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Portugal’s Golden Visa program is rightly considered to be the best one in Europe. It is affordable, and the opportunities you can get are truly ample. If you have always wanted to have a residence permit in the EU, this is a good chance to get one. And – Portugal is a wonderful small country with good food and a pleasant climate, so you are sure to love it!
This article will give you basic details on the program, reasons to go for it, investment opportunities, and the documents required. And if you feel that you require additional information on some aspects, we invite you to read our ultimate Portuguese Golden Visa guide on our portal.
Why has Portugal’s program gained such popularity?
- It’s reasonably priced.
- You are free to take your family with you (including children under 26).
- It opens the door to all Schengen states.
- Very mild residence requirements: spend 7 days a year in Portugal to ensure the validity of your Golden Visa for another year.
- EU and OECD membership means that Portugal will never be on their blacklists
- This is a step towards Portuguese citizenship, which gives even more opportunities.
The requirements to be met by the main investor are basic:
- No criminal record.
- No history of restrictions on entry to the EU.
- Legitimate source of investments.
- Proof of children’s financial dependency on you.
- Medical coverage for the time of stay in Portugal.
- Meeting the investment criteria.
- The investor is required to hold the acquired asset for at least 5 years.
There are 8 routes of investment, and you can choose the one that suits you best:
- Capital transfer in the form of deposit, equity or public debt contribution, or acquisition of securities (1, 500, 000 euros)
- Providing at least 10 jobs for the locals
- Acquiring real estate (top-rated localities like Lisbon are outside this list) – 500, 000 euros
- Investing in real estate built 30 years ago or earlier (350, 000 euros)
- Contributing at least 500, 000 euros to Research & Development (public or private)
- Supporting art or national heritage by contributing € 250, 000
- Acquire the shares of venture (investment) funds (€ 500, 000)
- Contribute at least € 500, 000 to local businesses and arrange 5 jobs
Each option has its peculiarities, and you are free to discuss with our advisors on the portal.
You can invest 20% less if you deal with sparsely populated or underdeveloped localities.
What package of documents are you required to provide to obtain your Golden Visa?
- A valid passport
- Mandatory documents for entry and minimum stay in Portugal to complete all procedures
- Health plan (to be ordered within 90 days prior to applying for the Golden Visa) from the Portuguese National Health Service or any similar international organization
- Affidavit to confirm that the applicant is ready to satisfy the investment standards and keep that amount in Portugal’s economy for 5 years
- Certificates issued by the Portuguese tax and social security organization to substantiate that the applicant has no debts to them
- A slip to confirm payment of the processing fee for the Golden Visa application
- An apostilled police certificate issued by the country of origin (and all countries in which the investor resided for over 1 year).
Additional documents will be contingent on the way of investment you have selected, and a list of those is given in our longer article (follow the link above to read it).
After you get the Golden Visa, you may decide to proceed to naturalization and obtain a Portuguese passport.
You may also like: Significant Steps You Need To Keep In Mind When Applying For A Work Visa
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