The Golden Visa Portugal program is a hugely popular way for international investors to secure a European Union passport or residency permit. One of the main reasons that the Golden Visa Portugal program is so attractive is because the process and rules over how to get it are transparent and simple to follow. In this article, we’ll walk you through every step on how to get the Golden Visa in Portugal.
1. Make sure you qualify
The first step on the Golden Visa Portugal journey is to make sure you qualify for the program. The rules on this are quite simple. You need to be over the age of 18, be a non-EU national and have your own money to invest (although realistically, you just need to be sure the money you’re planning to invest doesn’t come from a Portuguese financial institution). Provided you meet these criteria, you are able to apply for the Golden Visa Portugal program.
Family members can also join your application provided they are a spouse, a child (in your care, your partner’s care or both), or even a sibling if they registered as being in your care too. For adult family members, children or parents can be attached to your application for a golden visa if they are financially dependent on your support.
2. Make an investment
The Portuguese government hands out Golden Visas in exchange for contributing to and stimulating the Portuguese economy. This means the next step in how to get your Golden Visa for Portugal is to execute an investment. There are 8 approved ways to do this:
– Investment in a Private Equity Fund for €350,000 *(€500,000 after Jan 2022)
The Portuguese Golden Investment Fund Visa option allows for investors to use private equity fund instruments to qualify for residency. Provided the fund is approved for the program by the CMVM, the fund isn’t capitalized within 5 years and that at least 60% of the investments have their headquarters based in Portugal, then such an investment makes investors eligible for the Portugal Golden Visa. Companies like Lince Capital are experts in managing such funds for hands-off investors who need to know that their investments will comply with the necessary rules.
– Capital Investment of €1,000,000 *(1.5M after Jan 2022)
Investors for this route are asked to transfer €1,000,000 into a Portuguese bank account (or approved investment option like a Portuguese Public Debt Instrument), with associated top-ups with each visa renewal.
– Real Estate Purchases for €500,000 *(Excluding Porto, Lisbon and the Algarve Coast after Jan 2022)
Real estate investments were once the main option for people applying for Portugal’s Golden Visa, but following a surge in prices in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve, the government has put in place moves to restrict this avenue.
– Real Estate Development for €350,000
A variation of the Real Estate Purchase option is to instead invest in properties that are either older than 30 years old or are based in an area of urban regeneration.
– Investment or capital transfer in Science or Technology Research Institutions for €350,000
Approved public or private entities who are part of the national scientific or technological system can also qualify investors for a visa. If investors make a transfer capital of €350,000 (reduced to €280,000 in areas with less than 100 inhabitants per km2) to investigative programs, then they too can apply for a Portuguese Golden Visa.
– Donation in support of Artistic Productions or in the Recovery and/or Maintenance of National Cultural Heritage for €250,000
A capital transfer of €250,000 in support of preserving Portuguese heritage or supporting Portuguese Arts (reduced by 20% in low-density areas) can also qualify you for a Portuguese Golden Visa.
– Create Ten Jobs for Portuguese Nationals
Provided your corporate entity can provide 10 work contracts to people enrolled with the Portuguese Social Security system (a number reduced to 5 in low-density areas), then you can qualify through this route.
– Corporate Investment for €350,000 and Create 5 Jobs for Portuguese Nationals
This option combines job creation with capital transfers. Either you can create a brand new company that creates 5 jobs, or you can invest in an existing entity while also safeguarding 5 positions for a minimum of 3 years.
3. Pre-register for an appointment with the immigration and border service (SEF)
After making an investment (and registering the relevant paperwork with the correct authorities), the next step in the Golden Visa Portugal process is to pre-register for an appointment with SEF. This can be done through their online platform where you’ll need to submit the initial documents. The process to be pre-approved takes 1 month and will cost €533,90 for the investor as well as €83,30 for each family member included.
4. Apply formally to the program and pay
If you have all the necessary documents and meet the eligibility criteria, the next step is to book the actual appointment with SEF. In addition to delivering documents, this is the step where you will have to hand over your biometric information for you and your family members. Once SEF has approved your application (a process which takes around 3 months), you’ll be asked to pay the Golden Visa Portugal program fees. For both the applicant and their family members, the cost is €5336,4 per person. Once this step is complete, you will be able to start the first year.
5. Renewals of the visa
After your initial application, the visa must be renewed 3 times. This happens after the first year, the third year and the fifth year. For the first year, you must be in Portugal for a minimum of 7 days. Each two year interval afterwards requires you to spend a total of 14 days in the country. Each renewal also asks you to reinforce your original investment. The renewals of the visa cost 50% of the original application fee (2668€).
Beyond this, you must also keep a clean criminal record and maintain private medical insurance (although your family member will have full access to the Portuguese public health system).
Lince Capital
Lince Capital is an ideal partner for anyone wishing to pursue an Investment in a Private Equity Fund in Portugal. Their investment funds not only qualify you for a Portuguese Golden Visa but follow a well established and safe investment strategy with high projected returns at the end of each fund life.
Drawing on over 40 years of experience, the expert team at Lince Capital are trusted by over 280 investors to manage over 100 million euros of subscribed Capital. As a premier Portuguese Private Equity and Venture Capital fund management company, Lince Capital is fully regulated by the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM)).
Lince Capital Golden Visa Qualified Funds
Lince’s funds are regulated and approved by CMVM, audited externally each year and are managed by an experienced and dedicated team, when investing with Lince Capital investors can take a hands-off approach with very little risk. As experts in managing a diversified portfolio with a fund structure, Lince Capital can assist you in your golden visa process.
Depending on your investor profile, Lince Capital has two standout funds to consider which are still open to subscription.
Lince Innovation Fund
The Lince Innovation Fund is focused on research and development projects across a wide range of sectors such as health, IT and industrial. The minimum investment in this fund is €100,000 and the term lasts for 8 years, fund closing is in November 2028.
Navigator II
Navigator II is focused on real estate development and refit projects in the high-value central Lisbon area. The minimum investment for this fund is €100,000 and the term lasts for 7 years, the fund closing is in April 2028.