Living by the ocean, doing business in Europe, travelling visa-free around the Schengen area and optimising taxes are the benefits you may enjoy if you get a Portugal residence card.
Choose 1 out of 3 visas
Wealthy foreigners may obtain Portugal residency by investment, for developing innovative projects or as financially independent persons. Each type of residence permit has its own conditions: requirements for the applicants, procedure and obtaining time.
After five years of residence in Portugal, you may apply for a permanent residence permit or citizenship. A Portugal passport allows you to visit 187 countries visa-free and stay in EU states without time limits.
Portugal Golden Visa By investing in real estate, funds or other assets
Portugal D7 Visa And a residence permit for financially independent persons
Highly Qualified Activity (HQA) Visa For doing business in Portugal
Moving to Portugal. Investors, financially independent persons and entrepreneurs get the same rights with the Portugal residency visa, but their obligations differ. Portugal investment residency and the HQA visa allow you to enjoy all the benefits without moving to the country. The D7 residency visa in Portugal obliges an investor to spend at least 183 days a year there.
Investments. To obtain Portugal residency by investment, one must invest €250,000+ in the country’s economy. The investment amount for getting the HQA startup visa is €175,000.
The D7 visa doesn’t involve investment, but the applicant must buy or rent a residential property and confirm they have money for a year of living in Portugal — at least 760 € per month in 2023.
A residence permit’s validity period is 1–2 years for investors and 2–3 years for financially independent persons. The HQA residency visa in Portugal is valid for a year or more.
Get expert advice from Immigrant Invest. We will consider your tasks and wonders to help you choose the most suitable option.
Evgeniya Morozova
Head of Legal Department
A residence permit in Portugal allows moving to the country. The D7 Portugal residency visa obliges you to live there for 183 days a year.
Investors and startup founders don’t have to move to Portugal, and they can create a safe haven there. They may come to Portugal anytime, even if the borders are closed for foreigners.
Portugal residence card holders may visit the Schengen states visa-free and stay there for 90 days out of 180. Time spent in Portugal doesn’t count.
The HQA startup visa involves funding an innovative project with a startup incubator and a research facility. A Portugal investment visa and a residence permit for financially independent persons also allow doing business in the country.
New residents of Portugal may get a 10-year preferential tax status of Non-Habitual Resident (NHR). It allows not to pay taxes on some kinds of foreign income, and income gained in Portugal is taxed by 20%.
You must live in Portugal for 183 days a year to become a tax resident of the country.
Investor’s family members may get a residence permit in Portugal, too.
Children get access to education in Portuguese schools and universities. The diplomas are recognised in the other EU countries.
All the family members get an opportunity to be treated in clinics in Portugal or other EU states without a visa.
After five years of residence, you may apply for Portugal citizenship by naturalisation. You’ll need to pass an exam on the A2 level of Portuguese to get a passport.
A Portugal passport opens visa-free entry to 187 countries, including the EU states, the US, The UK and Australia.
Portugal allows its citizens to have dual citizenship, so there’s no need to refuse other passports.
Immigrant Invest is a licensed agent of citizenship and residence by investment programs of the Caribbean and the EU countries. We have been in business since 2006, and 300 investors have obtained a residence permit with our assistance.
The company has offices in five countries, including Portugal. We support investors at each step: we analyse the situation, help choose a suitable residency program, offer real estate objects and accompany the investors at the documents’ submission.
As a result of our individual approach, 99% of our clients’ applications are approved, and this is the highest ratio in our field.
An investor can obtain a Portugal residence visa by purchasing real estate, investment fund units, and other investments in the country’s economy. Holders of a Portugal investment visa don’t have to live in Portugal permanently and just need to renew their residence permits in time.
The D7 and HQA visas are more affordable than Portugal investment residency. However, there are some requirements: However, there are some requirements: to reside in the country or to form a company.
| Terms | Portugal residence permit by investment | A D7 visa and a residence permit for financially independent persons | Portugal HQA startup visa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Costs |
€250,000+ is the investment amount
Costs
|
€20,000+, including a transfer of money for a year of living to a Portuguese bank account and rent of housing
Costs
|
€175,000+ is the investment amount
Costs
|
| Obtaining time |
8—10 months
Obtaining time
|
4+ months
Obtaining time
|
3 to 4 months
Obtaining time
|
| The validity period of a residence permit |
2 years
The validity period of a residence permit
|
2 years — the first card 3 years — the following cards The validity period of a residence permit
|
1+ year is the validity period of a residency visa
The validity period of a residence permit
|
The Portugal residency by investment program was launched in 2012, and since then, 27,000 people have got their residence permits.
