Portugal’s well established Golden Visa programme is consistently rated one of the world’s premier Citizenship by Investment programmes and the most trouble-free route to an EU passport.
Portugal is the westernmost European country. It has strong international connections that have made it one of the world’s most globalised and peaceful nations. It is considered very safe and has a low crime rate. Portuguese is the official language and English is widely spoken in tourist regions.
Portugal is a member of the European Union and the Schengen area. It is a developed country, ranking 34th on the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report for 2019. It uses the Euro and the majority of trade is within the European Union.
Portugal has a well established Citizenship by Investment programme, allowing non-EU citizens to obtain a residence permit. After five years as a resident, the applicant is eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship.
The key benefits of Portuguese residency & citizenship
- The right to live, work and study in Portugal.
- A high quality of life, mild climate and high level of security
- Visa-free travel in Europe’s Schengen Area and 186 countries
- Low physical presence requirement (7 days during the 1st year of residency and 14 days for two subsequent years)
- After five years, the right ot a Portuguese passport and the right to live, work and study in any EU country (with citizenship).
- Low taxation
Routes to obtaining Portuguese residency
Property Investment
- Invest in property valued at €280,000 or more.
- Invest in property valued at €350,000 or more for properties built before 1990, or located in urban regeneration areas designated for refurbishing.
- A Purchase of property fitting any of the above requirements with 20% reduction on the minimum amount of investment, if purchased in a low density population area (€400,000 or €280,000).
Capital Transfer
The following options are available with the minimum investable amount:
- €250,000 in artistic productions
- €350,000 in research activities
- €500,000 in investment funds or venture capital funds (conditions apply)
- €350,000 to incorporate or increase the share value in a Portuguese company creating a minimum of five permanent jobs.
- €1,000,000 capital transfer to a Portuguese bank
How to apply
The initial Golden Visa grants temporary residence for two years. The visa can be renewed for successive periods of two years at a time, providing that the requirements are met.
The process of gaining citizenship in Portugal takes approximately five years. Below is a step-by-step guide to the process.
If you are interested in applying for Portuguese citizenship, or in any of the other 16 Citizenship by Investment programmes we offer, please download our brochure, contact Michele at [email protected] or call direct on +971 50 618 6463.
