Portugal has become one of the main destinations for families seeking to secure residency in a stable, well-developed EU country. Over 1.5 million foreign citizens live in Portugal, and at least 9% of them moved with children.[1]
One of the ways to move to Portugal is the Golden Visa, which is a residence-by-investment programme designed for non-EU investors and their families. Applicants get residence permits, access to Portuguese healthcare and education, and travel freely across the Schengen Area.
This guide explains how the Golden Visa works for families in 2026, including investment options, costs, application steps, and key aspects of relocating with children and other dependants.
Portugal's Golden Visa is a residence-by-investment programme for non-EU nationals that also extends to their families. A single application can cover close relatives, enabling a spouse, dependent children, and parents to obtain residence permits together with the investor.
The programme offers several investment routes, each with its own minimum threshold. The most accessible option is a €250,000 contribution to approved cultural or artistic projects, while the most widely chosen route involves acquiring investment fund units of at least €500,000.
Golden Visa holders have the right to live in Portugal and travel freely within the Schengen Area. The permit also provides a route to permanent residence and, ultimately, Portuguese citizenship[2].
The residence by investment programme was introduced by the Portuguese government in 2012 and has been working continuously since then. In 2023, the Golden Visa underwent some structural changes, and the real estate investment route became unavailable[3].
Portugal’s Golden Visa combines a low stay requirement with access to a high standard of living, public services, and a path to long-term status in the EU.
Golden Visa holders and their family members are granted residence status that allows them to live in Portugal without restrictions. It also gives the right to work, run a business, and study in the country.
Investors and their families can relocate immediately after receiving their residence permits or simply visit whenever needed.
The programme features a low stay requirement, making it relatively easy to maintain residency. Investors need to spend only around 7 days per year in Portugal to keep their status.
Fulfilling this requirement is sufficient to renew residence status and to qualify for permanent residence after 5 years.
The country ranks strongly in the OECD Better Life Index, particularly in areas such as safety and housing standards. Portugal offers residents a safe everyday environment with low homicide rates and a high share of people reporting that they feel safe walking alone at night.
Portugal performs well in the Human Development Index, which measures and compares three indicators[5]. In Portugal, life expectancy at birth is 82.4 years, the expected duration of schooling is 17.5 years, and gross national income per capita is $41,064. This reflects that the country offers stable conditions for a long and healthy life, broad access to education, and a generally good quality of life.
Portugal’s strong housing standards show that most homes have essential facilities, including indoor sanitation, adequate living space per person, and access to basic utilities[6].
A mild climate, well-developed infrastructure, and a relaxed pace of life further contribute to its appeal for families raising children.
Golden Visa holders gain access to Portugal’s public healthcare system, which provides broad coverage at low cost. The system is recognised internationally for its efficiency and accessibility. The Numbeo Health Care Index ranks Portugal’s system higher than that in Canada, Iceland, or Switzerland [7].
Families may choose private healthcare, which is widely available and relatively affordable compared to many Western European countries. For example, an urgent private GP consultation in Portugal can cost around €45—65. To compare, a similar service in Spain costs around €140 and €245 in the Netherlands.
In education, children can attend public schools free of charge or enrol in international schools offering English-language curricula. Depending on their age and education, residents of Portugal may be eligible to study at local universities at the same tuition fee as citizens.
After 5 years of holding a Golden Visa and meeting the stay requirement, investors and their family members can apply for permanent residence. They must also demonstrate Portuguese language proficiency at A2 level and have a clean criminal record.
Citizenship may also be pursued after the same 5-year period. Portugal is currently reviewing its Citizenship Law and may extend the naturalisation timeframe to ten years. As of April 2026, however, it remains possible to apply for a Portuguese passport after completing 5 years of residence, subject to passing the language tests.
Portuguese citizenship grants full EU rights, including the freedom to live, work, and study in any member state, as well as visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 180 countries. It can also be passed on to future children after naturalisation.
