Portugal
Launched in 2012, Portugal's Golden Visa remains the premier route for high-net-worth individuals: EU residency and Schengen mobility from a €250,000 cultural-donation investment (€500,000 via the fund or capital-transfer routes), with just 7 days of stay required per year. Permanent residency is available after 5 years; citizenship now requires 7–10 years under rules updated in May 2026.
Investment routes
Every figure below is the published minimum for a single applicant. Family size, due diligence fees, and government processing fees can adjust the final total.
Investment into a qualifying Portuguese investment or venture capital fund (at least 60% of the portfolio held in Portuguese companies). This is the route most applicants use now that the program's direct real estate option has been withdrawn.
A straight capital transfer into Portugal, available as an alternative to the fund route under the current rules.
A donation to an approved arts, cultural heritage, or restoration project. It's the lowest entry point into the program, with the full amount required to go to the project itself.
Eligibility at a glance
18 years old for the main applicant.
Funds must be transferred from outside Portugal and be demonstrably legitimate, with full banking documentation.
No criminal record in Portugal or the applicant's country of residence.
Spouse or partner, dependent children, and dependent parents can be included on the same application.
An average of 7 days per year, calculated over each 2-year renewal period. Not a strict annual minimum.
How the Portugal process works
Fund or route selection
We help select a qualifying fund or confirm the capital transfer route based on your objectives and risk tolerance.
NIF & bank account setup
A Portuguese tax number (NIF) and local bank account are set up. Both are prerequisites for the investment itself.
Investment & application filing
The investment is made and the residency application filed with AIMA (Portugal's immigration and asylum agency).
Biometrics appointment
The main applicant attends an in-person biometrics appointment in Portugal, one of the two visits typically needed in year one.
Residence permit & renewal cycle
The initial permit is issued and renewed on a 2-year cycle, with the stay requirement measured across each renewal period. Permanent residency remains available after 5 years and does not require maintaining the investment; citizenship requires a longer residency period under rules that changed in May 2026, covered in the FAQ below.
What this program includes
- Visa-free Schengen access for the whole family
- Only 7 days of stay required per year
- EU residency with the right to work
- Permanent residency after 5 years
- Access to leading healthcare & education
- Tax optimisation opportunities
Questions about Portugal
Is the real estate route to Portugal's Golden Visa still available?
No. Real estate investment was removed as a qualifying route in the program's 2023 reforms. The fund and capital transfer routes shown here are what remains open to new applicants.
Does the 7-day stay rule mean 7 days every single year?
No, it's averaged over each 2-year renewal period, so a total of 14 days across two years satisfies it. Most applicants split this into two shorter visits rather than one longer one.
How long does the investment need to stay in place?
The investment must generally be maintained for the duration of the residency period leading up to citizenship or permanent residency eligibility. Withdrawing early can jeopardize the residency permit itself.
Does holding a Golden Visa mean I become a Portuguese tax resident?
Not automatically. Tax residency in Portugal is a separate legal test based on days spent in the country, generally well above what the Golden Visa itself requires. A qualified tax advisor should confirm your specific position.
Is Portuguese citizenship still available after 5 years of residency?
No. That changed on 3 May 2026, when a revised Nationality Law was signed. Citizenship now requires 7 years of residency for EU nationals and citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries (Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, and others), and 10 years for every other nationality. The 5-year figure some older sources still quote no longer applies to new applicants.
What does the citizenship application itself require, beyond the years of residency?
Under the current rules, applicants must pass an A2-level Portuguese language test, a civic and historical knowledge assessment, hold a clean criminal record, and formally declare adherence to Portugal's democratic principles. The light stay rule that applies during residency doesn't carry over to any of these citizenship requirements.
Does the residency timeline change affect permanent residency too?
No. Permanent residency remains available after 5 years and is a separate track from citizenship, with its own rules and without a requirement to keep the original investment in place. It's citizenship specifically, not permanent residency, where the timeline was extended.
Find out if Portugal fits your case
A short consultation confirms eligibility, the realistic total cost for your situation, and the fastest route to approval.
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