The Portuguese government introduced the Portugal Golden Visa program in 2012. It is the most popular residency by investment program in Europe, mainly because it leads to European citizenship after five years. You just need to make a qualifying investment in Portugal and spend an average of only seven days per year in the country.
What You Will Find in This Article
- Change in the Portugal Citizenship Law
- Portugal Citizenship by Investment Precedence
- Benefits of Portugal Citizenship by Investment
- How to Get a Portuguese Passport by Investment
Your Guide to Portuguese Citizenship by Investment
At Get Golden Visa, we worked with families and investors from all around the world, interested in getting Portugal citizenship by investment.
91视频下载APP us and talk to one of our independent advisors to help you with questions on Portugal Golden Visa and citizenship by investment.
Change in the Portugal Citizenship Law
When the Portuguese Golden Visa program first started, the citizenship law stated that the residents could only apply for citizenship in six years. In 2018, the law was amended and the six-year requirement dropped to a five-year requirement. Portugal Golden Visa applicants can obtain their Portuguese passports after fulfilling the 35-day stay requirements in five years.
2024 Update: The Portuguese Citizenship Law is approved by the President of Portugal. Portuguese Golden Visa applicants will be able to count the 鈥榓pplication waiting period鈥� from the five-year citizenship period. The five-year period will start from the date of the first residency application. So it doesn’t matter when the residency application was accepted. The law change will be published in the official gazette and will be effective shortly.
Portugal Citizenship by Investment Precedence
Has anyone become a Portuguese citizen by investment, through the Golden Visa program?
This is one of the first questions we get from our clients. And rightfully so. Until 2019, the answer was a big question mark. Fortunately, as of 2019, there have been many precedent cases that received their Portuguese citizenship through the Golden Visa program in Portugal.
So, yes, many families started to become Portuguese citizens by investment. In fact, it is one of the best citizenship by investment countries.
Portugal Citizenship Application Process and Timeline
Although Portugal does not offer direct citizenship by investment program, there is still a route to citizenship through the Portugal Golden Visa application. Let’s discover the step-by-step process towards Portuguese citizenship:
Step 1: Deciding on Your Investment Type
First, you need to analyze a list of available investment types and choose the suitable investment for you.
Step 2: Gather Required Documents
For yourself, the main applicant, and for your dependents, make sure you have all the necessary documents to submit.
Step 3: Get Your NIF Number and Open a Bank Account
Get your NIF number for further legal steps and open a bank account in Portugal.
Step 4: Finalize Your Investment
After deciding on which investment type to continue with, you can pay for your investment in Portugal.
Step 5: Make Pre-Application
Submit your pre-application with your investment made and ready documentation through the online application system of AIMA (previously SEF).
Step 6: Visit AIMA in Portugal for your Appointment
Visit your biometrics appointment at AIMA on the chosen appointment date.
Step 7: Get Your Golden Visa & Continue Renewals
You and your dependents can get your Golden Visa residence cards at this step.
Step 8: Apply for Portuguese Citizenship
After five years pass from your first residency application, you become eligible to apply for permanent residency or Portuguese citizenship. This step also requires a language requirement with a basic proficiency.
Benefits of Portugal Citizenship by Investment
Portugal allows investors to obtain citizenship without having to live in Portugal. This is one of the many benefits of obtaining Portuguese citizenship by investment. Below, you may find the main advantages:
You鈥檙e Not Required To Move to Portugal
Most European residency and citizenship programs require the investor to spend the majority of their year in the corresponding country. Portugal, on the other hand, only requires the Golden Visa applicants to spend an average of seven days per year in the country for five years. In other words, the Golden Visa holders can apply for citizenship after only spending 35 days in Portugal throughout five years.
Variety of Investment Methods
There are numerous investment options available in order to obtain a Golden Visa in Portugal. These include fund investment, company creation, and donation. You are free to choose the route that suits you the most. We will go through the investment options briefly later on in this article.
Only Citizenship by Investment Opportunity with Investment Return
You don鈥檛 have to be a Rockefeller to make use of the Portugal Golden Visa program. Compared to the rest of the citizenship by investment programs, the minimum investment requirements are relatively affordable.
