Updated August 11, 2026

PT-GV

Residency by investment

Residency in Portugalby investment

European Union residency on seven days a year in the country: the investment works in a licensed fund rather than being burned, and the whole family receives the status.

Get a preliminary assessment Choose a fund

The conditions are checked against the law as in force and the practice of AIMA
Working since 2004
We check the fund before entry: the licence, the fees and the exit terms

A Portuguese residence card under the Golden Visa programme

from €200,000The investment threshold

7 days a yearThe presence requirement

10 yearsTo the right to citizenship

01 / About the program

How the Portuguese Golden Visa works

Portugal has issued residence permits to investors since 2012. In October 2023 the programme was rewritten: property was removed from it and units in an investment fund supervised by the CMVM became the main option. The status requires only seven days of presence in the country a year and is renewed while the investment is kept.

Property no longer qualifies

Since October 2023 you cannot buy a property and obtain the status on it. Offers of a “Portuguese golden visa through property” after that date have no legal basis.

The main option is a licensed fund

Fund units from €500,000 under the supervision of the securities market commission. The money remains your asset and comes back on the fund’s terms, but the result depends on the management, not on the state.

Seven days a year in the country

One of the mildest presence requirements in Europe. On that regime you do not become a Portuguese tax resident: residency arises on actual residence.

This is a residence permit, not a passport

The right to apply for citizenship opens up after ten years with the status. That is the longest period among the mild European programmes — in return, you need not live in the country for all those years.

02 / What you get

What the Portuguese residence card gives you

Travel around Schengen without a visa

The residence card gives the right to stay in the Schengen countries for up to 90 days in every 180. It does not give the right to work as an employee in other EU countries.

A status for the whole family

A spouse, children and dependent parents receive residence permits on the same investment. New family members can be added after the status is obtained.

Minimal presence

Seven days a year in the country and the status is renewed. Neither a move nor giving up work in another country is required.

The investment stays yours

Fund units are an asset, not a non-refundable contribution. The return follows the fund’s terms: we check its life, fees and strategy before entry.

The road to an EU passport

After ten years with the status the right to apply for citizenship opens up, with Portuguese at A2 level and a connection with the country. Portugal allows a second citizenship.

Education and medicine

The resident and their family use Portuguese state schools and the health system. Medical insurance is compulsory for everyone in the application.

A preliminary assessment

Calculate the budget for your family

Set out who is applying with you. With the calculation you get the full Portuguese budget for the chosen option: the investment, the state fees, the fund’s charges, the timeline by stage and a plan of action.

Who is applying for the residence permit?

Get the calculation

about a minuteno calls and no obligationsconfidential

The full budget with the fees and charges
The timeline for each stage of the process
A plan of action: where to start

Portuguese residence cards and a set of Golden Visa documents

03 / Why people apply

Why people arrange Portuguese residency

Portugal is taken by those who need a status in the European Union without moving and without money being burned. It is the mildest European programme on presence — at the price of the longest route to a passport.

EU residency with almost no presence

Seven days a year is a realistic regime for someone who lives and works in another country but wants a status in Europe.

The money works rather than burns

Unlike the Caribbean programmes with a contribution, here you buy fund units. There are no guarantees of return, but the investment stays an asset.

The prospect of a passport for the children

Children receive the status together with their parents, study in Portugal as residents, and by the time of naturalisation the family has already built up the qualifying period.

A soft entry into Europe for business

The status makes opening accounts and companies in the EU simpler. It does not replace a work permit in other Union countries, but it removes part of the visa barriers.

Tax planning

For those who genuinely move, Portugal offers special regimes for new tax residents. The decision is taken together with a tax adviser.

A plan B without moving

A status that lasts for years with minimal involvement — a fallback for the family, not an obligation to change country.

04 / Travel

Where you can travel on the residence card

A Portuguese residence card is not an EU passport: it gives the right to live in the country and travel around Schengen, but it does not replace EU citizenship.

Mode 01

Portugal without limits

Entry, exit and residence in the country at any time for the whole term of the status. The compulsory minimum is seven days a year.

Mode 02

Schengen, 90 days in 180

Travel around the Schengen countries without a visa — up to 90 days in every 180. The card does not give the right to work as an employee in other EU countries.

Mode 03

The rest of the world on your own passport

You travel to third countries on your current passport of citizenship: that is what sets the visa regime, not the residence card.

Mode 04

Work and business in Portugal

The status allows you to work and run a business in the country. Holding fund units and receiving income from them carries no restrictions.

Sources: the Portuguese law on foreigners as in force and the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) 2016/399) as regards the 90 days in every 180. Entry rules are set by the receiving states and may change.

05 / The composition of the application

Who gets the status with you

Residence permits go to everyone entered in the application — the cards are issued at the same time. Open a row to see the conditions.