Investors may choose one of seven options. The most popular ones are:
Investors may sell their assets after five years and get their money back. And while investors own real estate or securities, they may get rental income, dividends or interest. An investor’s spouse, children under 26, and parents can be included in the application. The investment amount doesn’t depend on family composition.
Investors may apply for Portugal citizenship without living in the country. It’s enough for them to spend seven days a year in Portugal to maintain their residency status.
Portugal D7 visa is available for foreigners with passive income in another country enough to live in Portugal. Dividends, rental income or salary from a remote job are suitable.
The rules for obtaining the visa are laid down in article 58 of Law № 23/2007. One must confirm the availability of income and rent or purchase a residential property in Portugal to apply. An investor’s spouse, children under 21, and parents may also obtain a residence permit. The larger the family, the higher income is needed.
Visa D7 is issued for four months. At this time, the investor must visit Portugal and obtain a 2-year residence permit. This permit allows one to live, work and do business in the country.
A Highly Qualified Activity (HQA) visa is intended for qualified professionals who plan to invest in an innovative Project in Portugal. The rules for obtaining the visa are laid down in article 61 of Portugal’s Immigration Act (REPSAE).
Applicants invest €175,000 in a project connected with technology, for example, biotech, digital communications or software development. The project starts in collaboration with a business incubator and a research facility.
Investors may get an HQA visa for under one year or an HQA Residency Authorization for a period of 1+ year. There are no time limits on staying in Portugal: one may move there or rarely visit on the contrary.
A spouse, children under 18 and parents over 65 get visas with the investor.
Coming soon
Cosmopolitans may choose different types of Portugal residency visas, depending on their goals and wonders. Immigrant Invest lawyers will help you to choose the most suitable one.
Portugal D7 visa requires payment for housing and transfer of money to a bank account in Portugal. Applicants do not have to invest or do business in the country.
Maintaining a residence permit after the D7 visa costs around €20,000 a year. Most of the sum is rent and money for living in Portugal.
The visa is issued for starting a business in Portugal in collaboration with a business incubator.
A Portugal residence permit by investment or the one for financially independent persons also allows doing business in the country.
The obtaining time for the HQA visa is about 3–4 months. Applications for this visa are processed quicker than the golden one, which may be obtained in 10–16 months.
Investors don’t have to do business or live in Portugal. Visiting the country, staying seven days a year, and keeping the investment is enough.
If you want to get a Portugal golden visa, you should invest €250,000. The most popular options are purchasing real estate or buying investment fund units.
A Highly Qualified Activity (HQA) visa can be obtained with an investment of €175,000. An applicant also must open a company in collaboration with a Portuguese business incubator.
Portugal D7 visa is a more affordable way to residency in Portugal. An applicant confirms the availability of funds for living in Portugal and rents or buys housing. Annual costs for maintaining the status are usually about €20,000 or more.
No, one can’t get a Portugal passport by investment. But wealthy foreigners may get a Portugal residence by investment and apply for citizenship after five years.
Yes, you can buy a house in Portugal and get a golden visa, which is a residence permit by investment. The house should cost €500,000+. The investment amount may be lower if you buy housing in a low-density area or if the property was built over 30 years ago or is situated in a designated restoration area.
You have to get a residence permit in Portugal and maintain it for five years to apply for permanent residency.
It is €250,000, and this investment amount relates only to the option of supporting arts and restoring cultural heritage. However, the most popular options are purchasing real estate or investment fund units for €500,000.
A Portugal residence permit by investment is available for those who purchase properties or securities, transfer capital to Portugal, open businesses there or support arts or research activities. The minimum investment sum is €250,000.
One needs legal support to get a residence permit, so it may be useful to turn to a consulting company. Immigrant Invest has already helped 500 families to get a Portugal golden visa, and we will be happy to support you on the way to residency.
Schedule a meeting at one of the offices or online. A lawyer will analyze the situation, calculate the cost and help you find a solution based on your goals.
Zlata Erlach
Caribbean Investment Program Expert
