10 Years of Golden Visa in Portugal: what has changed?

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This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Portuguese Golden Visa. Through it, thousands of families could realize the dream of living and investing in Portugal, enjoying greater financial freedom and quality of life. The Golden Visa Portugal is currently one of the most desired in Europe.

It has relatively low minimum investment amounts, allows applicants to live and work in Portugal, has attractive family reunion Phone Number List  guidelines, among other advantages. In this article we will learn a little more about the history and evolution of the programme and what benefits it has been offering investors and the country.

What is the Golden Visa Portugal Portugal's Golden Visa programme was created in 2012 with the aim of attracting foreign capital and boosting the country's economy. It is actually a residence permit for investment activities (ARI) in exchange for a qualified investment in Portugal for a period of 5 years. It is aimed at non-EU/EEA citizens who wish to obtain Portuguese citizenship or permanent residence.



The Portugal Golden Visa is the only one where the investor only has to spend around seven days a year in the country to maintain residency. He will still be able to reap all the benefits of being an EU resident - including visa-free travel throughout the Schengen area. After this minimum investment period, he can also apply for their citizenship if he meets all the legal requirements. Furthermore, the benefits are extendable to the family members of the investment holder.

In the early stages of the programme, property investment was the option chosen by almost all applicants. In 2013, it accounted for 94% of the Residence Permits granted. Portugal has a very solid and simple legal regime of land registration. In addition, property prices were considerably low in 2012, especially when compared to other destinations in Europe. Cities like Lisbon and Porto were the main targets of these investments, and the Golden Visa programme was a key factor to boost their urban rehabilitation.

Over the years, the search for property in these cities has led to a sharp rise in the market, especially in three regions: Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve. To encourage investment in the interior of the country, the government decided to restrict the possibility of real estate investment aimed at housing to the interior of mainland Portugal and the islands of Madeira and the Azores.