More importantly, Portugal鈥檚 economy has been a robust one for the last couple of years. It has been a sought-after destination for tourists and expats alike. So, an investment in Portugal is a smart move financially. It allows you to get in on one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe. You can get great returns on your fund investment or real estate investment, especially in cities like Lisbon and Porto.
Despite Portugal鈥檚 stable economy and a high quality of life, it is still one of the cheapest countries in Europe.
As of October 2023, the real estate investment option is no longer eligible for Portugal’s Golden Visa application. The unavailable option allowed investors to get a golden visa by buying property priced at 鈧�280,000. Now, there are various fund investment options with investment returns to apply for the Portugal Golden Visa Program priced at 鈧�500,000.
Access to Health Care and Social Security in Europe
When you become a citizen in Portugal, you are entitled to all the benefits this European country offers. These include social security and health care.
Social Security
The social security system in Portugal covers employees and self-employed individuals. It offers them various benefits, including:
- Unemployment benefits
- Occupational diseases benefits
- Invalidity benefits
- Maternity benefits
- Pension benefits
- Death benefits
Health Care
As a citizen in Portugal, you can get access to free health care. The public health care system is strong and has few exceptions that are not covered. These include visiting the emergency room or the family doctor, which costs an affordable fee of 鈧�5-20.
Keep in mind that while you鈥檙e a temporary resident in Portugal, you鈥檒l need to have private insurance. It costs between 鈧�400-1,000 a year depending on how comprehensive it is.
Read our Portugal鈥檚 healthcare system guide to learn more.
Get Golden Visa: Who We Are And What We Do
Get Golden Visa is a full-service investment immigration agency & investment advisory company. We provide end-to-end solutions on residence and citizenship by investment programs in numerous countries worldwide.
We work with clients from all around the world, interested in obtaining Portugal Golden Visas.
91视频下载APP us and talk to one of our experienced team members to help you with any and all your questions.
Get in 91视频下载APP
How to Get a Portuguese Passport by Investment
Portuguese Golden Visa citizenship can be obtained by applicants in five years. Below, you can find the necessary steps and requirements.
In October, 2023, the real estate investment option became unqualified for the Portugal Golden Visa Program applications. However, there are various eligible fund investment opportunities for the Portugal Golden Visa.
Here‘s the latest information we have after the latest updates.
Requirements
Portugal requires you to spend seven days on average per year, for a duration of five years, in order to apply for Portuguese citizenship. In order to apply for citizenship, there are a couple of pre-requisites, these include:
- You need to have a clean criminal record,
- You need to have NO unpaid taxes in Portugal,
- You need to enter and pass a Portuguese language test.
Required Documents
- Filled out
- Passport, ID, or a Birth certificate from your country of origin,
- Clean criminal record certificate,
- Portuguese residence permit,
- Proof of passed Portuguese language test (CIPLE)
- Document from AIMA to prove that you have been a resident in Portugal for at least five years
Portuguese Language Requirements
You need to pass an A2 level basic language test (CIPLE) in order to obtain Portuguese citizenship.
The test can be adapted for children under the age of 10. Children between the ages of 10 to 18 can be exempt from the test as long as they attend a Portuguese school or a declaration of proficiency can be provided.
Check out our article on the Portuguese citizenship language test for detailed information.
Who can apply for residency by investment in Portugal?
Any adult with a clean criminal record that is not from the EU can apply for residency in Portugal through a qualifying investment. Portugal Golden Visa is the name of this investment visa.
How long does it take to get Citizenship by Investment in Portugal?
Once you make your qualifying investment and receive your Golden Visa from Portugal, it takes five years to be eligible to apply for citizenship. After the Citizenship Law Change of Portugal in February 2024, the 5-year waiting period for Portugal citizenship application starts from the initial application of Portugal residency through Golden Visa program. The Portuguese language test can be taken at any time before the application.
Dual Citizenship in Portugal
Portugal allows for dual citizenship. This means that in order to obtain Portuguese nationality, you do not need to compromise your citizenship status anywhere else. You should, however, check with your country of origin to see if it allows dual citizenship as well.
Portugal’s Institute of Registries and Notaries (IRN) is launching a new program to accelerate the process of obtaining Portuguese citizenship, aiming to increase immigration services’ capacity by 50% with automation and artificial intelligence. Learn more here.
