Golden Visa Portugal (residence for investors) 🇵🇹
Portugal's Golden Visa is an investor program that grants residence with no obligation to live in the country. It covers the whole family and leads to permanent residence and citizenship
Online consultationUnlike other programs, the Portuguese Golden Visa offers a path to citizenship without permanent residence in the country, making it a great option for those who want the benefits of European citizenship without committing to relocate permanently.
Advantages of the Portugal Golden Visa in 2026
The Golden Visa is considered one of the best residence-by-investment programs in the world thanks to its unique advantages, including:
Diverse investment options
The program offers various forms of investment, allowing investors to choose the one that best fits their financial interests and goals
Path to citizenship
After 5 years you can apply for permanent residence; under the nationality law in force since May 2026, citizenship is available after 10 years of residence (7 for EU and CPLP nationals)
Available for the whole family
Investors can include spouses, dependent children and even parents, giving the whole family the benefits of residence and free movement within the EU
Flexible stay requirements
You don't need to live in Portugal to keep the Golden Visa. The minimum stay is just 7 days in the first year and 14 days in each subsequent two-year period
Right to work in Portugal
Golden Visa holders can work in Portugal and use the public healthcare and education systems
Freedom of movement in the Schengen area
The program allows free travel across the entire Schengen area, expanding international mobility
Basic program requirements
- You need to invest in the Portuguese economy through one of the available options
- Investment period — 5 years
- Minimum stay requirements: 7 days in the first year and 14 days every two years thereafter
- After 5 years you can apply for permanent residence; citizenship requires 10 years of residence (7 for EU and CPLP nationals) under the 2026 nationality law
Since October 2023, changes to the investment conditions for the Portugal Golden Visa have been in effect. Real estate investments in Portugal are no longer accepted. The current alternative investment options are
Pay in stages
Payment for the chosen program is split into comfortable stages*
the SMART package is paid in one go
We give a guarantee
If the application is refused,
we'll reapply or refund your money
Specialists on the ground
Our team brings not only our own relocation experience but also years of work by lawyers and licensed attorneys on hundreds of client cases of all levels of complexity
Investment types that qualify for the Portugal Golden Visa
Investment funds
Investment amount: purchase of fund units worth at least €500,000.
Fund conditions: The fund cannot be directly or indirectly linked to the real estate sector
Maturity ≥ 5 years, and at least 60% of the fund's capital must be invested in companies headquartered in Portugal
The fund must be registered with and regulated by the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM).
The investment must be held for at least 5 years
Key advantages
Potential financial return: unlike donation-based options (such as cultural investment), this is a recoverable investment. It's managed by professionals with the aim of generating returns, although, as with any investment, the return of capital isn't guaranteed and depends on the fund's performance.
Professional management and diversification: funds are managed by experienced industry professionals, freeing the investor from active asset management. Capital is also spread across a diversified portfolio, helping reduce risk.
Tax benefits: income from these funds is generally not taxed for non-residents of Portugal. This is a significant tax advantage that optimizes potential returns.
Transparency and security: CMVM regulation and annual audits by external organizations, such as major audit firms, ensure the reliability and security of the investment.
Wide range of sectors: Eligible funds invest in dynamic sectors of the Portuguese economy, such as technology and innovation (AI, fintech, nanotechnology), renewable energy, healthcare and biotech, and tourism, giving investors a chance to share in the country's future growth.
Investment in the cultural sector
Investment amount: €250,000.
The amount can be reduced by 20% to €200,000 if the investment is made in low-density areas. Low-density areas are regions with fewer than 100 inhabitants per km² or with GDP per capita below 75% of the national average.
Investment conditions: capital must be invested in one of two ways:
Supporting artistic production: investment in projects such as film, music, art exhibitions or festivals. Projects must be approved by the Portuguese authorities.
Restoration or preservation of national cultural heritage: donations to preserve cultural heritage, such as restoring historic monuments or archaeological sites.
