Investment through Portugal Golden Visa keeps rising

Portugal is ranked as one of the best places to live as it offers a highly attractive and charming lifestyle, great weather, security and hospitality.

It is undeniable the increase of foreigners interested in relocating to the country. The calm lifestyle, tax benefits and the possibility for non-EU citizens to acquire Portuguese citizenship in a short period of time is a key factor for the number of residency requests that increases every year.

Portugal has risen notably in 2012, when the Portuguese Government launched Portugal´s Golden Visa Programme and since then, it is Europe's most successful residency-by-investment programme targeted at non-EU citizens.

In the latest data released by SEF – The Immigration and Border Service, Golden Visa approvals are increasing once again. 120 applications were granted in September, 100 of which were for Real Estate acquisition (44 for urban rehabilitation) and 20 for capital transfers.

From January to September 2022, a total of 926 main investors have been approved: 94 in January, 94 in February, 73 in March, 121 in April, 112 in May, 155 in June, 80 in July, 77 in August and 120 in September. A sign that the programme is still growing, despite SEF’s temporary closure and the processing delays seen earlier in the year.

In the month of September, 26 golden visas were granted in China, 17 in the USA, 16 in the UK, 14 in Brazil and 7 in India. Investment in the purchase of real estate amounted 57 million euros last month, of which 15.4 million euros were in rehabilitation against only 10.3 million in capital transfer.

The program started in October 2012 and since then 11.180 applicants have received their Golden Visas.

Portugal’s Golden Visa program is one of the most popular residency by investment programs in Europe and in the world. The current eligible investment options are as follows:

1. The transfer of at least €1.5 million to Portugal, which may have one of the following investment sub-types:

• A bank deposit;
• The purchase of a shareholding in a Portuguese company or the incorporation of a single-member private limited company having a paid-up share capital of at least €1 million, such company being free to invest wherever and in whatever it wants;
• The purchase of Portugal sovereign debt instruments;
• The purchase of any securities issued by Portugal-based entities.

2. The Real Estate Investment and Real Estate Investment and its rehabilitation for Non-residential Purposes of at least €500,000.00 (reduced to €400,000.00 if located in a "low density area"), or €350,000.00 (reduced to €280,000.00 if located in a "low density area").

3. The Real Estate Investment and the Real Estate Investment and its rehabilitation for Residential Purposes will be limited to properties located in the interior territories of Portugal, identified in the Annex to Ministerial Order no. 208/20017 of 13th July, and in the islands of Madeira and Azores, and will keep the same investment minimum amount: €500,000.00 (reduced to €400,000.00 if located in a "low density area"), or €350,000.00 (reduced to €280,000.00 if located in a "low density area").

4. An investment of at least €500,000.00 in scientific research that is conducted by accredited institutions that are part of the national scientific and technological system (reduced to >€400,000.00 if located in a "low density area"), but please note that there do not seem to currently exist any such projects open to private investors.

5. Investing at least €500,000.00 in units of Portugal-regulated funds dedicated to the capitalisation of companies, provided that the fund invests at least 60% in Portugal-registered businesses, and that the maturity of said units is no less than 5 years from the date they are bought.

6. Investing at least €500,000.00 in setting up a Portuguese company that creates and keeps 5 new permanent jobs, or in increasing the share capital of an existing Portuguese company that creates or keeps at least 5 permanent jobs for a minimum period or 3 years.

7. A business, in the format of a single-member private limited company (no minimum investment is required), that creates and keeps at least 10 new permanent jobs in Portugal (reduced to >8 if located in a "low density area").