Investment Options To Get Citizenship in Portugal
The scheme allows you to choose from a variety of investment options. The minimum investment amounts and returns on investment vary depending on the method. The investment methods for Portugal citizenship by investment program include:
Creation of Jobs
You can also choose to establish a company and create ten jobs in Portugal. The number gets decreased to eight if the business is in a 鈥渓ow-density area.鈥�
Portuguese Fund Investment
You can choose to subscribe to a qualifying Portuguese fund with a minimum of 鈧�500,000 in units.
Scientific Research Investment
You may select the option to invest 鈧�500,000 in scientific research that is conducted by accredited institutions that are part of the national scientific and technological system.
Cultural Contribution
The investors can also invest at least 鈧�200,000 in artistic production or the recovery or maintenance of the national cultural heritage that is conducted by accredited institutions.
You can find out more on our guide on the investment options for Golden Visa in Portugal. You can also discover Portugal Cultural Production Golden Visa.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to get Portuguese citizenship?
Portuguese nationality law permits foreigners to acquire citizenship by a number of methods. These include:
- Descent or birth
- Naturalization after five years of residence (Golden Visa Programme)
- Marriage to a Portuguese citizen
- Being a citizen of a former Portuguese overseas territory
- Adoption
Can I buy Portuguese citizenship?
Yes, you can get Portuguese citizenship in an indirect way. You get Portugal citizenship after obtaining residency through investing in Portugal, and then be eligible for citizenship in five years. Investors can choose to make a subscription in a Portugal Golden Visa investment fund. The residence permit program then leads to permanent residency and citizenship.
How do I apply for a Portuguese passport?
You first need to qualify for naturalization by being a legal resident in Portugal for at least five years. Once you are a Portuguese citizen, you can then apply for a Portuguese passport and typically receive it in a couple of months.
How long do I need to live in Portugal to get Portuguese citizenship?
To be able to apply for permanent residence or Portuguese citizenship, you need to have a valid residence permit in Portugal for at least five years. Keep in mind that it doesn鈥檛 mean you have to live in Portugal for that whole time, it depends on your residence permit. The residency requirement for a Golden Visa permit is to spend seven days per year in Portugal to keep your residence permit valid. If the application is through marriage, this period is reduced to three years.
How Long Does It Take to Obtain Portuguese Citizenship Through Portugal Golden Visa Program?
In 2018, the Portuguese government changed the Portuguese Nationality Law and reduced the required minimum period of residency to five years from six years. Therefore, the residents that acquired the right to reside through Portugal Golden Visa can obtain citizenship after five years of residence. The investment immigration program proved to be a legitimate path to citizenship.
Which Countries Can I Travel to With A Portuguese Passport?
Portuguese Golden Visa has significant travel advantages. The Portuguese passport is a European Union passport and it can travel to over 191 different countries globally, without the need for a visa. These countries include the European Schengen Area.
Can I Work in Canada and the United Stated with a Portuguese Passport?
Portuguese passport grants visa-free travel to Canada, but to be able to work, passport holders go through a different application process. A trip to the United States needs a visa since Portugal citizenship doesn鈥檛 grant that. Because these countries aren鈥檛 EU members, working in these countries requires separate permits.
Can I Travel Visa-Freely to the United States and Canada With A Portuguese Passport?
Portuguese passport grants his/her holder the right to freely travel to and from Canada, but not the USA. It鈥檚, however, very easy to obtain a visa to travel to the US with your Portuguese passport.
Does Portugal Allow Dual Citizenship?
Portugal allows dual citizenship. Only if the applicant鈥檚 home country does not allow it, the applicant may have to renounce their citizenship of their own country.
How Strong Is The Portuguese Passport?
To start with, Portugal is a European Union country, meaning that holding Portuguese citizenship grants its holder the right to live, study, and work in the EU. Portugal is ranked 4th according to the Passport Index. In terms of visa-free travel, it is one of the strongest passports in the world.
After I Obtain Portuguese citizenship, Do I Have to Maintain The Property, or Am I Allowed to Sell It And Keep The Citizenship?
Once you are a Portuguese citizen, you no longer need to maintain your investment property, you are allowed to sell the property or hold it and keep their citizenship.
Can I Include My Children Later On?
