Portugal Golden Visa
2025 Ultimate Guide
€500.000 Minimum Investment +European Citizenship Opportunity
Portugal Golden Visa In a Nutshell
Portugal’s Golden Visa or Residency by Investment Program is among the most popular - both in Europe and worldwide. Started in 2012, the Program has succeeded in attracting over 12.000 applicants, from around the globe. So, what does the Portugal Golden Visa entail - in a nutshell?
- One needs to invest 500.000 Euros in a Securities Market Commission [CMWM]-approved Investment Fund, in minimum – to obtain the right to apply for a Golden Visa.
- Every applicant is required to spend a minimum of seven days per year, every year – in Portugal, to renew the Golden Visa.
- Upon 5-years of successful renewal, applicants gain the right to apply and receive the Citizenship of Portugal. The Portuguese Passport goes to everywhere blue, green or turquiose in the map below.
- Apart from offering its’ super-strong passport, Portugal is a popular choice of actual residence – combining safety, security, affordability, and vicinity to large economies of the Atlantic.
Portugal Golden Visa Program Benefits
CMWM Approved, Safe and Secure Fund Investment
Visa-Free Travel Throughout the 26 Schengen [EU] Nations
Obtaining the Passport of Portugal, upon 5 Years of 1 Week Residence
Include Spouse, Children below 26, Parents above 65 in One Application
Enjoy life in the most popular Expatriate Destination of Europe.
Portugal Golden Visa Your Investment
Main Applicants need to invest or donate a minimum of:
500.000 Euros
into Subscription of a Venture Capital or Private Equity Fund
250.000 Euros
as a Donation, to causes that preserve Portugal’s National Heritage, Arts, and Culture
The Law No. 102/2017 dictates that:
- The investment into a Golden Visa Fund must be 500.000 Euros,
- The Fund must invest at least 60% of the amount in companies, whose headquarters are
located in the National Territory (of Portugal),
- Investment Maturity, at the moment of capital injection, must be at least 5 years.
Why Invest in an Investment Fund?
- Portugal does not levy any Withholding Taxes on Fund Incomes, especially for non-Habitual Residents or NHRs. Conversely, real estate incomes are subject to a 28% income tax.
- Portuguese Investment Funds are regulated and audited by 1) Securities Market Commission or CMWM, 2) by the Bank of Portugal, 3) by the external Fund Manager, 4) by Tax Authorities of Portugal – on a regular basis.
- There are no costs of subscribing into a Portuguese Investment Fund. Conversely, acquiring a property in Portugal costs over 8% to the Investor.
Which Fund offers the best, safest option to invest?
We do not directly run any Funds within Portugal. So, acting as an Intermediary, we do not back
any Fund Subscription within Portugal, at 100%. However, the most popular option chosen by our
investors is Mercan Hospitality Investment Fund. Mercan Hospitality Investment Fund:
- Pays back 500.000 Euros of capital to investors, in a Guaranteed Buyback , after six years.
- Guarantees 2% Euro income, from the 500.000 Euros – to every investor.
Mercan Group raises over 140 million Euros to build a 4-star Hotel, and two 5-star Resorts in
Portugal with the Mercan Hospitality Investment Fund. Mercan has delivered over 15 hotels so far,
mostly to Golden Visa clients – along with superior returns. Furthermore, the Group has 19 more
hotels in development.
Important Note
Applications of Portugal’s Golden Visa is processed by a central Immigration Authority, and
due to overwhelming applications - obtaining of such a Golden Visa might take over two
whole years. However, by law, this Term is deducted from the total five years to Citizenship.
Portugal Golden Visa The Necessary Documents
The Golden Visa Investor will have to prepare the following Necessary Documents, in his Golden
Visa Application Process:
All of these documents must be legalized before submission, and apostilled if the country of residence is partaking in the Hague Convention.
- Copy of a passport or other government-issued travel document,
- Proof of evidence of the qualifying investment made by the main applicant individually – for example, if investment fund; proof of fund subscription from the fund manager.
- Declaration from a Portuguese bank to confirm the transfer of funds,
- Criminal record of any country of residence with more than six months of residency, in the last 10-years, issued from the last three months from submission,
- A completed form authorizing SEF to access criminal records in Portugal,
- A sworn declaration of compliance with the minimum investment requirements for the necessary time period of five years,
- Documents outlining good standing with the Portuguese Tax and Customs Authority & Social Security system,
- Receipt of ARI application payment,
- Proof of address, from current country of residence [for NIF number],
- Portuguese phone number [for Bank Account opening],
- Pay slip or Proof of Income Document [for Bank Account opening].
All of these documents must be legalized before submission, and apostilled if the country of residence is partaking in the Hague Convention.
Extra Costs Associated with Portugal Golden Visa include:
- A Processing Fee of 774 Euros per applicant, and 83 Euros per dependent,
- An Initial Application Fee of 7730 Euros, per person,
- An a Renewal Fee of 3866 Euros, per person.
- A Renewal Processing Fee of 774 Euros per applicant, and 83 Euros per dependent,
- A Bank Account Opening Fee of 1050 Euros, per account,
- A Bank Account Custody Fee of 154 Euros, per annum, per account,
- A Tax Representation Fee of 1250 Euros, per annum,
- Citizenship Application Fees of 2000 Euros per applicant, and 500 Euros per dependent,
- A Legal and Professional Service Fee of 15.000 Euros, for the entire family.
Fees for Portugal’s Golden Visa are higher than the rest. However, lack of real estate-related transaction fees and the reward of Citizenship motivates many of our Investors.
Portugal Golden Visa Complete In 8 Steps
The Application for the Portuguese Golden Visa roughly goes as follows:
- Speak to Our Golden Visa Experts, and Decide on Your Investment Pathway – Check the available Investment Options and especially the Funds with our Team, and draw your path forward. Don’t miss the opportunity to compare Portugal with our other Golden Visas, too.
- Gather All the Necessary Documents – To be completely gathered, translated, and legalized or apostilled – so many documents… Such must be tiring and confusing. Luckily, InvestGC’s well- experienced Team of Experts will be by your side – to assist you, throughout the journey.
- Get Your NIF and Open a Bank Account – Can be completed, without your presence in the country of Portugal – if delegated to a lawyer. While getting a NIF is done basically within a single day, Bank Accounts might take from a couple weeks to months – mainly depending on where you are a citizen of.
- Finalize Your Investment – Pay up, and lock your investment. Your Expert Team of InvestGC will gather all the investment-related documents, and check all the agreements for you.
- Submit Your Application – Upon having your investment finalized, and your paperwork fully- completed – submit your application online to AIMA [formerly named SEF]. Such is mostly done on your behalf, on a PoA, by your lawyer in Portugal.
- Get an AIMA Appointment and Show Up! – Upon analyzing your Submitted Application, AIMA will give you the available dates for a Biometrics Appointment. You, and your dependents must physically show up, and make the application official.
- Receive Your Golden Visa (and Renew Every Two Years) – Congratulations! Both you and your dependents have received the Golden Visa. Now, you need to renew it every two years.
- Apply for Citizenship after 5-Years of Residence – Time-spent waiting for the Golden Visa to be issued is reduced from the 5-Years needed to wait with a Golden Visa, as per the new Law. At the end of 5-Years from your Officialized Application (see Step 6), you will be eligible to apply for Citizenship and receive it – given you have middle-level proficiency of Portuguese.
Ask consultation on Portugal Golden Visa, from our experienced Experts.