Over 18
No convictions
With a lawful source of funds
With valid medical insurance

In a registered marriage or a de facto union
Receives the status for the same term as the applicant

The children of the applicant or the spouse, including from previous marriages
Where custody is shared, the other parent’s consent is required

Unmarried
In full-time study and financially dependent on the applicant
The dependency is confirmed by documents

The parents of the applicant and the parents of the spouse
Financially dependent on the applicant

06 / Cost

What Portuguese residency costs

The size of the investment depends on the option chosen. The number of people in the application does not change the amount — the composition affects the state fees and the volume of documents.

Units in an investment fund · the main option

€500,000

≈ $580,000

Holding period The whole time the status is in force

The fund is licensed and supervised by the Portuguese securities market commission
At least 60% of the fund’s assets are invested in Portuguese companies
The fund does not invest in residential property — otherwise the option does not qualify
We check the strategy, the fees, the fund’s life and the exit terms before entry: the return depends on them
More than 78% of applicants choose this option

Cultural and artistic projects · a non-refundable contribution

€200,000

≈ $232,000

Holding period Not refundable

A contribution supporting artistic production or the restoration of cultural heritage
The project must be approved by the responsible authority
The money is not returned — this is a contribution, not an investment
The threshold is lower than the fund, but confirming the project takes longer

The investment option

The main applicant

Spouse

Children under 18

Dependent adult children

Dependent parents

The thresholds are given under the law as in force: property was removed from the programme in October 2023. On top of the investment come the state fees for everyone in the application, the fund’s fees and the support. The rates of the fees were revised from March 2026, so the budget is fixed as at the date of filing. This is a preliminary calculation, not a decision of a state authority.

07 / Comparison

Portugal against other golden visas

If you are choosing between the European residency by investment programmes, here are the main parameters side by side. The full comparison sits on its own page.

	Portugal	Greece	Spain	Malta	Cyprus
Investment threshold from	€200,000	€250,000	the programme is closed	€375,000	€300,000
Property in the programme	No since October 2023	Yes	-	Yes, rent or purchase	Yes
Presence requirement	7 days a year	None	-	None	A visit every 2 years
Processing time	6-18 months	4-6 months	-	6-8 months	2-3 months
The qualifying period for citizenship	10 years with the status	7 years of residence	-	under the general rules	7 years of residence

The amounts are the minimum thresholds, excluding state fees and charges. The Spanish programme has been closed to new applicants since 3 April 2025. The data are given as at the date this page was updated and are checked again before the agreement is signed.

Full program comparison →

09 / Full cycle

One team for the property and the status

Normally the client assembles this chain alone: an agent shows the property, a lawyer checks the papers, an immigration consultant files the application — and after the purchase the owner is left with the apartment on their own. With us all six steps run in one pair of hands under one contract.

01
Selecting a qualifying property
We calculate the program threshold and shortlist properties that meet it. We also show the ones that do not qualify — and explain why.
02
Due diligence and the deal
Developer, permits, title, encumbrances. Contract, secure settlement and registration in your name — you know every risk before any deposit.
03
The status application
We compile the file, evidence income and source of funds, run the application with the authority and answer their queries until a decision.
04
Running the property
Handover and keys, utilities, insurance, maintenance and control of recurring payments — while you live in another country.
05
Letting, if the property sits empty
Preparation, finding a tenant, the lease and payment control. The asset works instead of waiting for your visit.
06
Renewals and exit from the asset
We handle renewals and the owner’s duties, and when you decide to sell — we prepare the property and run the transaction. The status is retained under the program rules.

One client. One property. One accountable team.

The scope of services, limits of responsibility and fees are set by a separate contract and depend on the country and the property.

10 / How it works

How the Portuguese residency process works

STEP 1

The preliminary check

We go through the situation: the applicant’s citizenship, the family composition, the source of funds. We settle the investment option and calculate the all-in budget before any costs.

STEP 2

Choosing the fund

The fund must be licensed and supervised by the CMVM. We check the strategy, the life of the fund, the fees and the exit terms — that is what determines whether the money comes back.

STEP 3

The tax number and the account

We obtain the Portuguese NIF tax number and an account with a local bank. Both steps go by power of attorney; there is no need to travel.

STEP 4

The investment

The funds are placed in the fund and the management company confirms the subscription for units. The bank and the fund check the source of funds before crediting.

STEP 5

Filing the application

We assemble the document pack and file the application with AIMA. The state fees are paid at the rates in force on the date of filing — they were revised from March 2026.

STEP 6

Biometrics at AIMA

The single visit to Portugal — giving fingerprints and a photograph. The date is set by the authority and the queue depends on its workload.

STEP 7

The residence card and the renewals

The card is issued after the application is considered; the overall time is 6-18 months depending on AIMA’s workload. After that the status is renewed while the investment is kept and the day requirement is met.

A step-by-step plan of the process

The same seven steps as a document: what is prepared at each stage, which documents are needed, how long each step takes and where you take part in person.

Download the step-by-step plan

The programme has run since 2012; since October 2023 property has been excluded from it.

PortugalThe European Union and SchengenA programme since 2012

Choose a fund

11 / Our role

Why people arrange Portuguese residency with us

We have worked since 2004. In Portugal the result is determined not by filing documents but by the choice of fund: it decides whether the money comes back in a few years.