Portugal Golden Visa allows entrance to the country without a visa. It grants Golden Visa holders the right to live and work in Portugal, and to include family members in the program. If one person in the family holds a residence permit, Portugal鈥檚 Golden Visa program allows their family to also gain access to a permanent residence permit and Portuguese citizenship in accordance with the legal provisions. They may also enter the country without a residential visa.
Should I use a Law Firm to apply for Portuguese Citizenship?
It鈥檚 recommended that you work with an experienced advisory firm and an experienced legal representative in applying for the Golden Visa residency permit, as well as your citizenship in Portugal.
What are common nationalities that are interested in the Golden Visa programme and Citizenship by Investment in Portugal?
The largest group of Portugal Golden Visa applicants by far are the Americans, as per the latest stats shared by AIMA in 2023, the immigration office of Portugal. Following them, the Golden Visa programme is also popular among Chinese, British, Brazilian and Indian investors. Recently, applicants from the US and the UK especially started showing interest in obtaining a residence permit through fund investment.
What are the most popular investment types for residency and citizenship in Portugal?
Investors typically choose to make fund investments in order to apply for a resident visa card via Portugal鈥檚 Golden Visa. The country offers many attractive fund investment options those who are interested in obtaining a European residency card.
Are there other residency and citizenship by investment programs available to investors similar to Portugal Golden Visa?
Yes. Besides Portugal, Spain, and Greece each also offer a Golden Visa program to investors. The program in each country allows investors to make a property investment in exchange for a residency visa. Malta has a citizenship and residency by investment program. Many countries in the Caribbean and the British Virgin Islands offer investment immigration programs. Apart from these, Cyprus had a similar program that ended in late 2020.
What rights and advantages does the Golden Visa in Portugal provide me with before becoming a Portuguese citizen?
Portugal鈥檚 golden residence permit allows you to live, work, and study in Portugal and travel across the European Schengen area without the need for a visa.聽 The real estate market in Portugal is a lucrative one, so you may also benefit from investing in real estate in Portugal.
How much does Portugal citizenship by investment cost?
To get Portuguese citizenship through investment, follow the route in the beginning. The minimum investment starts from 鈧�200,000 for an investment into an artistic production or a national cultural heritage project in a low-density area.
To get your Portuguese passport when you are granted, the passport fee is 鈧�65 when you apply for Portuguese citizenship in the country. If you are applying from another country, for example, the United States, the cost of obtaining a Portuguese passport would be around 鈧�100.
There are some steps to follow to obtain Portuguese citizenship through investment, including timelines and additional requirements such as language proficiency. To get A Golden Visa in Portugal, you need to pass a Portuguese language test as per Portuguese nationality law. You can also have dual nationality. Moreover, you can also apply for Portuguese naturalization by descent if you have Portuguese parents with Portuguese passports.
Can I get Portuguese citizenship by investment?
It is not actually possible to get immediate citizenship through investment in Portugal. However, Portugal Golden Visa program offers an indirect route to citizenship. If you become an ancestor and hold a Golden Visa, a type of residency visa, for five years, you can apply for Portuguese citizenship. The five-year program, in fact, starts with your initial residency application through the golden visa program.
The five year investment should be up, and you also need to speak A2 level Portuguese to get your Portuguese citizenship. You can prove your language skills through a Portuguese test.
What are the benefits of the Portugal Golden Visa program?
- You can include your family in your application thanks to the family reunification
- You can discover various attractive investment options
- You are able to travel within the Schengen Area through a Portugal Golden Visa
- You follow the pathway to citizenship
- With only 7 days a year, a low physical presence in Portugal is needed
Is NHR ending?
According to the State Budget Law, in 2024, it is decided to end the NHR regime starting from the 1st of January 2024. However, it is possible for some to still apply for the NHR tax regime until 31st March 2025 as, in the meantime, the program is changed by the Tax Incentive for Scientific Research and Innovation. After the new implementation, the 2.0 Non-Habitual Residents (NHR) tax regime will be available.
Is the Portuguese citizenship by investment worth It?
Yes, for many individuals and families, getting the Golden Visa of Portugal is worth it. It is one of the most popular Golden Visa programs in Europe.
See the reasons below:
No need to Relocate to Portugal聽
Portugal has a low stay requirement to maintain your legal residency. It is one of the reasons making it one of the popular programs compared to some other countries, with only 7 day stay requirement. It makes 14 days every two years for Portuguese Golden Visa program investors.