Fulfilling the investment requirement is only one aspect of qualifying for the Golden Visa programme. The main applicant and their family members must also meet a number of additional eligibility criteria.
The main applicant must:
The main applicant may include certain family members in the Golden Visa application. Family members can apply either at the time of the initial application or at any time after the investor obtains their residence permit.
The investor's spouse may apply if the marriage or partnership is officially registered. Same-sex couples are eligible.
Children under 18 of the investor and their spouse may be included without additional requirements.
Adult children aged 18 to 26 may obtain residence permits if they are financially dependent on the main applicant, registered at the same address, enrolled at a university, and unmarried.
Parents of the investor and the spouse may also be included. Parents under 65 must prove financial dependence on the main applicant, while this requirement does not apply to those over 65.
Family members who apply for residence permits after the main applicant has already been approved do so through the family reunification route.
If they live outside Portugal, they typically need to apply for a family reunification visa at the Portuguese consulate in their country of residence and provide documents confirming their relationship to the investor.
As a rule, the official processing fees remain the same as for dependants included in the initial application.
The investor is required to provide:
Family members provide the following:
The Portugal Golden Visa programme offers five investment options. They include refundable routes, such as investment in fund units, as well as non-refundable ones, for instance, contribution to cultural projects.
Investors contribute to the restoration of national heritage sites or to approved cultural projects and activities. This is not a free-form private donation. Golden Visa investments may only be made through eligible entities, including:
Investors acquire fund units worth at least €500,000. The fund pools capital into Portuguese companies, industrial sites, or European stocks.
In addition to the investment, applicants pay an annual management fee of up to 7.5%.
The mandatory holding period is at least 5 years. After that, investors may sell the funds and recover their capital. If they have applied for permanent residence by that time, their status is not affected.
In practice, exits usually occur after 6—10 years, with returns paid net of fees.
Applicants contribute at least €500,000 to research and development projects carried out by accredited Portuguese entities. These include universities, R&D centres, state laboratories, and other recognised institutions.
Foreigners may qualify by investing at least €500,000 in a Portuguese business. This can be done either by setting up a new company or increasing the share capital of an existing one, provided the investment creates at least 5 permanent jobs.
Both the investment and the jobs must be maintained for at least 5 years.
Investors establish a company in Portugal and create at least 10 jobs. There is no fixed capital requirement; the key condition is job creation rather than the amount invested.
The jobs must be maintained for at least 5 years. Positions must be registered in Portugal and comply with labour and social security rules.
The Portugal Golden Visa involves several additional costs beyond the investment itself. These include government fees, health insurance, notary and legal expenses, and charges linked to the chosen investment route.
The total cost for a family depends on the number of applicants, the selected investment option, and other case-specific factors.
Portugal Golden Visa charges differ depending on whether the application is filed online or in person. For digital submissions, AIMA applies a reduction of around 28% [9].
For online applications, the main government charges are:
Upon renewal and when applying for permanent residence at a later stage, the investor pays the following fees:
Obtaining a Golden Visa through fund investment includes a subscription fee of up to 7.5% of the investment amount.
Throughout the 5-year holding period, an investor also pays:
The business investment routes involve costs related to setting up and operating a company. Entities pay a registration fee of at least €220, as well as operational costs, corporate taxes, and social security contributions. Unlike passive options, this route requires active management, and costs vary significantly depending on the business model.
Contributions to culture and science do not require additional management or maintenance costs.
Beyond government fees and investment-related costs, applicants should account for several supporting expenses required during the process.
Health insurance. Golden Visa applicants must have valid health insurance covering Portugal. For non-residents, private insurance is typically used, with annual premiums starting at around €300 to 1,000 per person, depending on age, coverage, and provider.
Once residency is established, access to the public healthcare system may reduce reliance on private insurance.
Document preparation and legalisation. Applicants must prepare and legalise a set of documents, including criminal record certificates, proof of income, and civil status documents. Costs include:
These expenses usually range between €500 and €1,500 per applicant, depending on the number of documents and countries involved.
