Golden Visa

Perhaps the most sought-after type of residency in Portugal, the Golden Visa is a residency-by-investment program that started in Portugal in 2012. Since then, families from all over have begun to flock to Portugal, a place known for its vibrant culture, excellent health care and education, and beautiful properties.

Wondering what the Golden Visa is precisely? And why it's so popular? We're here to help you understand all the benefits the Golden Visa has to offer as well as how to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.

How It Works

The Golden Visa, Golden Residency, or Residence Permit Program is a residency-by-investment program that takes place across five years for non-EU members. Recently, Portugal has begun to institute different residency programs to drive foreign investors and other business heavyweights to their country, including the Golden Visa and the Non-Habitual Residency and D7 Visa.

The Visa works by allowing investors and their families to live and work in Portugal. There is also a possibility for applying for permanent residency or citizenship down the road. As the term suggests, residency-by-investment means the investors are responsible for investing capital in exchange for the residency permit. As of 2021, the conditions for investment and residency include:

A minimum investment threshold of €500,000
Residences in areas across Portugal except for Lisbon, Porto, and some coastal towns
Property investments above €280,000 in interior territories

Who Can Apply?

You can apply for a Golden Visa if:

You are a nonresident of the European Union, Switzerland, or the EEA
You are willing to invest at least €250,000
Have no criminal record
Fulfil the stay requirement of 7 days your first year and 14 days for both two-year periods after

One of the major benefits of the Golden Residency is that it applies to an investor and their whole family. People who are included in the Golden Residency application include:

Spouses and children
Dependent children under 26
Parents of an investor or their spouse as long as the parents are over 66 years old
Siblings under 18 if investor or spouse is a legal guardian

Benefits

There are many benefits to the Golden Residency, perhaps the biggest being access to one of the most beautiful countries in the world and the darling of southwest Europe.

Beyond that, though, there are other perks to the Golden Visa, including visa-free travel across the European Union, multiple affordable investment options, less strict stay requirements than other residencies and countries, and the potential to become a resident or citizen of Portugal.

Want to learn more about the Portuguese Golden Visa? Or perhaps you have questions about other programs available to both EU and non-EU members, including the Non-Habitual Residency and D7 Visa. P.P.Property is a premier Estate agents company dedicated to helping you find the best locations across Portugal for the best price.

*Note:

The Non-Habitual Residency is for EU, EEA, or Swiss residents only. This allows those citizens to potentially live income tax-free in Portugal.

The D7 Visa is ideal for retirees or people who earn passive incomes. It is a fixed residency and requires applicants to make a certain amount of money.

The Golden Visa allows you to become a resident through investment. You are not required to live in Portugal to take advantage of this Visa.