Golden Visa

The programme started in October 2012 and since then almost ten thousand families have received their Golden Visas.

Also known as the residence permit for investment activity (ARI), the Golden Visa is a residence permit designed for non-EU and non-EEA citizens.

Portugal offers a dreamy landscape, a wide coastline, a climate full of sunshine, hospitable people and delicious cuisine. Better yet, it provides this high quality of life at a very affordable cost of living. These features make Portugal a very attractive destination for international investors to invest in and obtain the right to live, work, and study in the country.

The Portugal Golden Visa programme provides the opportunity to freely travel within Europe’s Schengen Area without an additional visa and become a permanent resident or a citizen of Portugal after only five years.

The Portuguese passport allows you to travel to 186 countries without the need for a visa and ranks 6th among all passports.

The Portuguese Golden Visa allows you to live, work, and study in Portugal.

There are numerous private British and American international schools.

If you decide to live in Portugal full-time with this permit, you will have full access to all public services including healthcare and education.

As the main applicant, you may extend the Golden Visa to your family members. The application process is simultaneous for the main applicant, spouse/partner and the dependents.

You will have the right to reside and work in Portugal, as well as start and run your own business in Portugal.

The Golden Visa program will not bring any income tax responsibility to its applicants unless you decide to become Portuguese tax resident, by spending more than 183 days of the year in Portugal or by registering Portugal as your “main home”.

However, if you decide to become tax resident in Portugal, you may apply for a favorable tax regime for foreigners called the NHR programme, which comprises certain exemptions and other tax benefits from income tax during the first ten years of residence.

Overall Benefits

The Golden Visa beneficiary has the possibility of:

• Entering Portugal with no need for a residence visa;
• Reside, work and study in Portugal, and only need to stay in Portugal for a period not less than 7 days in the first year and not less than 14 days in subsequent years;
• Circulate through the Schengen area, without the need for a visa;
• Benefit from family reunification;
• Request the granting of a permanent residence permit under the Foreigners Law after five years;
• Possibility to request the acquisition of Portuguese nationality through naturalisation, fulfilling the other requirements in the Nationality Law, but mainly by legally residing in Portuguese territory for at least five years;
• When becoming Portuguese tax residents, obtain the NHR tax incentives programme.

US citizens are eligible to apply for the Portuguese Golden Visa.

Foreign-owned real estate has many advantages for tax residents of the United States, making the real estate investment option of the programme especially interesting.

American business owners may also choose to expand their businesses to Portugal, taking advantage of the Golden Visa programme. The tax incentives in Portugal make it an attractive destination to relocate to.

The Golden Visa investment is possible through:

• The acquisition of real estate with a value equal to or greater than 500.000,00 euros;
• The acquisition of real estate, the construction of which has been completed for at least 30 years or located in an urban rehabilitation area and carrying out rehabilitation works of the acquired real estate, in a global amount equal to or greater than 350.000,00 euros.