Bank-related costs. Investment funds must be transferred through a Portuguese bank account.
Opening an account as a foreigner is typically free, although a minimum initial deposit of around €150 is usually required. In addition, account holders pay annual maintenance fees of €50 to 250.
Overall, when combining the investment, government fees, and related expenses, the total cost for a family of four starts from at least €568,784.2. A detailed breakdown is presented in the table below.
| Single investor | A married couple | Family of four | |
| Investment | €500,000 | €500,000 | €500,000 |
| Fund management | 7.5%, or €37,500 | 7.5%, or €37,500 | 7.5%, or €37,500 |
| Processing fee | €632.10 | €1,264.20 | €2,528.40 |
| Issuance of a residence permit | €6,314.20 | €12,628.20 | €25,256.80 |
| Document preparation | €1,500 | €2,500 | €3,500 |
| 5-year health insurance | €2,500 | €5,000 | €10,000 |
| Total | €548,446.30 | €558,892.40 | €578,785.20 |
According to Immigrant Invest’s legal practice, it takes over 12 months to obtain the Portugal Golden Visa. All applicants included in the residence permit application — the investor and family members — must visit Portugal at least once during the process to submit biometrics.
The longest stages are usually the reviews carried out by AIMA, the Portuguese Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum.
A certified Compliance Anti-Money Laundering Officer checks the investor’s background against international databases. This stage helps identify potential risks before the application starts and, if needed, allows time to strengthen the case or choose another investment route.
Our lawyers prepare an individual list of required documents for the investor and family members. They also help complete government forms, arrange translations, and notarise the paperwork.
A Portuguese tax number, or NIF, is needed to open a bank account in Portugal and is also used in many other legal and financial procedures. Immigrant Invest specialists help the investor apply for NIF and obtain it remotely.
The investment must be made through the applicant’s account in a Portuguese bank. Immigrant Invest experts assist with the process.
After the account is opened and activated, the required amount is transferred for the investment.
The investor completes the chosen investment — acquires investment funds, transfers a contribution to the chosen culture or science project, or sets up a business.
Electronic copies of the documents are submitted to AIMA for review. The agency takes around 6 months to consider the application.
The investor and family members travel to Portugal to submit original documents and provide fingerprints for their residence permit cards. The biometrics appointment must be booked in advance through the electronic system.
AIMA reviews the file after biometrics submission. Once the application is approved, the state fees are paid, and the residence permit cards are issued.
The cards may be collected in person or by a lawyer acting under power of attorney.
To keep the Golden Visa valid, the investor and family members must spend at least 7 days a year in Portugal. The permit is renewed every two years, and the renewal process generally follows the same steps as the initial application.
Taxes are one of the key practical aspects to consider when applying for the Portugal Golden Visa as a family. The main point to understand is that holding a residence permit does not, in itself, make a person a Portuguese tax resident.
Those who do become tax residents fall under Portugal’s general tax rules or, in some cases, may qualify for the IFICI regime.
Holding a Portugal Golden Visa does not automatically make a person a Portuguese tax resident. Investors who only meet the minimum stay requirement of 7 days per year are generally not treated as such.
Portuguese tax residence is typically triggered when a person spends more than 183 days in Portugal within any 12-month period starting or ending in the relevant tax year.
This distinction is important because Portuguese tax residents are taxed on their global income, while non-residents are taxed only on Portuguese-source income.
If a Golden Visa holder becomes a Portuguese tax resident, their personal income is generally taxed under Portugal’s standard rules at progressive rates [10].
Portuguese income tax rates:
Tax residents in Portugal may benefit from a range of tax deductions related to children and household expenses. These include:
Some new tax residents may qualify for the IFICI regime, a tax incentive for scientific research and innovation. Under this regime, employment and self-employment income can be taxed at a flat rate of 20% for up to 10 years.
This regime is separate from the Golden Visa and does not apply automatically. It is available only to new tax residents who have not held this status in Portugal in previous years. Applicants must carry out eligible high value-added professional activities, such as scientific research, higher education teaching, or highly qualified roles in export-oriented companies.
