The Golden Visa program in Portugal has proven to be the most popular scheme in Europe with investors attracted to its flexibility, cost and benefits. Introduced in 2012 this pioneering investment visa effectively launched the concept of Golden Visas taking it mainstream and laying the foundations for other countries such as Spain and Greece to follow. Since then, the program has been actively promoted internationally attracting over €6.0 billion of inward investment into the economy. As the leading consultancy for the Portuguese Golden Visa La Vida is proud to have advised and assisted more than one thousand investors and applicants from over 150 countries worldwide for the programme since its introduction.
An investment of €500,000 into a qualifying Private Equity investment fund or Venture Capital fund within Portugal will gain a golden visa residency permit for a family including dependent children. Although other methods are available including creating jobs or charitable donation (see FAQ below) the fund route is the only passive investment option offering clients a potential return on investment.
There are certain costs to consider in addition to the investment amount for the golden visa. They include:
In addition to the investment and fees applicants will need to open a Portuguese bank account. Investors are required to have a clean criminal record, full health insurance and to submit their applications along with full biometrics. This requires one visit to Portugal at the application stage.
The Golden Visa can be renewed at two-year intervals providing the applicant spends two weeks in the country every two years and maintains their investment.
One of the most attractive options of the Portuguese Golden Visa is the ability to apply for permanent residency or citizenship after five years without the need to reside in Portugal full time. The applicant and their family need only visit for two weeks every two years to renew the Portuguese Golden Visa through this period. Read more on the path to Portuguese Citizenship.
The residency card granted through the golden visa programme allows the holder to travel throughout the EU Schengen zone. Citizenship of Portugal and a second passport conveys the right to live, work and study anywhere in the European Union.
From €500k + costs
Fund Investment
Full family residency
Flexible. No requirement to reside.
Citizenship from 5 years
The benefits of Portugal’s Golden Visa scheme have helped establish it as arguably the world’s foremost residency by investment program. They include:
Read more on the Portugal’s top benefits here.
Minimum investment of €500,000
Clean Criminal Record
Open to non-EU applicants
Include Spouse and Family
Dependent Children
Parents 65y +
Short Minimum Stay
No Interview
No Language Test
Residency in an EU country
Schengen Visa Free travel
Path to citizenship after five years
From 2012 through to 2023 it was possible to invest in real estate in Portugal to gain the golden visa. That all changed in October 2023 when a new law was passed introducing new rules. The law now restricts inward investment to direct company investment (creating jobs) or through Private Equity or Venture Capital Funds. Such funds must be registered under legislation in Portugal. They can not be invested in real estate and must have a minimum maturity of five years. 60% of the fund must be invested in companies with a head office in Portugal. La Vida acts as an introducer to regulated Fund Managers but we do not provide investment advice. Please read our disclaimer.
Consult with La Vida’s team of experts to help decide if Portugal’s residency investment is suitable for you and your family. If so, we can then help you appoint a legal representative from several we can recommend and introduce private equity fund managers to advise on qualifying investments.
La Vida will work with you and your appointed legal representative in Portugal to prepare for your Golden Visa application. This includes opening a Portuguese bank account and NIF number before finalising your investment choice. At this point a pre-application can be submitted online.
Following a review of your pre-application by the Portuguese Immigration and Border Service (AIMA formerly SEF) you will need to attend in person in Portugal at a pre appointed meeting with AIMA at which point your biometrics (fingerprints) will be taken and you will officially make the golden visa application.
You then wait the final approval of your application. On approval your residency cards will be forwarded to you. These are valid for two years when they can be renewed subject to retaining your investment throughout and paying the appropriate renewal fees.
A few examples of qualifying Fund Investments for residency and citizenship investment in Portugal. For advice and details on each of these please contact us for an introduction to the relevant fund manager who is regulated to give advice on these. We have also written a general guide to Private Equity investing in Portugal.
Listed below are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive regarding the programme. No doubt you have many more and we would be happy to help. Please contact our advisors for further details.
Portugal has introduced significant reforms to address the growing Golden Visa delays, as well as delays in citizenship applications. Two key initiatives from AIMA (Portuguese Immigration Services)...
Read more
Last year, Portugal’s Golden Visa received considerable attention in the press following legislative changes and the scrapping of the real estate investment route. Now the market has settled,...
Read more
A surge of High Net Worth US investors are laying the groundwork for shifting their residency and potential citizenship ahead of the November elections. La Vida has reported a significant increase in...
Read more
Have you ever wondered what the most popular golden visa region might be? In an exciting yet anticipated revelation, La Vida’s recent survey has confirmed that Europe stands out as the most...
Read morePortugal is one of several countries in Europe offering a golden visa program. Visit the pages below for further options.
La Vida has over eight years’ experience promoting the Portuguese Golden Visa program. There are many agents involved in a fragmented market for Portugal and based on websites alone it may be difficult to distinguish. In the latest full year La Vida provided over 20% of all applicants and investment for the Portuguese Golden Visa and recently passed 150 different countries from where we advised successful applicants and investors solely for the golden visa programme in Portugal. It’s a record of experience none of our competitors can match. La Vida works with all the key fund managers who are regulated to provide the necessary investment advice and manage qualifying funds for investment in the golden visa.
La Vida offers Portugal and all the major golden visa programmes.
Programs we offer worldwide
Countries where we have served clients
Advice given to prospective investors