Investments must be channeled through specific entities, such as public administration bodies, public institutes, public foundations, private foundations with public-interest status, and others.
Government approval: GEPAC (the Office for Cultural Strategy, Planning and Evaluation) issues the statement confirming the investment, a key step in the process. This includes prior government approval, which can be obtained within 15 days.
This type of investment is non-refundable
Investment in scientific research
Use: funds must be invested in research activities carried out by public or private research institutions that are part of the national science and technology system.
Reduction for low-density areas: the investment amount can be reduced by 20% if made in low-density areas
Investment through job creation
Creating and maintaining at least 10 full-time jobs.
In low-density areas the requirement drops to 8 jobs.
This option requires no minimum capital investment.
Option 2: Investment in a commercial company
Invest at least €500,000 in setting up a new company in Portugal, combined with creating 5 permanent jobs for at least 3 years.
Alternatively, you can increase the share capital of an existing Portuguese company by the same amount while creating or maintaining the minimum number of jobs
Find out what clients value in our workRead reviews →Who will work on your case:
Ilya Gorodetsky
Ilya heads our Portuguese visa service and knows almost everything about the digital nomad and passive income programs. He lives in Portugal and has been helping clients relocate since 2020, with more than 100 successful relocation cases last year alone.
Vitoria Valente
Vitoria is a licensed Portuguese lawyer. License number: Advogada (OAB-SP 368.030) e (OA Portugal 60690L). She represents our clients in Portuguese courts, obtains AIMA appointments for them through legal action and accompanies them when submitting documents
Alexandra Kulikova
Alexandra is a Portuguese immigration expert specializing in the Digital Nomad Visa, D3/90.2, D7, D2, family reunification and other visa types.
She handles applications in Belgrade and many other locations worldwide — Thailand, Turkey and EU countries.
Step-by-step plan for getting the Portugal Golden Visa
Choosing the investment
Together with a licensed Portuguese lawyer, we review investment options and choose the right one
Tax number
We obtain your Portuguese NIF tax number remotely
Source of funds
We prepare the required proof of source of funds
Transferring funds
We open a bank account in Portugal or transfer funds to the investment fund's account
Application to AIMA
We submit the documentation to AIMA: passport, criminal record certificate, medical certificates, proof of investment, etc.
Biometrics
Once approved, the investor and family members just need a Schengen visa from any country to come to Portugal and provide biometrics for the residence card
Residence, permanent residence and citizenship
The residence permit is issued for 2 years and renewed for 3. After 5 years you can apply for permanent residence, and for citizenship after 10 years of residence (7 for EU and CPLP nationals)
Golden Visa Portugal. Questions and answers.
What is the minimum investment period for the Golden Visa?
For how many years is the Golden Visa residence permit issued?
Are there ways to reduce the required Golden Visa investment?
Even after the legislative changes of October 2023, the 20% discount for investment in low-density areas remains in effect. It applies to certain investment categories, including job creation, artistic production and scientific research
Can different investment options be combined to reach the required amount?
Which family members can also get a Golden Visa through reunification?
Do Golden Visa holders have to live in Portugal permanently?
What are the investment returns?
Does a Golden Visa holder have to pay Portuguese tax on worldwide income?
The holder becomes a tax resident only if they stay in the country for more than 183 days a year
Tax on investment gains is 14% for residents and zero for non-residents
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Applying from different countries
🇮🇱 Applying for Portuguese visas from Israel
- In Israel, applications are accepted by VFS in Tel Aviv.
- Appointments are usually given 1–1.5 months ahead
- Then the documents are forwarded to the Portuguese consulate and reviewed under the standard procedure.
- Passports are not kept; after approval you are invited to bring your passports to the visa center
- Because of the extra VFS step, processing may take longer than usual.
- A Portuguese bank account is not required for either the DN or the D7 visa
- If you apply with savings in an Israeli account, you'll need a stamped bank statement in English.