Relocating to Portugal with a family involves more than securing a residence permit. It is important to understand how daily life works in practice, from choosing where to live to understanding how schools and healthcare are organised, to ensure a smooth transition.
Foreign residents in Portugal are mainly concentrated along the coast. The highest numbers are found in the districts of Lisbon, Faro, Setúbal, and Porto, which together account for over 1 million people, or 71.3% of the country’s foreign population.
The Lisbon area, Porto, the Setúbal district, and the Algarve offer the strongest combination of international communities, schools, and healthcare services.
Lisbon and the surrounding area are usually the first choice for families who want the widest selection of schools, healthcare providers, and international business services.
The capital offers the most dynamic job market in the country, a large expat community, and easy access to major transport links, including Portugal’s busiest international airport.
Areas such as Cascais, Oeiras, and Estoril are often chosen by families who want to stay close to Lisbon while enjoying a more residential setting, proximity to the coast, and a balance between urban convenience and a calmer lifestyle.
The estimated monthly cost for a family of four in Lisbon is €2,660 per month, excluding rent. Renting a three-bedroom apartment outside of the city centre costs, on average, €1,044 per month.
Porto and nearby municipalities appeal to families looking for a large city with strong infrastructure, well-established public and private services, and a generally lower cost of living than Lisbon.
Porto combines a more compact and manageable urban environment with a strong cultural identity, a well-known food scene, and a slower rhythm of life than the capital. For many families, its main advantage is the ability to access quality services and city amenities without the same level of cost and pace associated with Lisbon.
Monthly expenses for a family of four in Porto average €2,496. Renting a three-bedroom apartment outside the city centre costs around €1,410 per month.
The Algarve, particularly around Faro and other coastal municipalities, is another common choice, especially for families who prioritise climate, international communities, and a more relaxed pace of life.
The region is known for its beach lifestyle and a big expat community, which can make relocation and day-to-day adaptation easier. For families who do not need to live near the country’s main business centres, the Algarve offers a more resort-style environment with good infrastructure, established expat networks, and a strong quality-of-life appeal.
A family of four living in Faro spends around €2,396 a month. Additionally, families pay around €1,340 for renting a three-bedroom apartment outside the city centre.
Portugal has a public education system as well as private and cooperative schools. Public pre-school, basic, and secondary education are part of the national system, and compulsory schooling lasts for 12 years, generally until the age of 18. Public education is tuition-free within the compulsory system.
The main schooling options for expat families are usually the following:
University access. Residence in Portugal can help in the long term, but it does not automatically place investors’ children in the same admission category as Portuguese or EU students.
For non-EU nationals, access to public higher education often depends on the rules of the international student regime. Non-EU students who have been legally residing in Portugal for more than 2 years without interruption may fall outside that regime and apply on the same conditions as locals [16].
For bachelor’s degrees, integrated master’s degrees, and short technical programmes, the state sets a legal ceiling for a tuition fee, which for the 2025–2026 academic year is €697 [17].
Healthcare in Portugal performs well by European standards across key indicators. The joint OECD and European Observatory country profile states that life expectancy in Portugal is above the EU average[19], and OECD health reporting indicates that 100% of the population has access to core services [20].
Portugal’s public healthcare system is the SNS, Serviço Nacional de Saúde. It covers primary care, hospital services, and referrals to specialists.
Foreign citizens with legal residence in Portugal can obtain an SNS user number and access care through the public system. Golden Visa families may use the public system once they obtain their residence permits.
Private healthcare operates alongside the SNS. Many expat families use it for faster access, a wider choice of doctors, and treatment in private hospitals and clinics.
Health insurance policies typically provide either direct access to a provider network or reimbursement of medical expenses, depending on the terms. The average annual premium per insured person is around €418 [21].
The Portugal Golden Visa is a residence route that can lead to both permanent residence and, eventually, Portuguese citizenship. The two stages follow different rules and timelines.
