Portugal Golden Visa

To qualify for a Golden Visa in Portugal, the main applicant must be over 18, be a non‑EU and a non-EEA citizen, have no criminal record, earn capital for investment outside Portugal, have no debts in Portugal, possess legal income, and have medical insurance.

The investor can add a spouse, children under 26, and parents to their application.

No, Portugal does not stop its Golden Visa program. The Golden Visa is still operating, but the options of purchasing real estate or transferring capital are no longer available.

The minimum investment for a Portugal Golden Visa is €250,000. This option requires an investor to transfer capital to a cultural institution to support local arts and cultural heritage. The option is non-refundable.

Another way is to purchase investment fund units, which must cost at least €500,000. The investment is usually returned within 6 to 10 years.

No, the Portuguese government has excluded real estate purchase from the list of options to obtain a residence permit in the country. The most popular alternative still available for investors is purchasing fund units worth at least €500,000.

The Golden Visa program is an easy way to get residency in Portugal. It requires 12+ months and an investment in the local economy of at least €250,000.

To qualify, an investor must be over 18, come from a non-EU and non-EEA country, have no criminal record, earn legal income outside Portugal to cover investment and medical insurance.

The minimum investment for a Portugal Golden Visa is €250,000. This option requires an investor to transfer capital to a cultural institution to support local arts and cultural heritage. The option is non-refundable.

Another way is to spend at least €500,000. This investment requirement applies to three options, including purchasing investment fund units, contributing to the local business, and sponsoring research.

An applicant can also open a company in Portugal, which will create at least 10 jobs. In this case, the investment amount is not specified.

A Portugal Golden Visa offers various benefits to its holder. They can travel within the Schengen Area without a visa, access high-quality education and healthcare, and work or run a business in the EU.

Investors who obtain a Portugal Golden Visa and their family members can move to Portugal, use the country as a “plan B” in case of force majeure, or just enjoy the perks of a permit in the EU without obligation to live there.

Foreigners provide the following documents:

1. A passport copy.
2. Birth certificates for children, if applicable.
3. A marriage certificate, if applicable.
4. Proof of entry and legal stay in Portugal.
5. A tax identification number in the country of residency.
6. Health insurance.
7. Documents outlining the good standing with the Portuguese Tax and Customs Authority and Social Security system.
8. A certificate of no criminal record issued by the current country of residency.
9. A completed form authorising the Agency of Integration, Migrations, and Asylum, AIMA, to access criminal records in Portugal.
10. A receipt for an application fee.
11. A Sworn Statement by which the applicant declares to comply with all the minimum quantitative and time requirements for the investment activity in Portugal.
12. Evidence of an international transfer of funds for investing.
13. Documents confirming the investment. Depending on the option, it can be a certificate of ownership or a company registration or a declaration proving financial contribution.

Foreign nationals typically obtain a Portuguese passport by naturalisation. As of December 2025, the standard eligibility route remains at least 5 years of legal residence in Portugal.

However, the government proposed and parliament approved changes that would extend the minimum residence period to 10 years for most nationalities — and 7 years for EU and Community of Portuguese Language Countries nationals — subject to the measure entering into force.

In 2025, AIMA restarted biometric appointments for Golden Visa applicants from January 15th, 2025, generally scheduled in the order that updated documents were uploaded, which is the practical change most applicants felt in day-to-day timelines. 

Separately, the main 2025 development that changes many Portugal Investor Visa plans is citizenship timing: the government announced a move to 10 years of legal residence for most applicants — with 7 years for Portuguese-speaking countries — and media later said Portugal will reassess the law. It is not yet in force.

For citizenship planning, that means the goal remains achievable, but the plan becomes less predictable and potentially longer. If a 10-year rule takes effect, the main impact is simply a longer runway.

If the reform also changes how the time is counted, the practical effect depends on the final wording.

Some 2025 commentary suggests the “clock” could move away from a more applicant‑friendly interpretation and make the timeline start later for people who waited a long time for their first card, but the key point in 2025 is that this was not fully settled publicly until the final law is published, so any plan should assume a buffer and avoid relying on the fastest possible date.