Portugal Golden Visa
Portugal Golden Visa
Latest Update on Portugal Golden Visa (May 2023)
The Portuguese government has recently announced the termination of the Golden Visa program. According to the Portugal government’s proposal for the golden visa on April 14, 2023, the government announced that all the existing and new applications would not be affected before the new law is passed.
At present, the draft of the amendment of the Golden Visa policy were sent to Parliament for discussion, and the government clearly state that the termination of the visa scheme will only affect new applications filed after the new law is passed, which will take at least 6 to 8 weeks.
If you still are interested to apply for the Portugal Golden visa, please get in touch with us to start the legal application process as soon as possible before any potential changes in the future.
Current investment projects
- Riverside Downtown Hotel Lisboa
- A boutique 4-Star Hotel
- Located at the heart of Lisbon
- Investment: EUR 350K
- 3% interest per year & Guaranteed Buyback after 6 years
- Ponte do Val Beach Resort
- An exclusive 5-Star Hotel
- Located at Algarve seaside
- Investment: EUR 280K
- Guaranteed Buyback after 6 years
【葡萄牙黃金簽證 最新消息與常見問答】
Visa advantages
- Only need to stay in Portugal for 7 days per year in average
- One immigration application for three generations to move to Portugal (including applicant’s spouse, parents and children)
- Free travel to 26 Schengen member states in Europe under the Golden Visa
- Visa free for more than 187 countries worldwide after obtaining Portugal citizenship
- Freely live, study and work in 27 EU countries after obtaining Portugal citizenship
- Low Investment amount starting from EUR 280,000
- Diversified investment options
- No proof is required for source of funds, due diligence, medical examination or language
【葡萄牙移民實地考察之旅2023 | Ep01 相識篇】
【葡萄牙移民實地考察之旅2023 | Ep02 住屋篇】
【葡萄牙移民實地考察之旅2023 | Ep04 娛樂篇】
Basic requirements
Age requirements
- The main applicant is over 18 years old
Family requirements
- Spouse
- Children under 18 years of age
- Children of 18-25 years old, being unmarried and full-time students
- Retired and financially dependent parents (65 or above do not require proof)
Financial requirements
- Ability to invest in designated investment projects
- No proof of source of funds and due diligence are required
Character requirements
- Not been convicted of a criminal offence in any country
- Able to provide proof of no criminal record
Portugal Golden Visa Investment
There are more than 9,600 main applicants with more than 16,000 family members applying between 2012 and 2021.
- Over 90% of the applications chose the Property investment route, of those, around 90% chose the EUR 500K option, while 10% chose the EUR 350K option.
- The second popular option is the capital transfer option, with 488 applications, and then investment fund options with 73 applications.
- At last, there are 17 applications for the creation of job positions, and 5 for capital injection to companies.
Investment Options:
- Starting from EUR 500,000
- Starting from EUR 400,000 (low density areas)
- After 1 January 2022, Lisbon, Porto and most of the coastal area will no longer qualify for residential real estate projects and only investment in commercial real estate projects are allowed
- Renovation of a 30-year-old property project, including the value of the property and the cost of the renovation
- Starting from EUR 350,000
- Starting from EUR280,000 (low density areas)
- After 1 January 2022, Lisbon, Porto and most of the coastal area will no longer qualify for residential real estate projects and only investment in commercial real estate projects are allowed
*The most popular investment route for the Portuguese Golden Visa is real estate investment, and most applicants have chosen to invest in residential projects in Lisbon or the northern coastal area by way of residential property purchase in the past few years. Until the beginning of 2022, the Portuguese Immigration Authority has amended the relevant immigration legislation that Lisbon, Porto and most of the coastal areas will no longer accept residential properties investment. Applicant can only to invest residential property in low-density area at inland Portugal. Therefore, many applicants now consider to invest in the renovated commercial properties in Lisbon and Porto, and obtain a rental income by renting it out to local tenants through local property management company.
- Starting from EUR 500,000
- Invest in Portugal private equity funds or venture capital funds
- Capital transfer in Portugal local bank: EUR 1.5 million
- Invest in scientific and technological research: EUR 500,000
- Creation of 10 jobs in Portugal
- Invest EUR 500,000 in Portugal company and create 5 jobs
- Donation: EUR 250,000
Golden Visa Renewal/ Permanent residency/ Citizenship Requirements
Golden Visa Renewal Requirements
- Stay Requirements: 7 days per year or 14 days every two years
- Maintain the investment of the Portuguese Golden Visa Program
- No criminal record in Portugal and from your home country or any country of residence
- There are no unpaid taxes in Portugal
Permanent residency requirements
- Holder of a temporary residence permit for at least 5 years
- No criminal record in Portugal and from your home country or any country of residence
- Passed the A2 Level Portuguese Language Test (CAPLE) or complete a recognized Portuguese language course at Level A2 or higher, for more information on language requirements, you can refer to the SEF website (https://imigrante.sef.pt/en/solicitar/residir/art80/).