On the other hand, there are some other European citizenship by investment programs with stay requirements of the majority of the year in Portugal.
Diverse Investment Options in Portugal
Portugal Golden Visa offers diverse investment options to investors. From fund investments to arts and cultural donations, you have many investment routes leading to Portuguese citizenship.
The investment fund option is and has been increasingly popular in recent years.
Whatever investment option you choose, you need to carry out due diligence.
Family Reunification
When you apply for Portugal Golden Visa, you can also include your eligible family members in your Golden Visa application.
Let鈥檚 see some of the key eligibility criteria of Portuguese citizenship below:
- Staying 7 days per year over 5 year period in Portugal
- Having a clean criminal record history
- Settling all taxes in Portugal
- Passing the Portuguese language examination聽
When it comes to some of the required documents, here is what you need to apply for Portuguese citizenship by investment through the Golden Visa program:
- Complete the correct forms
- Provide a birth certificate, ID, or a valid passport from your home country
- Prove that you passed the required Portuguese language test (CIPLE)
- Include your clear criminal record certificate
- Get a document from the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service, AIMA, to confirm that you completed the stay requirement as a Portuguese resident
How can I get Portuguese citizenship?
If you have Portuguese parents or grandparents, it is possible to acquire Portuguese citizenship by descent. You can also apply by marriage if you are married to a Portuguese national, by civil union, by birth, and by naturalization.聽
Are there tax incentives and benefits?
Portugal had the tax advantages and incentives available to investors applying for the Portugal Golden Visa program, including the Non-Habitual Residency (NHR) scheme.
Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) tax regime would let Golden Visa holders who live in Portugal become Portuguese tax residents and can apply for Portugal鈥檚 NHR tax incentives. When becoming a non-habitual resident, it was possible to pay little to no tax for ten years. With beneficial policies for income tax, property tax, capital gains, and investment income, it was an attractive program.
But the NHR system changed and the old version is no longer available. Learn what the new NHR offers here.
What is the easiest way to get citizenship in Portugal?
It depends on your situation and your expectations of getting citizenship in Portugal, You can check out various options and chose among them, including the Portuguese Golden Visa, first a way to secure your residency in Portugal, a route to Portuguese citizenship.
Do I have to renounce my citizenship to obtain a Portuguese passport?
You can have dual citizenship as Portugal allows it. So, there is not any requirement to renounce your original citizenship to get a Portuguese nationality. As it may change according to country, it is better to read on the formal authorities sources if your country鈥檚 law allows dual citizenship as well.
Why is the Portugal Golden Visa program so popular?
Portugal Golden Visa is one of the most preferred golden visa programs in Europe.
Is it hard to get citizenship in Portugal?
It is not considered as hard to get Portuguese citizenship as long as you follow the requirements.
What is the latest Portugal immigration news?
AIMA, the immigration office of Portugal, announces the latest Portugal immigration news and declares recent statistics. Based on reliable sources like AIMA, we share the latest insights about Portugal鈥檚 immigration news and share the latest information with our readers.
Here are some of the key recent news about immigration news in Portugal and the Golden Visa program:
- Portugal Will Improve Citizenship Processing with 50% More Capacity
- Portugal Breaks Records: 1 Million+ Foreign Residents in 2023
- Extended Portugal Residency Validity: 3-Year Initial Golden Visa Cards Now Available
How can I get citizenship in Portugal by investment?
You can apply for Portuguese citizenship by investment through the Golden Visa program, including investment options like investment in a Portuguese fund or donation. After five years, you may be eligible to apply for citizenship in Portugal.
What are other visa options in Portugal?
You can also get residency in Portugal by applying for the D7 visa, or digital nomad visa, and they can open a path to Portuguese nationality.
Which nationalities apply for Portugal citizenship?
As we learnt from AIMA’s recent announcement, the citizens of the United States, China, the United Kingdom and India are amount the top nati谋nalities applying for the Golden Visa program in 2023. Regarding the foreign residency, the nationals of Brazil comes as the top one.
What is Portugal Golden Visa 2024 Update?
First of all, it is important to remind that Portugal Golden Visa program is not ending even though there has been some news around it in 2023. On the contrary, the Portugal government is working on developing the program, and making some changes on the investment options like removing real estate investment option and offering diverse fund investment alternatives.
