Portugal Golden Visa by investment is governing the granting of Residence Permit for Investment (ARI / Golden Visa), enabling third-country nationals to obtain a temporary residence permit to conduct business activities with visa waiver to enter national territory. Portugal residency by investment includes:
280k – This level of investment is available only for properties in low population density areas, i.e., interior territories or in the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira;
350k – At this level of investment, the applicant can purchase Real Estate located in urban areas but from January 2022 can only purchase a Golden Visa property in the interior territories or in the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira. Properties must be constructed more than 30 years ago and in need of refurbishment. The sum for property and reconstruction must reach the 350k minimum investment;
500k (and more) – You may invest in all types of Real Estate investments available in Portugal (until the new changes are put into place in January 2022 - read more below);
From January 2022, you'll still be able to invest in Commercial, Offices, and Touristic Developments in coastal areas of the mainland, and the 500k option will still be eligible for you anywhere in the Azores & Madeira. However, major cities like Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve, Braga, amongst others, will no longer qualify or be eligible for Golden Visa investments.
If you are interested in purchasing a Golden Visa property in Lisbon, Porto or the Algarve, now is the time to do so as changes will come into effect on the 1st of January 2022.
The Portugal golden visa programme requirements may vary according to your level of investment, However, the investor is required to obey the following:
Keep his/her real estate investment for a period of 6 years;
The funds must come from outside into Portugal;
A valid document for legal entry and stay in Portugal;
No references in Portuguese Immigration and Schengen Services;
No criminal record;
Stay in Portugal for a minimum period of 14 days, either consecutively or intermittent, within each 2 year visa period.
All third-country citizens who conduct an investment activity, as an individual business person or through a company set up in Portugal or in another EU Member State and who, in addition, are stably settled in Portugal, provided these citizens fulfill the quantitative requirements and the time requirements set out by the relevant legislation, may apply for a Residence Permit for Investment.
The investment can be made as an individual or through a legal entity meeting certain requirements. You will also need to meet the (minimal) physical presence requirements.
Anyone except Portuguese and EU/EFTA citizens - can apply for the Golden Visa Programme after completing a suitable investment into Portugal before asking for Portugal permanent residence.
You can bring your family members, including your spouse, as well as your children (as long as they are younger than 18 at the time of application, or enrolled in studies and being supported by you). In certain circumstances, you can even bring your parents and/or in-laws, as long as you can demonstrate that you are supporting them.
The amount of documentation needed to acquire Portugal's permanent residency by investment varies according to the level of investment. For a 500k investment you will need the following documents:
Final Deeds of Purchase, or Promissory Contract;
Declaration issued by a financial institution accredited or registered in national territory by the Bank of Portugal confirming an actual international bank transfer for purchasing or for payment as an initial deposit of the sale agreement;
Certificate of the Land Registry Office issued within the prior 45 days, comprising the registrations, endorsements, and entries in force and proving the ownership of the real estate, free of any encumbrances, or certificate of registry comprising the provisional record of purchase, when legally feasible, with an initial deposit;
Official Tax Description of the Real Estate, when Legally feasible;
Excerpt of the Commercial Register issued within the prior 45 days in case the investment is made by means of a single-member limited company of which the applicant is the proprietor.
All documentation (unless otherwise noted) needs to be issued within 90 days before your online application.
Anything issued by a foreign entity has to be legalized (e.g., with an apostille if your country of origin has signed the Hague convention). Moreover, anything that’s not in Portuguese needs to be translated and certified.
Besides the level of investment in Real Estate, the applicant will have other associated costs such as the down payment for the property, which is made in cash, as well as the legal documentation necessary to submit, which may also have associated costs.
Buying real estate in Portugal attracts certain taxes, stamp duty, and fees. We recommend investors' budget for around 6%-8% in total, the main element being Property Transfer Tax (IMT).
Government fees per family member for application of the Golden Visa are 5336,40€. Renewal fees every two years apply at 50% of those rates. In addition, there is a processing fee on application and renewal of 533,90€ for the main applicant plus 83,30 per family member. In addition, applicants need to plan for lawyer's fees, typically between 6000€ - 8000€ per family.
You can check all costs and taxes associated after you’ve purchased a property in Portugal here.
The news changes will be applied to all of the largest cities and developed areas from January 2022. You can check the key areas that the Government has allowed to remain open for property investment below:
Over the coming months, we will assess each of these areas and look at the structure and investment potential, giving you a report on each of the ones we believe has potential, giving you a steady return for your investment.
Want to know how much Portugal residency permit by investment program is going to cost? Simply fill in the details according to your requirements to receive a more accurate quote. Once you have submitted your information, we will be in touch to discuss your needs further.
