5 Great Benefits of the Golden Visa Portugal Program

There are only 22 countries that offer their version of a “Golden Visa” program and the Golden Visa Portugal program is one of the best.

It’s a flashy name for an immigrant investor visa. In broad terms, countries with this program offer residency permits and/or citizenship in exchange for a large investment. The investment amount and perks vary from country to country.

Portugal has offered Golden Visas since 2012 and it is a popular choice if you are weighing up your options for this type of visa.

Wondering why? Here are the top reasons you should include the Portugal Golden Visa program in your shortlist.

1. You (And Your Family) Can Get Citizenship

Most Golden Visa countries offer citizenship after a certain number of years on a residency permit. But not all extend that offer to immediate family.

What Portugal considers “family” is generous, too. They accept spouses and children under 18 years old, as you might expect. But if you have parents over the age of 65, Portugal includes them as your immediate family.

And if you have unmarried children under the age of 26 who are still in education, they can qualify too. They do not need separate visa applications; you can include them on yours.

They don’t have to wait until you have citizenship to join you in Portugal either. The minute you get a permanent residency permit, they can join you without a residential visa.

2. Ability To Live In and Travel To Other EU and Schengen Countries

Is your ultimate dream to live in Germany or Spain? It still might be worth applying through the Golden Visa Portugal program rather than another Golden Visa Europe program.

Out of the 22 countries that offer a Golden Visa program, only six of them are also in the European Union and offer the same mobility perks.

With a permanent residency permit, you and your family will have unlimited travel to any of the 26 countries in the Schengen visa area. And as it is an EU country, if you have Portuguese citizenship you can live and work in any of the 27 countries that are also in the European Union. 

Portugal also has a very strong passport in regards to traveling throughout the rest of the world. It offers visa-free travel to 135 of the 193 United Nations countries.

3. Variety of Low Investment or Donation Options

The main reason why the Portugal Golden Visa program is better than its EU counterparts is the investment amount. It is often lower and offers more options than the other countries.

Portugal only asks for a €250,000 donation, a €350,000 investment into a business, or a €1 million investment to start a business. 

Here are the lowest amounts for the other six EU countries offering an investment visa:

• Ireland = €1 million
• Spain = €500,000
• Greece = €250,000
• Malta = €690,000
• Germany = €360,000
• Cyprus = €2.2 million

Buying property in Portugal is also an option and there is a sliding scale of the amount you would need to invest. For example, if you bought a house over 30 years old in a low-density area, you would only need to spend €280,000.

But if you wanted to buy a modern house in a high-density area, you would need to spend €500,000.

The precise amount you need to invest and in what type of fund is complex. So, you should consult an attorney so you don’t make one of the top 5 mistakes to avoid when pursuing an investor visa.

4. Low Physical Requirements and Taxes

If you get on the Golden Visa Portugal program, you can get citizenship after five years on a residency permit. Compare this to other EU countries that offer the visa:

• Ireland = Does not offer citizenship by investment
• Spain = 10 years
• Greece = Seven years
• Malta = One year
• Germany = Six to eight years
• Cyprus = Six months

As well as only asking for five years of residency before you can become a citizen, they have very low physical requirements too. Whereas you need to actually live in Greece to become a citizen, this is not the case on the Portuguese Golden Visa.

You only need to be in the country for 14 days every two years of your residency permit. The same goes for your family members, too.

And if you plan on spending less than half the year in Portugal, you will not have to worry about paying taxes at all. So, with the physical requirements in mind, it would be very easy to avoid paying Portuguese taxes.

That said, if you did want to make Portugal your main base, the country offers income tax exemptions for Golden Visa Portugal residents.

5. High Quality of Life and Cultural Opportunities

One of the biggest benefits of choosing to invest in Portugal is being able to call this amazing country home. 

For starters, it is one of the most affordable EU countries that use the Euro currency. Citizens enjoy low costs of living which include housing, fuel, health care, education, and so much more. 

Portugal’s capital city, Lisbon, is a growing tech hub and a promised land for startups and digital nomads. It offers plenty of investment opportunities. 

It is also an underrated, beautiful, and historic country. You can enjoy the vibrant Moorish-style architecture, feast on delicious Pastéis de Nata pastries, and listen to Fado music in bars.

Even if you decide to live in one of the main cities (Lisbon in the south, or Porto in the north), you can spend weekends in the Algarve. It’s a thriving tourist spot filled with beautiful beaches and quaint fishing villages.

And the low crime rates in Portugal are the cherry on top. 

Reap the Benefits of the Golden Visa Portugal Program

The Golden Visa Portugal program offers tons of perks. And not only that, they are far more lucrative than some of the other countries offering the visa in Europe.

So if you have the cash to splash, it might be time to start searching for properties on the Algarve and take some Portuguese lessons.

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