The Portugal Golden Visa program, also known as the residence permit for investment activity (ARI), is a residency by investment scheme designed for non-EU citizens.

Portugal launched the program in October 2012. The main objective was to attract international capital into the country, as it was much in need after the 2008 economic crisis. The program proved to be a great success, raising over €6 billion since then.

You can qualify for residency by investing €280,000 which is one of the lowest investment thresholds in Europe,
You don’t have to move to Portugal to keep your residence permit. Staying in the country for seven days on average per year will suffice, You can be eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship in five years. This is one of the quickest in Europe, Once you become a Portuguese citizen, you get visa-free access to 188 countries.

The Golden Visa permit registers you in the Schengen Area central system.  So, you can freely travel within Europe without an additional visa. At the end of five years, if you decide to get Portuguese citizenship, you can get a Portuguese passport. The Portuguese passport allows you to travel to 188 countries without the need for a visa. The Portuguese Golden Visa allows you to live, work, and study in Portugal.

If you decide to live in Portugal full-time with this permit, then you will be required to have medical insurance.  You will, however, have full access to all public services including healthcare and education. State schools follow the Portuguese curriculum, though there are numerous private British and American international schools. The work permit allows you to work anywhere, as well as start and run your own business in Portugal.

Any non-EU/EEA/Swiss national can apply for the Portugal Golden Visa. You’re required to be at least 18 years old and hold a clean criminal record from your home country, as well as from Portugal. The funds for the investment should arrive from outside of Portugal.

Portugal Golden Visa program offers different investment options.

• Real Estate Acquisition
• Fund Subscription
• Capital Transfer
• Company
• Donation

The initial application and the supporting documents are submitted online to Serviço de Fronteiras e Estrangeiros (SEF).  SEF is the official immigration and border services office in Portugal.  Once they approve your application, you then need to appear for an interview in person.

There are numerous SEF offices across Portugal, and you may apply for any of them, regardless of where you made your investment.  That way, you can avoid districts with long waitlists such as the SEF office in Lisbon. It can take up to six months for SEF to approve and provide a biometrics appointment date, as long as it is not one of the high-demand locations.

As the main applicant, you and all your dependents can book the SEF appointment simultaneously.  After the in-person interview, you will receive your Golden Visa cards.  It typically takes around four months to receive these residence permit cards.

The main applicant’s spouse, minor children, dependent children, and dependent parents also obtain the Golden Visa through family reunification.

Portugal doesn’t require you to live in the country full time if you have a Golden Visa.  You merely need to stay in Portugal for at least seven days per year in Portugal. Besides that, you may live in your country of origin or any other place you wish to live in.

You are eligible to apply for citizenship in Portugal at the end of your fifth year as a Golden Visa holder. Once you are naturalized as a citizen, you can then obtain your passport right away.

Your first Golden Visa card is valid for a two-year period; you should satisfy the stay requirement of 14 days in two years.  You may then renew your Golden Visa residence card and the next cards will each be valid for three years at a time.  Within those three years, you should spend at least twenty-one days in Portugal.  As long as you maintain your investment, you may renew your Golden Visa card as many times as you wish.

You need to provide the following documents in order to apply for the Golden Visa;

1) Copy of a passport or other government-issued travel document,

2) Proof of evidence of the qualifying investment made by the main applicant individually:

→ If real estate; a deed or promissory sale agreement with proof of deposit payment,

→ If investment fund; proof of fund subscription from the fund management.

3) Declaration from Portuguese financial institution confirming the transfer of funds,

4) Proof of healthcare coverage:

→ If in Portugal, from the National Health System in Portugal,

→ If outside of Portugal, from an internationally covered insurance company.

5) Criminal record of the current country of residence,

→ Must be issued within three (3) months of the form submission.

6) A completed form authorizing SEF to access criminal records in Portugal,

7) A sworn declaration on compliance with the minimum investment requirements for the necessary time period of five years,

8) Documents outlining good standing with the Portuguese Tax and Customs Authority & Social Security system,

→ Must be issued within 45 days of the form submission.

9) Receipt of ARI application payment,

Unless otherwise stated, it is best to have the documentation issued within three months of your Golden Visa application submission.

Legalizing Documents

All the above documents issued by a non-Portuguese entity need to be legalized.  The legalization must have an apostille if the subject country is part of the Hague convention.

Translating Documents

Any original document that is not in Portuguese needs to be translated into Portuguese and certified.  The certification is typically performed by a notary.

Bank Account and NIF Number

Portugal requires you, the main applicant, to make the investment from your bank account in Portugal.  Accordingly, it is mandatory for you to have an account in a Portuguese bank.  You must also have a NIF number, which is a tax identification number in Portugal, to open the account.