After 5 years of holding a valid residence permit, Golden Visa investors and their family members may apply for permanent residence in Portugal.
This stage requires maintaining the investment, complying with the minimum stay requirement of 7 days a year, and meeting standard conditions such as having a clean criminal record and demonstrating basic knowledge of Portuguese.
Permanent residence provides a more stable long-term status in Portugal and removes the need to continue renewing temporary Golden Visa permits or to meet the minimum stay requirement.
The permanent residence status itself has no validity limit, but the residence card must still be renewed every 5 years, or earlier if identification details change. Renewal at this stage is also lighter on paperwork, as the holder is not required to resubmit documents already included in AIMA’s electronic system[22].
After obtaining permanent residence, investors may withdraw their capital if the investment was made in fund units.
Under current Portuguese law, foreign nationals may apply for citizenship after 5 years of legal residence, provided they meet the main requirements. These typically include holding a valid residence permit, demonstrating Portuguese language proficiency at the A2 level, and having no serious criminal convictions [23].
However, Portugal is revising its Nationality Law, and a major change was approved by Parliament in April 2026. The reform proposes extending the minimum residence period for citizenship from 5 to 10 years for most non-EU nationals, including Golden Visa investors.
The new law requires completion of the legislative process, including presidential approval. This means the current 5-year rule remains in place for now, although the timeframe may change in the near future.
While the Portugal Golden Visa is a well-established residence programme, families should be aware of several practical risks that can affect timelines, eligibility, and long-term outcomes.
Family applications often depend on strict eligibility criteria, especially for adult children and parents.
Adult children are usually required to be financially dependent, unmarried, and in education. During long processing periods, their status may change — for example, they may complete their studies or no longer meet dependency criteria.
Parents and other dependants must also prove financial reliance on the main applicant, which requires documented evidence rather than assumptions based on age or relationship.
To avoid delays and requests for additional documentation, investors should include all eligible family members from the outset and maintain clear, consistent proof of dependency throughout the process.
Application reviews by AIMA can take several months, and many supporting documents, such as criminal record certificates, are valid only for a limited period. As a result, applicants may need to obtain updated documents more than once.
This issue can be managed by timing document preparation closer to submission and carefully tracking validity periods.
Risks depend on the chosen route. For example, under the fund option, capital must be maintained for at least five years to remain compliant with residence requirements. Early withdrawal or changes to the investment structure may affect renewals.
In addition, investment funds are subject to market risk, and returns are not guaranteed. These are standard financial risks. The appropriate approach is to review the investment terms in detail, including holding periods and exit options, before committing funds.
Opening a Portuguese bank account is required and may take time due to compliance checks. In some cases, restrictions in the applicant’s home country may affect the ability to transfer funds abroad.
These are practical, not legal, barriers, but they can delay the process. Starting the bank account setup early is an effective way to reduce this risk.
The minimum stay requirement, although low, applies to each family member individually. Coordinating travel for all dependents, especially children or elderly parents, can be challenging. In addition, all applicants must travel to Portugal to submit biometrics during the application process.
These are standard procedural requirements. Planning travel in advance and keeping records of time spent in Portugal is usually sufficient to manage this aspect.
Several other countries offer residence-by-investment programmes suitable for families. Such options are available in countries such as Italy, Hungary, and Latvia.
Each programme has its own set of requirements and benefits. The rules for including family members in the application also vary.
Some countries, such as Greece and Latvia, still offer the option of obtaining a residence permit through real estate investment. Others, including Malta and Cyprus, provide a more direct route to permanent residence.
| Country | Type of residence | Investment threshold | Real estate option | Visa-free Schengen travel | Years to citizenship | Included family members |
| Portugal | Temporary | €250,000 | Not available | Yes | 5 | Spouse, children under 26, parents |
| Greece | Temporary | €250,000 | Available | Yes | 7 | Spouse, children under 21, parents |
| Italy | Temporary | €250,000 | Not available | Yes | 10 | Spouse, children, parents |
| Hungary | Temporary | €250,000 | Not available | Yes | 11 | Spouse, children under 18, parents |
| Latvia | Temporary | €50,000 | Available | Yes | 10 | Spouse, children under 18 |
| Malta | Permanent | €169,000 | Part of the total investment | Yes | Not available | Spouse, children under 29, parents, grandparents |
| Cyprus | Permanent | €350,000 | Available | No | 8 | Spouse, children |
Applying for the Portugal Golden Visa as a family involves multiple steps, strict requirements, and coordination between several applicants.
