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Portugal

European residency for the whole family, with only seven days a year in the country.

Route: Residency by investment
Minimum investment: EUR 250,000 donation or EUR 500,000 fund
Time to residency: Around 12–18 months to the first card, depending on AIMA queues
Presence required: Average of 7 days a year
Citizenship: Eligible after 5 years of residency, with basic Portuguese (A2)
Travel: Schengen area, visa-free
Dual citizenship: Allowed
Reach status: Advisory & filing

Figures indicative as of September 2026. Amounts, fees and processing times change with each government’s rules. A consultant confirms the current terms for your family before anything is signed.

Portugal’s Golden Visa is the residency-by-investment programme most of our clients ask about first. It gives an investor and their family the right to live, work and study in Portugal, free movement across the Schengen area, and a route to permanent residency or citizenship after five years.

Since the property route closed in 2023 the programme runs mainly through regulated investment funds and cultural donations. The presence requirement is light: an average of seven days a year is enough to keep the residency alive and count towards citizenship.

Assess my case Residency & migration

Why families choose it

01
Path to an EU passport
Apply for citizenship after five years of residency while living most of the year elsewhere.
02
Seven days a year
No need to relocate; a short annual stay keeps the residency valid.
03
Whole family included
Spouse, dependent children and dependent parents join the same application.
04
Schengen access
Visa-free movement across 29 European countries once the residence card is issued.
05
Regulated investments
Funds supervised by the Portuguese securities regulator, with a defined exit after the holding period.

Investment routes

fromEUR 500,000

Investment fund

Units in a qualified Portuguese venture-capital or private-equity fund, held for at least five years.

fromEUR 250,000

Cultural or scientific donation

A contribution to approved arts, heritage or research projects; reduced to EUR 200,000 in low-density areas.

fromEUR 500,000

Company and jobs

Capital into a Portuguese company that creates or keeps at least five permanent jobs.

Figures indicative as of September 2026. Amounts, fees and processing times change with each government’s rules. A consultant confirms the current terms for your family before anything is signed.

How it works

Who can be included

Spouse or partner, children under 18, dependent children in full-time education, and dependent parents of either spouse can all be included in one application.

A consultant confirms your eligibility and the route that fits your budget and goals.
You obtain a Portuguese tax number and open a local bank account, both handled remotely with a power of attorney.
The investment is completed and its proof collected: fund subscription, donation receipt or company registration.
The application is filed online with AIMA together with the family’s documents and clean-record certificates.
Biometrics are taken in Portugal at the appointment we schedule for you.
The residence cards are issued, renewed at the second year and every three years after that.

Questions people ask

Talk to a consultant: Assess my case

Can I still buy property to qualify?

No. Real estate has not qualified since October 2023. Funds and donations are now the main routes, and we can pair the residency with a separate property purchase if you want a home in Portugal.

Do I have to move to Portugal?

No. Seven days a year on average is enough to keep the residency and to count the years towards citizenship.

When can I apply for citizenship?

After five years of legal residency, counted from the date your application was accepted, and with an A2-level Portuguese test.

Is the fund investment guaranteed?

No investment is guaranteed. Funds are regulated by the CMVM and we only work with managers whose strategy, track record and exit terms we have reviewed.