Discover the Portugal Golden Visa Opportunity

The Portugal Golden Visa Program, officially known as the Portugal Golden Residence Permit Program, is one of the most sought-after investment migration opportunities for Americans available today. Designed for non-EU/EEA citizens, this program offers a pathway to European residency and citizenship through strategic economic contributions. Portugal is a country that has long captivated the American traveler. Now, you can make Portugal your home.

1. Capital Transfer

EUR 500,000 investment for the acquisition of private equity investment fund or venture capital fund units committed to the capitalization of companies incorporated under the Portuguese law, with a maturity of at least five years and with at least 60% of the investment portfolio in companies with a registered office in the national territory (real estate entities do not apply)
EUR 500,000 investment for research activities of public or private entities that are part of the national scientific and technological system
- EUR 400,000 in a low population density area
EUR 250,000 donation in support of artistic production or in the recovery or maintenance of national cultural heritage
- EUR 200,000 in a low population density area

2. Business

Creation of a company and at least ten jobs in Portugal (or eight full-time jobs in a low-density area) and register each employee in the Portuguese Social Security system.
EUR 500,000 investment for the incorporation of a commercial company that is registered and headquartered in Portugal, creating a minimum of five permanent jobs for a period of three years (or for the increase of the share capital of a company already incorporated and headquartered in Portugal, creating at least five permanent jobs or maintaining at least ten jobs for three years)

Current estimates are about 10-14 months. Some consultancies estimate broader windows, such as 6-18 months. The Portuguese immigration authority (AIMA) is currently working to digitize its processing systems, aiming to speed up approvals and reduce the backlog.

Reportedly, under the new digital system, AIMA will automatically schedule initial mandatory biometric data gathering appointments within 30 to 90 days and accept documents in English, Spanish, and French without translation, significantly speeding up processing time for applicants.

Residency Requirement:

The Portuguese golden visa residency requirement is very flexible, making it an attractive investment migration option for Americans. You can maintain your residency with just an average of seven days per year in Portugal.

When some countries require investors to stay in the country at least six months per year, Portugal only requires seven days. This allows you to maintain your current lifestyle in the United States while fulfilling the golden visa requirements and working towards citizenship by essentially taking a week-long vacation to Portugal once a year!

Citizenship Requirement:

After five years of legal “residency” under the golden visa program, applicants may apply for Portuguese citizenship or permanent residency.

To qualify for citizenship, in addition to fulfilling the five years of investment, applicants must also learn basic Portuguese to an A2 level. However, in lieu of a language test, applicants may also attend 150 hours of virtual Portuguese language lessons from a government-approved language school. Upon completion of the 150 hours, the applicant is considered to have satisfied the language requirement.