Immigrant Invest is a consulting company that helps high-net-worth individuals obtain residence and citizenship by investment. We hold licenses allowing us to work with programmes in Europe, the Caribbean, and other parts of the world. Lawyers at Immigrant Invest are certified members of the Investment Migration Council.
We support families throughout the process with a focus on compliance, clarity, and risk reduction at every stage. Before starting the application, our team conducts preliminary Due Diligence and AML checks. This includes reviewing criminal records, sanctions exposure, PEP status, and other potential risk factors. The goal is to identify any issues early and ensure the application is structured correctly from the outset.
Families benefit from our end-to-end support through a single point of contact. We assist with document preparation, notarisation and apostilles, bank account opening, and coordination of biometric appointments for all family members. Our team also helps manage renewals and keeps track of deadlines across the entire family application.
Another important advantage is access to Portuguese legal expertise and practical guidance based on current AIMA procedures. This includes clear information on timelines, requirements for dependents, and realistic expectations throughout the process.
Yes, Golden Visa residence permits grant children access to Portuguese public schools, with free Portuguese-language instruction.
Many families, however, prefer international schools, with paid English-medium education in Lisbon, Cascais, Porto, or the Algarve for curriculum continuity.
No language requirement exists for the Golden Visa application or renewals. Learning Portuguese is required only when applying for permanent residence or citizenship.
Children in international schools, as well as adults, can take Portuguese classes or online courses to prepare for naturalisation.
Yes, the family reunification process allows applicants to add newborns, adopted children, or new spouses after initial approval. This requires submitting additional documentation and fees.
Yes, parents of both the main applicant and spouse can be included.
If a parent is under 65, they must prove financial dependency on the investor. This requires evidence such as proof of financial support from the main applicant, limited income or assets of the parents, and signed dependency affidavits. Parents receive the same residence rights and Schengen travel privileges.
There is no maximum absence limit. The minimum stay requirement is 7 days in the first year, followed by 14 days per two-year period, which averages 7 days per year. Investors may spend the rest of the time outside Portugal. As long as these minimums are met and the investment is maintained, the permit remains valid.
Yes, the Golden Visa residence permit allows both employment and self-employment in Portugal, as well as travel and short-term work in the Schengen Area.
There is no indication that the programme will be discontinued. The Portuguese government stated in 2025 that the Golden Visa would continue and discussed possible incentive enhancements.
The programme was reformed in October 2023. The real estate investment option was removed, but the core programme remains in place.
Yes, you can own and rent property in Portugal independently of the Golden Visa, for example for personal use, rental income, or other lifestyle purposes.
However, real estate can no longer be used as the qualifying €500,000 investment following the October 2023 reforms. Some families purchase property separately while investing €500,000 in a qualifying fund.
Only if they become a Portuguese tax resident. Tax residency is generally triggered by spending more than 183 days per year in Portugal. Holding a Golden Visa alone does not create tax residency.
Non-residents are taxed only on Portuguese-source income, such as rental income from property in Portugal. Tax residents are taxed on both Portuguese-source and worldwide income.
Yes, adult children may be included if they are financially dependent on the investor and enrolled in full-time education. Supporting documents typically include proof of university enrolment and evidence of financial support from the parents.
Typical documentation includes signed affidavits of dependency, bank statements showing regular financial transfers from the main applicant, tax returns listing the dependant, proof of limited independent income and assets of the dependent, and, for adult children, confirmation of school or university enrolment.
