Portugal Golden Visa & Residency Program

Life in Portugal varies from region to region. The main urban hubs, Lisbon and Porto, are the epicenters of culture, sport, and business, while the southern Agave region, spanning from the Atlantic to Spain, is the country’s hotbed for expats – offering an alternative to the Costa del Sol. The coast offers the classic, relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle, while the rural regions inland contain the serene beauty of vineyards and rustic living. Generally, the country is known for its climate, welcoming locals, delicious cuisine, and very high quality of life – making it an attractive destination for entrepreneurs, investors, families, as well as retirees.

The investment options for the Portugal residency by investment program changed significantly in 2023, removing the program;s most popular option – residency by real estate investment. The updated Golden Visa offers options with varying required minimum investments – a €200,000- €250,000 capital investment in artistic/cultural projects and a €500,000 minimum investment into a private equity fund.

Portugal’s Golden Visa is appealing because it not only provides EU residency but a pathway to EU citizenship in just five years. Plus, the application time for the Golden Visa approval is counted toward that five year period. Thus, at the five year mark, Golden Visa holders can decide on permanent residency or citizenship – whichever best satisfies their needs. And during that fiver year period, Golden Visa holders have the right to live, work, study, and conduct business in Portugal at will, as well as Golden Visa holders will have ETIAS exemption for the entire European Union. All the while, the Astons Private Equity Fund investment is generating ROI for your eventual cashout.

Do to the update process of 2023, the Portugal Golden Visa has a backlog of applications and currently has an average application cycle of 1-year. However, one of the updates made was the former official Golden Visa agency was dissolved and replaced with a modern state-of-the-art processing agency, so wait times are expected to reduce in 2024.

Yes, in fact, Portugal has one of the easiest and fastest residency to citizenship procedures in all of the European Union. Portugal only requires five years of residency to become eligible for citizenship and the waiting period for the Golden Visa approval counts toward that time. However, it needs to be noted, that the requirements for citizenship are separate and distinct from those of the Golden Visa program and simply being approved for residency does not guarantee Golden Visa holders will receive citizenship.

Portugal is a very crypto-friendly environment. In fact, Lisbon has been crowned the Crypto Capital of Europe. Unfortunately however, due to several due diligence issues and concerns, no Golden Visa program accepts crypto as a direct source of funds for investment.

Portugal’s Golden Visa has relatively low physical stay requirements, requiring only 7 days in the first year and 14 days over subsequent two-year periods. This is beneficial for those who wish to maintain a residence in Portugal without disrupting their life in another country.

Yes, Astons is a licensed agent that helps entrepreneurs, investors, and families achieve citizenship and residency across the globe, including Portugal. We maintain licensed partnerships with official government agencies operating CBI and RBI programs as well as maintain local partnerships with officially licensed lawyers and experts. Our team always operates within the laws and regulations of the countries we work in.