Required documents for the Golden Visa application in Portugal

The Portugal Golden Visa program, also known as the residence permit for investment activity (ARI), is a residency by investment scheme designed for non-EU citizens, granting them the opportunity to become a permanent resident or a citizen in Portugal in only five years.

To start the Golden Visa Portugal process you need to present documents to the Portuguese Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) to prove you have made a qualifying investment.

The documents you will need are:

A current valid passport;
Two passport-size pictures;
Proof of health insurance;
Your criminal records;
Sworn Statement to maintain your investment for at least five years;
Printed payment receipt from the ARI portal (Residence Permit for Investment Activity or “Autorização de Residência para Investimento” in Portuguese).

According to the route you choose from among the various options (investment funds, property acquisition or renovation, capital transfer, company creation, investment in arts or research, etc) there are additional documents required with your application. These are listed below:

If you have invested in qualifying investment funds

A declaration from your bank confirming your investment transfer;
A declaration from the bank to say you own the units of investment;
A declaration from your fund manager to confirm the maturity of the fund, that 60% of the investment units are headquartered in Portugal and with details on the capitalisation plan.

If you have purchased real estate property:

Acquired Property Deed or the pre-contract agreement;
Proof you have transferred the assets to a financial institution in Portugal;
The Land Register Certificate, and any other documents which prove your ownership of the property.

If you have invested in a property in an urban regeneration area:

A document, issued by the relevant entity that proves that the property is in a regeneration area.

If you have made a capital transfer of at least €1.5 million:

First you will have to register for a Portuguese Tax Number (NIF) as a non-habitual resident and open a bank account with a Portuguese Bank;
A declaration from a bank registered in Portugal confirming your investment transfer;
A declaration from a bank registered in Portugal stating that you own the investment units;
A declaration from your fund manager to confirm the maturity of the fund and that 60% of the investment units are headquartered in Portugal and with details of the capitalisation plan.

If you have created at least ten new jobs:

Declaration from a bank registered in Portugal proving you have made the required deposit;
The employment contracts for each employee;
Statement from the register of companies (only if you are a shareholder in a company).

If you have made an investment in the arts:

Declaration from a bank registered in Portugal proving you have made the required deposit;
A Declaration by the Portuguese Strategy, Planning and Cultural Assessment Office. The document must support the legibility of your investment and state that they have consulted with the relevant authorities in the sector of your investment.

If you have made an investment in research activities:

Declaration from a bank registered in Portugal proving you have made the required deposit;
Declaration from the public or private scientific research institution in which you have invested, supporting the existence of your investment.

First step

After making an investment (and registering the relevant paperwork with the competent 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 pre-approval process takes about 1 month and costs €533.90 for the investor plus €83.30 for each family member included.

Guidelines on the documents required for your application

When you attach electronic copies of the documents on the ARI Portal, they must be in PDF format (maximum 4Mb).

The documents you submit have to be either in English or Portuguese. If they are not, you must send them to a certified translator for translation and then notarize the translation.

Documents such as birth and marriage certificates, criminal records, and other civic documents have to be legalized, either through an Apostille Stamp (if your country is part of the Apostille Convention) or by the nearest Portuguese Embassy.

The process can seem very daunting, especially if you are not fluent in Portuguese or familiar with Portuguese bureaucracy. It may be wise in such an important step involving a significant investment to seek professional advice and assistance from people with experience in this process.

One such company is Lince Capital which has 40 years of experience in the Portuguese market, helping applicants not only with obtaining the respective documentation but in choosing the best options for your situation, for example to invest in the right qualified investment funds to secure all the benefits associated with the program.

As regards the Investment Fund option and according to your investor profile, Lince Capital has two standout funds to consider which are still open to subscription.

Lince Innovation Fund

The Lince Innovation Fund focuses on research and development projects across a wide range of sectors such as health, IT and industrial sectors. The minimum investment in this fund is €100,000 and the term is 8 years.

Navigator II

Navigator II focuses exclusively on real estate development projects in the central Lisbon area. The minimum investment for this fund is €100,000 and the term is 7 years.

If you would like more information about Golden Visas or would like to discover how to best invest in Portugal, please feel free to contact us.

Golden-visa-portugal-guide Lince Capital