- It takes about 3-6 months to complete the application.
Residency requirements for citizens
- Holder of a temporary residence permit for at least 5 years
- Passed the A2 Level Portuguese Language Test (CAPLE) or complete a recognized Portuguese language course at Level A2 or higher, for more information on language requirements, you can refer to the SEF website (https://imigrante.sef.pt/en/solicitar/residir/art80/).
- No involvement in terrorist activities in Portugal and from your home country or any country of residence.
- Portugal allows dual citizenship, but you need to consider whether your country of origin allows dual citizenship.
- It takes up to 2 years to complete the application.
Application documents
Application documents
- Identification documents
- Valid passport
- Marriage certificate
- Birth certificate
- Proof of no criminal record
- Application form
- Proof of assets
- Proof of investment in the investment projects
Documents must be apostilled and notarized. All documents in non-Portuguese need to be translated by a Portugal lawyer or certified interpreter recognized by the Portuguese Consulate.
Visa application process
It usually takes 9-12 months from preparation of application to visa approval, depending on whether there are any problems on the related application documents.
Provide free telephone consultation to assess the applicant’s background and answer relevant questions
Schedule a face-to-face consultation to discuss the applicant’s situation, eligibility and timeline
Sign the Independent Consultant Agreement
Decide on investment options
We prepare the application documents and investment (takes about 4 months)
Arrange an appointment to obtain a certificate of no criminal record
After the completion of the investment, the we will process and submit the Golden Visa application to the The Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras – SEF (English: Foreigners and Borders Service)
After 3-4 months submitting the application, SEF will notify all applicants to travel to Portugal for biometric certification
The processing time of the SEF is generally 4 to 6 months
The approval letter is issued, and the Portuguese lawyer collects the 2-year period Golden Visa on behalf of the applicant
Apply every 2 years to extend Golden Visa status for 2 years
Passed the A2 level exam and apply for Portuguese permanent residence or citizenship
Frequently Asked Questions
The Portuguese government has recently announced the termination of the Golden Visa program. According to the Portugal government’s proposal for the golden visa on April 14, 2023, the government announced that all the existing and new applications would not be affected before the new law is passed.
If you still are interested to apply for the Portugal Golden visa, please get in touch with us to start the legal application process as soon as possible before any potential changes in the future.
The Golden Visa involves the following SEF fees and third party fees:-
| Items | Description |
SEF*Fee | Visa application fee | Initial: EUR539 / Applicant Extension: EUR539 / Applicant |
SEF*Fee | Golden Visa fees | Initial: EUR5,391 / Applicant Extension: EUR2,696 / Applicant |
Portugal Lawyer Fees | Processing investment and visa applications | Depend on different law firms’ quotation |
Third Party Professional and Documentation Fees | Documents apostilled, notarized and translation | Depend on the number of documents |
Portugal Tax Accountant Fee | Tax representative | EUR250 / year |
*SEF =The Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras
(English: Foreigners and Borders Service)
The government department that processes the relevant applications for the Portuguese Golden Visa
You must pass the Portuguese A2 exam before you apply Portugal Permanent residency/ Citizenship. The A2 level is the ability to communicate in the simple, basic and predictable situations in daily life, such as in workplace and in school.
The Portugal language test (CAPLE) consists of three parts: writing, listening and speaking.
There are many institutions teaching Portuguese in Hong Kong (such as HKU Space, etc.), and applicants can also apply the online course.
CAPLE has 3 examination periods each year, which are May, July and November. Applicants can take the examination at 3 officially recognized institutions in Macau, including:
- Instituto Português do Oriente，IPOR,
- University of Macao,
- Macao Polytechnic University
The exam takes about 2 hours and is structured as follows:
- Speaking (10-15 minutes – 25 % total)
- Reading and Writing (1 hour 15 points – 45 % total)
- Listening (30 minutes – 30 % total)
Exam scores range from 0-100 with passing score at 55. Once you passed the exam, you will be issued with a certificate, and the certificate is permanently valid. After completing the 5-year valid temporary residence, the applicant can be eligible to apply for permanent residence or passport.
Yes. Portugal allows dual citizenship, but you need to consider whether your country of origin allows dual citizenship.
It is worth to pay attention that the official language of Portugal is Portuguese, when you are purchasing a residential or commercial property, the documents involved, including the title deed and the sale and purchase agreement, will be conducted in Portuguese. Therefore, in order to protect your personal interests, it is a very critical to appoint a trustworthy Portuguese-speaking lawyer to translate English for you to fully understand the investment terms and conditions.