Portugal Golden Visa: Requirements and Process
Everything you need to know before you invest: which options still qualify, who can be included, how long AIMA takes, what you must do to keep the permit and what citizenship now requires.
Non-EU nationals receive a residence permit (ARI) by investing €500,000 in a qualifying venture-capital or private-equity fund, donating €250,000 to arts or cultural heritage, funding research with €500,000, or investing in a Portuguese company that creates jobs. The first card is valid for two years and is renewed while you keep the investment, with a stay of seven days in the first year and 14 days in each two-year period after that. Your spouse, children and dependent parents can be included.
Qualifying investments
The rules are in Article 3 of the Foreigners Act (Law 23/2007), as amended by Law 56/2023. The investment must be made before you apply and kept for at least five years. Reduced amounts apply in low-density areas of the interior.
| Option | Minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Venture-capital or private-equity fund | €500,000 | Fund with at least 60% invested in Portuguese companies and at least five years to maturity; no real-estate exposure |
| Donation to arts or cultural heritage | €250,000 | €200,000 in low-density areas; non-refundable, to an approved artistic production or heritage project |
| Scientific research | €500,000 | €400,000 in low-density areas; research by public or private institutions in the national science system |
| Company capital with job creation | €500,000 | Set up or increase the capital of a Portuguese company that creates 5 permanent jobs, kept for 3 years |
| Job creation | 10 jobs | 8 in low-density areas; permanent jobs registered with Portuguese social security |
Real estate, funds with any direct or indirect real-estate exposure and the €1.5 million capital transfer were removed in October 2023. Holders who qualified through property before then can keep renewing on that basis.
Who qualifies
- Non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals aged 18 or over
- A clean criminal record and no Schengen entry ban
- Investment funds from a lawful, documented source, transferred from abroad
- Health insurance and a valid passport
- A Schengen visa or visa-free entry to give biometrics in Portugal
Family members
Your spouse or partner, children under 18, unmarried dependent children under 26 in full-time education, and dependent parents of you or your spouse can be included through family reunification on the same investment. Malta’s MPRP also covers parents and grandparents, with permanent residence from the start.
Step by step
- Free assessment and due diligence. We check your eligibility and source of funds and introduce you to our partner firm located in Portugal.
- Tax number and bank account. You obtain a Portuguese tax number (NIF) and open a bank account, usually remotely through a lawyer with power of attorney.
- Make the investment. You subscribe to the fund, make the donation or capitalise the company, with funds transferred from abroad, before you apply.
- Apply to AIMA. The application is filed online with AIMA, Portugal’s immigration agency. You travel to Portugal once to give biometrics when an appointment is offered.
- Residence card. The first card is valid for two years. Because of AIMA’s backlog, getting it has often taken 12 months to two years or more.
The law sets a 90-day decision period, but AIMA inherited a large backlog when it replaced the former border service (SEF) in 2023. In 2026 the first card has often taken 12 months to two years or more; ask us for the current position before you invest.
Costs to budget for
On top of the investment, expect AIMA application and card fees of several thousand euros per person (charged again at each renewal), legal fees, fund subscription and management fees where relevant, translations and apostilles, and health insurance. The €250,000 cultural donation is not returned. We give you a written, itemised quote before you commit.
Keeping your Golden Visa
Keep the qualifying investment for at least five years, spend seven days in Portugal in the first year and 14 days in each two-year period after that, and renew the card in person before it expires. After five years you can apply for permanent residence, which requires basic (A2) Portuguese, or keep renewing the Golden Visa. The permit allows you to work in Portugal, employed or self-employed.
From residence to citizenship
- Ten years of legal residence for most non-EU nationals; seven for EU citizens and nationals of Portuguese-speaking (CPLP) countries – Organic Law 1/2026, in force since 19 May 2026
- The clock starts when your first residence permit is issued; time spent waiting for AIMA no longer counts
- Knowledge of the Portuguese language, culture, history and national symbols, and of citizens’ rights and the political system, plus a declaration of adherence to democratic principles
- A clean record; dual citizenship is allowed
- Applications filed by 18 May 2026 continue under the old five-year rules. How earlier residence counts for Golden Visa holders who had not yet applied is disputed and before the courts; the updated nationality regulation is still awaited
Want an EU passport sooner? Malta’s Citizenship by Merit framework can lead to Maltese (EU) citizenship in about 12–16 months. It is discretionary and assessed case by case, and Malta allows dual citizenship. See Citizenship by Merit: steps and timeline.
Tax
Holding a Golden Visa does not make you tax resident: that generally depends on spending more than 183 days a year in Portugal or keeping a habitual home there. Non-residents pay Portuguese tax only on Portuguese income. Tax residents pay progressive rates of up to 48% on worldwide income. The former Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) regime closed to newcomers in 2024; its successor, IFICI, offers a 20% rate on qualifying Portuguese income and relief on most foreign income for ten years, but only for certain professions such as research, innovation and start-ups. Portugal has no general wealth tax, and gifts and inheritances between spouses, children and parents are exempt from stamp duty. Take tax advice for your own situation.
Living in Portugal
Portugal joined the EU in 1986, the Schengen Area in 1995 and the euro from its launch. About 10.7 million people live there, mainly around Lisbon and Porto, with the Algarve, Madeira and the Azores popular with international residents. English is widely spoken in business and tourist areas. Healthcare is available through the national health service (SNS), with private hospitals in the larger cities. Living costs are among the lower ones in Western Europe outside central Lisbon.
How we work
Zenturo is based in Malta. For Portuguese applications we work with licensed partner firms located in Portugal, who handle the tax number, bank account, investment documentation and AIMA filings, while we coordinate your case and remain your point of contact. Malta applications are prepared and filed by our own licensed team.
Still deciding? See our Portugal vs Malta comparison or the Portugal country summary on Global-Residency.com.
Sources
- Organic Law 1/2026 amending the Nationality Law (Diário da República, 18 May 2026)
- Portugal approves new citizenship law: 7- and 10-year naturalisation (Immigrant Invest)
- Portugal Golden Visa processing time 2026 (Portugal Panorama, June 2026)
- Law 56/2023 and the Golden Visa investment options (Belion Partners)
- AIMA – Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum
Checked November 2026. Programme rules and amounts change often; we confirm current figures in writing before you commit. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Talk to a licensed adviser
Tell us your goals and timeline. Portuguese applications are handled with licensed partner firms located in Portugal; Malta applications, including faster routes to EU citizenship, are handled by our own licensed team.
- Licensed in Malta: Zenturo Ltd. is a licensed agent (Residency Malta Agency licence RES-DALI), company C-39472.
- In business since 2006: one team from first question to approval.
- Fast replies: usually within one hour, by e-mail, phone, WhatsApp, Telegram or WeChat.