Portugal Golden Visa 2026 — your route to EU residency, Schengen, and a Portuguese passport
Invest from €200,000, spend just 7 days a year on the ground, and hold an EU residence permit that can lead to Portuguese citizenship. The real-estate route closed in October 2023 — funds, business investment, and cultural donations remain fully open in 2026.
4.9 on Trustpilot · 2,672 reviewsThe benefits that keep Portugal on top in 2026
Even after Spain shut its Golden Visa in 2025 and Greece raised its thresholds, Portugal stands out for one simple reason — it asks the least of your time while opening the most doors.
Full Schengen mobility
Travel visa-free across all 29 Schengen countries the moment you receive your residence card. Once you naturalize, the Portuguese passport opens 180+ destinations without a visa.
Seven days. That's it.
Portugal asks for only 14 days of physical presence across each two-year residency card — an average of a week per year. Live wherever you want, keep your existing tax residency, and still qualify for renewals.
Your whole family, one application
Include your spouse, dependent children under 18 (up to 26 if studying), and parents over 65 in one application. Same-sex partners are fully eligible.
April 2026 update — citizenship timeline under review
On 1 April 2026, the Portuguese Parliament approved amendments to the Nationality Law that, once enacted, would extend the general residency requirement for citizenship from 5 years to 10 years (or 7 years for EU and CPLP nationals). As of publication, the law has not yet entered into force — it is pending presidential signature or referral to the Constitutional Court.
The Golden Visa program itself is unaffected. The minimum investment, stay requirement, renewal cycle, and family reunification rules all continue as described on this page. What may change is only the wait before you can apply for the Portuguese passport — and transitional rules for current applicants have not yet been published. We recommend confirming the rules in force on the date you intend to submit.
Three open routes in 2026
Choose the route that fits your capital, how hands-on you want to be, and your tax situation. We'll introduce you to the right fund manager, accountant, or notary for the one you pick.
Fund subscription
Subscribe to a CMVM-regulated Portuguese venture capital or private equity fund with no direct or indirect real-estate exposure. Passive, diversified, professionally managed.
Company & jobs
Invest in an existing Portuguese company creating at least 5 full-time jobs, or incorporate a new entity creating 10 jobs (8 in a low-density area). Suited to operators, not passive investors.
Cultural & heritage
A non-refundable contribution to national heritage preservation (from €200K in low-density areas, €250K elsewhere) or €500K towards research and development activities. The fastest, lowest-ticket route — capital is not recovered.
How Portugal stacks up against Greece and Italy
Spain's Golden Visa closed on 3 April 2025. Among the remaining EU options, Portugal is the only one that combines a €200K entry point with a clear path to an EU passport.
| 🇵🇹 Portugal Golden Visa | 🇬🇷 Greece Golden Visa | 🇮🇹 Italy Investor Visa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum entry | €200K donation · €500K fund | €250K (conversions) · €400K regions · €800K Athens/islands | €250K startup · €500K company · €2M bonds |
| Real estate allowed | No — closed Oct 2023 | Yes — primary route | No |
| Minimum stay | ~7 days / year | None | None |
| Family included | Spouse · kids <18 / students <26 · parents 65+ | Spouse · kids <21 · parents (both sides) | Spouse · dependent children |
| Citizenship eligibility | 5 years (10 years proposed — pending) | 7 years + language test | 10 years |
| Program status 2026 | Open | Open (new thresholds since Aug 2024) | Open |
Looking at Spain instead? The Spanish Golden Visa was terminated under Organic Law 1/2025 and no new applications have been accepted since April 2025. We can still help you move to Spain through our Digital Nomad Visa, Beckham Law relocation, or Autónomo registration.
Everything you need — under one roof
e-residence handles the Portuguese groundwork directly. The Golden Visa submission to AIMA and the fund selection are coordinated through our vetted partner network — you deal with one team, not five.
The complete package
- Portuguese NIF — tax identification number, obtained remotely via power of attorney
- Portuguese bank account — fully compliant with Golden Visa investment transfer requirements, KYC pre-cleared
- Fund introduction — shortlist of CMVM-regulated venture capital and private equity funds, matched to your risk profile
- AIMA application — filed and tracked by our partner law firm, which specializes in Golden Visa applications
- Fiscal representation — ongoing tax representation in Portugal for the duration of your residency
- IRS tax filing — annual Portuguese return if you opt into tax residency (including IFICI / NHR 2.0 where eligible)
- Document legalization — translation, apostille, and certification of every foreign document
- Renewal support — coordination of your biometric renewal every two years until citizenship
From first call to Portuguese passport
Processing times vary by AIMA district, but here is the realistic path you'll walk with us.
Preparation
We obtain your Portuguese NIF, open your bank account, and shortlist qualifying funds. You gather personal documents — passport, criminal record, proof of address — and we handle apostille and certified translations.
