500,000, intended for the establishment of a commercial company with its head office in national territory, combined with the creation or maintenance of permanent jobs.
Golden Visa – What Happens Next?
Once the Residence Card is granted, the investor must comply with quantitative and temporal requirements. This means that the applicant is obliged to maintain the investment for a minimum period of five years and must also meet minimum stay requirements in national territory, averaging 7 days per year.
Obtaining the Golden Visa not only exempts the investor from actual residency in Portugal, unlike all other types of residence permits, but it is also one of the means of accessing Portuguese citizenship.
Portuguese citizenship can be requested 5 years after the submission of the Golden Visa application, representing an immeasurable advantage, especially for foreign investors whose passports have more restrictions regarding travel and entry to other countries.
Furthermore, the investor becomes not only a Portuguese citizen but also a European citizen, which is a significant advantage in terms of ease of movement, as well as establishing businesses and moving goods within the Schengen Area.
To learn more about this topic or to start your process of obtaining a Portuguese Golden Visa, do not hesitate to contact our team of lawyers.