We check the fund before entry

The CMVM licence, the strategy, the composition of the assets, the fees, the life of the fund and the exit arrangements. A fund that invests in residential property does not qualify for the programme — we cut those out at once.

We calculate the whole budget

On top of the investment come the state fees for everyone in the application, the management company’s charges and the support. The rates of the fees rose in 2026 — we take the current ones, not those from earlier budgets.

We run the filing remotely

The tax number, the account, the subscription for units and the filing are arranged by power of attorney. Your only trip is for biometrics at AIMA.

We stay through every renewal

The status lasts for years: renewals, adding family members, watching the day requirement and preparing for naturalisation after ten years.

12 / Team

Who runs the Portuguese residency process

The application is run by a permanent team: the programme lawyer, a documents specialist and a family coordinator. You know them all by name from day one.

Viktoria LebedevaManaging Director, Private ClientsThe strategy for the programme and the choice of fund

Martina VeberHead of Case ProcessingRunning the application legally and the documents

Tomas LinderCompliance and AML OfficerTaxes and residency

Darya MelnikSenior Investment Migration AdvisorCoordinating the family and contact at every stage

15 / Materials

Useful materials on Portugal

Materials on the Portuguese Golden Visa: the investment options, choosing a fund and the composition of the application.

The main materialPresentation

A Portuguese residence permit by investment

The presentation gathers the essentials of the programme: the investment options, the requirements for the fund, the family composition, the documents and how the work is done.

Inside:

which investment options are in force now
by what signs a fund is chosen
what it costs all in, with the fees and charges
which relatives are included in the application
which documents will be needed
how the filing is done by power of attorney
how work with BRIDGES is organised

PDF · free · current as of August 2026

What to look at in a fund: the licence, the composition of the assets, the fees, the life of the fund and the exit terms.

The list of documents for the applicant and each family member, marking what has to be translated, certified and apostilled.

We calculate the full budget: the investment, the state fees for each participant, the fund’s charges and the support.

All the materials are updated regularly by our team and are used when supporting BRIDGES clients.

16 / News

What has changed in the Portuguese programme

2023-10-07

Property was removed from the programme: buying a property no longer gives a right to a residence permit. Units in a licensed fund became the main option.

2026-03-01

The state fees for filing and renewing the status were revised. The budget for the composition of the application is fixed as at the date of filing.

2025-04-03

Spain closed its residency by investment programme to new applicants — narrowing the choice of mild European programmes.

Worth having

Download the Portuguese residency checklist

The short document we give clients before the start: the investment options, the criteria for choosing a fund, the cost structure and the stages — in one list, with nothing padded.

Inside the document

The investment options in force after the reform
The criteria for choosing a fund and the cost structure
The current conditions for 2026

We will send it after a short form - no call or obligation.

17 / Questions

Answers to common questions

No. Property was removed from the programme in October 2023: buying a property gives no right to a residence permit. The options in force are units in a licensed fund from €500,000, cultural projects from €200,000, creating ten jobs and an investment in company capital with five jobs.

Seven days in the first year and fourteen days for each subsequent two-year period. That is one of the mildest requirements in Europe. On that regime you do not become a Portuguese tax resident: residency arises on actual residence of more than 183 days a year.

On top of the investment come the state fees for filing and for issuing the card for each participant, the fund management company’s charges and the legal support. The rates of the fees were revised from March 2026, so the exact budget is fixed as at the date of filing rather than taken from earlier calculations.

The fund must be licensed and supervised by the CMVM, at least 60% of its assets must be in Portuguese companies and investment in residential property is not allowed. The return follows the fund’s terms and depends on the results of the management: the state does not guarantee a yield. That is why before entry we look at the strategy, the fees, the life of the fund and the exit arrangements.

A spouse by registered marriage or de facto union, children under 18, dependent adult children in full-time study who are unmarried, and dependent parents. New family members can be added after the status is obtained.

Only for biometrics at AIMA. The tax number, the account, entering the fund and filing the documents are arranged by power of attorney.

The right to apply for naturalisation opens up after ten years with the status. Portuguese at A2 level and proof of a connection with the country are also required. That is the longest period among the mild European programmes.

From 6 to 18 months depending on AIMA’s workload. The timelines depend on queues at the authority, so planning a move or a transaction for a particular date on this programme is risky.

The status is renewed while the investment is kept and the day requirement is met. Exiting the fund before the status expires means the applicant and the whole family lose it.

The programme contains no restrictions on citizenship and applications are accepted. The difficulty lies in banking compliance: transferring funds to a Portuguese bank and subscribing for fund units require a complete chain of evidence on the origin of the money. We go through that part before the work begins.

INITIAL ASSESSMENT

Tell us what outcome your family needs

We will design a solution for your case, choose the country and the right status, and take the whole process through to the result.

Get a preliminary assessment Book a consultation

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Anna Kovalevskaya, lead lawyer at BRIDGES GLOBAL

Anna KovalevskayaLead lawyer, citizenship and residency, 12 years of practice