Benefits
- Portugal/EU residency for your family
- Process typically takes from 3-9 months
- Path to full citizenship and EU passport
- Minimum stay requirement of 1-2 weeks per year
Overview
The Golden Visa programme is a Portuguese government initiative to provide a route to permanent residence, citizenship and an EU passport for those from outside the EEA (European Economic Area). In return for a suitable qualifying investment in Portugal, the applicant can obtain residency in Portugal for them and their family. After 5 years, it is possible to apply for Portuguese nationality.
In an unpredictable world, Portugal is an attractive location for its political stability, safety (most recently rated as the 3rd safest country in the world) and welcoming attitude to foreigners. The Golden Visa programme offers residency while only spending 1-2 weeks per year in the country which makes it perfect for those who wish to continue running a business or working overseas while having the peace of mind of a safe and stable location for them and their family.
Qualifying Investments
There are several types of investments that meet the criteria for obtaining a Golden Visa. The most popular is to purchase of property of at least €500,000. This can be residential or commercial, and you can use it yourself or rent it out.
Property in Portugal has grown strongly in recent years, but is still good value by international standards. €500,000 can purchase a very comfortable family home with pool in many parts of Portugal, or a luxury apartment in the more expensive areas.
There is another option to purchase a property for renovation for €350,000. However, in this case the property must be approved first by the government for this purpose, and you will have to invest significant extra funds for the renovation.
There are now alternative investment routes including financial funds and cash that qualify. Please contact me for more details.
Property Purchase to Permanent Resident
I am not a real estate agent, but I can help find suitable properties for your investment through trusted real estate agents I deal with. I can help arrange appointments for you to view the properties and help review the sale contracts, verify the property status with the land registry and help negotiate with the sellers. I will attend with you to the notary or land registry to ensure the sale goes smoothly, or I can even do this on your behalf if you are out of the country with a suitable Power of Attorney document.
Once the property has been purchased, I can help complete payment of taxes, registration and other related tasks. Finally, I can prepare and submit the Golden Visa application, and track the process through to a successful conclusion.
Unlike many companies offering these services, I am a qualified lawyer and so can advise and help with the entire purchase process as well as your Golden Visa itself. Contact me (details in footer) to arrange a consultation and get the process started.