- Leases with Flatio or Uniplaces are accepted, but not Airbnb
- It's still recommended to get two criminal record certificates (from Israel and from the country of your second citizenship / previous long-term residence).
- As for apostilles on criminal record certificates: the visa center says they are not needed and that a standard police certificate is enough. However, there is a chance of an additional request for an apostille, as this requirement has not been removed from the standard document list.
🇹🇷 Applying for Portuguese visas from Turkey
- To apply for DN or D7 visas from Ankara, you need a Turkish or Georgian residence permit valid for at least 4–5 more months at the time of application.
- There is no need to open an account in Portugal. An account in Turkey or another country is enough.
- A one-year lease in Portugal is not required; for D7 and DN visas an Airbnb or Flatio booking was enough.
- Appointments are booked by email only — sconsular.ankara@mne.pt
- Appointments are usually available about six months ahead
- Consular fees can only be paid in cash in lira, roughly €90 per person
- Visa processing takes about 2 months
🇺🇦 Applying for Portuguese visas from Ukraine
- For understandable reasons, Kyiv processes visas slowly, sometimes more than 3 months
- In some cases it's better to get temporary protection for Ukrainians in Portugal and obtain residence from within, or get temporary protection in Spain and apply for the Portuguese visa from there
- In Kyiv they may ask for either a one-year lease or a booking — there have been different cases
🇮🇩 Applying for Portuguese visas from Indonesia
- A local KITAS (residence permit) is required — we help with it
- You can get a KITAS and apply right away, practically the next day, so there's no queue
- After applying you may be invited to a short interview (we'll prepare you in advance, nothing difficult)
- Sometimes additional active income must be shown for family members
- Visa processing takes about two months
- A one-year lease is not required, a booking is enough
🇺🇸 Applying for Portuguese visas from the USA
- You can apply either directly at a consulate or through VFS visa centers
- The application location depends on where you live in the US
- You need to show a one-year lease in Portugal; when applying from Washington, a 6-month lease
- The lease must be an original in English, French or Portuguese — a translation is not accepted
- The procedure also differs: in some cities you first need to email the document package to the Portuguese consulate for pre-review
- You need to show savings in a Portuguese bank account
- Processing also depends on the application location and takes from 1 to 5 months
WashingtonDC uses VFS Global (States: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, District of Columbia)
San Francisco: uses VFS Global. States: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming)
New York: appointments through the visa center VFS Global. States: Connecticut, Michigan and New York; Territories: U.S. Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Puerto Rico
Boston: states: Maine, Massachusetts (except the area covered by New Bedford), New Hampshire and Vermont
New Bedford: Counties: Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket and Plymouth; Cities: Acushnet, Dartmouth, New Bedford and Fall River
Newark: states: Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania
Applying for Portuguese visas from 🇲🇪 Montenegro and 🇷🇸 Serbia
- Applications are submitted at the Portuguese consulate in Belgrade
- You need a local residence permit or a Montenegrin one, valid for at least 3 more months at the time of application
- Applications are by prior appointment via email only
- Application slots open 2–3 times a year
- The Portuguese consulate accepts only a certain number of applications at once, about 100; the rest go to a waiting list
- Waiting for an appointment after sending the email takes about 2 months
- A Portuguese bank account is not required for the D7 or DN visa; an account in Serbia or another country is enough
- Processing of DN and D7 visas at the Portuguese consulate in Belgrade takes about 2 months, D4 visas about a month
- A notarized lease in Portugal is required to apply (we help with it)
- It's a friendly consulate and easy to apply at, though not very fast
🇭🇺 Applying for Portuguese visas from Hungary
- As in other EU countries, applying from Hungary is quite simple
- You need a local residence permit valid for at least 4 more months at the time of application (we help with it through the program White card)
- A one-year lease is not required, a booking is enough
- Appointments are quick, roughly for the following month
- Visa processing takes 1–2 months
🇹🇭 Applying for Portuguese visas from Thailand
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