The Portugal Golden Visa is a residence by investment route that lets qualifying investors and their families gain Portuguese residence while keeping a low minimum stay.
Information, not advice. Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Always confirm the present rules with the official program authority and a licensed professional before you act.
The Portugal Golden Visa grants a renewable residence permit to non European Union nationals who make a qualifying investment and pass due diligence. It is processed by the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum, known as AIMA, which replaced the former immigration service.
The defining feature is the low physical presence requirement. Holders generally need to spend seven days in Portugal in the first year and fourteen days in each following two year period, which makes it popular with investors who do not plan to relocate immediately.
Real estate purchase and simple capital transfer were removed as qualifying routes in October 2023. Buying property no longer qualifies a new application.
The routes that remain include a subscription into a qualifying investment fund registered with the securities regulator, support for cultural or heritage projects, funding for scientific or technological research, and business investment that creates jobs. The fund route is the most used option since the 2023 changes.
The main practical issue in 2026 is the AIMA processing backlog. Many applicants should plan for a wait that can run from roughly twelve to eighteen months from submission to the issue of a residence card, although timelines move and should be confirmed.
After a continuous period of legal residence, holders may become eligible to apply for permanent residence or citizenship, subject to language and other conditions. A nationality law reform discussed in 2026 may change the residence period required before citizenship, so confirm the current rule with the authority.
The figures below are indicative starting points only. Government processing fees, professional fees and family member costs are set separately and change. Confirm every figure with AIMA before acting.
A successful application gives a residence permit that allows the holder and included family members to live, work and study in Portugal and to travel within the Schengen area.
It also opens a pathway toward permanent residence and, subject to the rules in force, Portuguese citizenship. Family reunification can cover a spouse or partner, dependent children and dependent parents.
| Route | Indicative minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying investment fund | From 500,000 euros | Fund registered with the securities regulator, not real estate |
| Cultural or heritage support | From 250,000 euros | Lower threshold route, conditions apply |
| Scientific or technological research | From 500,000 euros | Public or private institutions |
| Business and job creation | Confirm the current figure with the official authority | Create jobs or invest in a Portuguese company |
| Government and processing fees | Confirm the current figure with the official authority | Set and updated by AIMA |
Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) publishes the binding detail. Verify before you act.
No. Real estate purchase was removed as a qualifying route in October 2023. New applications use funds, cultural support, research or business and job creation routes. Confirm the current list with AIMA.
The minimum presence is generally seven days in the first year and fourteen days in each following two year period. Confirm the current rule with the official authority.
The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum, known as AIMA, processes Golden Visa applications. It publishes the binding rules and fees.
Information, not advice. Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Always confirm the present rules with the official program authority and a licensed professional before you act.
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