Investment made
You subscribe to your chosen fund or commit your cultural donation. The Portuguese financial institution issues the declaration of funds transfer required by AIMA.
Pre-application submitted to AIMA
The partner law firm files your complete dossier online. AIMA validates and issues a biometric appointment slot. Waiting times depend on district workload — we can file in any office to avoid bottlenecks.
Biometrics & first card
You and your family attend the AIMA appointment in Portugal — fingerprints, photo, signature. Roughly four months later, your first Golden Visa residence card arrives by mail, valid for 2 years.
Two renewal cycles
Spend 14 days in Portugal per 2-year cycle. We remind you 90 days before expiry, refresh criminal records, and book the next biometrics appointment.
Permanent residency or citizenship*
Choose to apply for permanent residency, naturalization, or simply to keep renewing the Golden Visa. Once you hold PR or the passport, you can liquidate the investment. *Citizenship eligibility is 5 years at the date of publication; pending legislation may extend this — see the April 2026 update above.
Who can apply
Main applicant
You must meet all of the following:
- Non-EU / EEA / Swiss national
- At least 18 years old
- Clean criminal record in Portugal and in your country of residence
- Investment capital demonstrably sourced from outside Portugal
- Ability to make and maintain a qualifying investment for the statutory period
- Private health insurance valid in Portugal
Family members you can include
Added under family reunification — processed at the same time as the main applicant:
- Spouse or registered civil partner (same-sex couples fully included)
- Children under 18
- Children 18–26 if full-time students and unmarried
- Parents over 65 (or 55+ if financially dependent on the main applicant)
- Minor siblings under the main applicant's legal guardianship
Frequently asked questions
The questions we hear most often before a client signs on.
Is the Portugal Golden Visa still available in 2026?
Yes. The program is fully active and accepting new applications. What changed in October 2023 was the removal of property purchases and real-estate-linked funds — every other route (fund subscription, business investment, cultural and R&D donations) remains open in 2026.
Can I get the Golden Visa by buying a house in Portugal?
No — not since 3 October 2023. Direct property purchases, the €350K urban rehabilitation route, capital transfers, and any fund that holds real estate as an underlying asset are all excluded. If you want property in Portugal or Spain as a lifestyle or investment decision, we can help separately through our Real Estate team, but the purchase will not count toward a Golden Visa.
How long do I actually need to stay in Portugal each year?
14 days per 2-year residency card — so an average of 7 days a year. You can bank those days in one trip or split them. Many of our clients fly in once a year for a long weekend. It's the most flexible stay requirement of any EU residency-by-investment program still running.
Will the proposed 10-year citizenship rule apply to me?
Possibly. In April 2026, the Portuguese Parliament approved amendments that would extend the citizenship waiting period from 5 to 10 years for non-EU / non-CPLP applicants. The law has not yet entered into force — the President can sign it, veto it, or refer it to the Constitutional Court. No grandfathering provisions for current applicants have been announced so far.
The rules that actually apply to you will be the ones in force on the date you submit your citizenship application. Our advice: lock in your Golden Visa as early as possible and reassess at year four.
Does holding a Golden Visa make me a Portuguese tax resident?
No. Legal residency and tax residency are separate concepts. You only become a Portuguese tax resident if you spend more than 183 days per year in Portugal, or if Portugal is the center of your economic interests. The vast majority of Golden Visa holders stay the minimum 7 days and retain tax residency in their home country or another jurisdiction entirely.
If you do decide to move, Portugal still offers the competitive IFICI (NHR 2.0) regime for qualifying professionals relocating their tax base. We handle the full filing — see our IRS service.
Can I include my family?
Yes. In a single application you can cover your spouse or registered partner (same-sex included), children under 18, children 18–26 if studying full-time and unmarried, and dependent parents over 65 (or 55+ if financially dependent). All dependants receive the same residency rights — including Schengen mobility — as the main applicant.
Can I pay your service fees in cryptocurrency?
Yes. e-residence accepts Bitcoin and major stablecoins (USDC, USDT) for our service fees. Our real-estate arm also regularly completes transactions in crypto. The Portuguese government itself, however, requires the qualifying Golden Visa investment to be made in euros through a regulated financial institution — we handle the conversion through compliant partners if needed.
Do I need to speak Portuguese?
Not for the Golden Visa itself — the application is entirely bureaucratic. A basic A2-level Portuguese test only becomes relevant when and if you apply for permanent residency or citizenship. A2 means reading, writing and holding a simple conversation; preparation takes most adults around 80–120 hours and can be done online. Portuguese embassies in most capitals run official Instituto Camões exams.
What does the whole thing cost in total?
Besides the qualifying investment itself, budget roughly €30,000–€40,000 across 5 years for a family of four: AIMA government fees (~€26K single / ~€106K family of four over 5 years), legal fees (~€15K), fund subscription fees if applicable (~1–3%), document legalization, insurance, and our service fees. We send a fixed-price breakdown in our quote — no surprises mid-process.
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