Among the countries offering citizenship by investment, Portugal is very well known for its excellent residency by investment program, namely, Golden Visa. Being a member of the European Union has also made this country a desirable choice for foreign investors. Recently, Portugal’s citizenship’s five-year permanent residency requirement changed to a thirty-five-day stay. Citizenship applicants do not have to move to Portugal to obtain citizenship. Besides, the short period of staying in this country to maintain and legalize its citizenship is a huge advantage for people in business who are not willing to move out of their home country. Only seven days per year and thirty-five in total are the requirements of obtaining Portugal citizenship. This is different from other European Union members, requiring their applicants to stay in their target country for most of the year. Thus, Portugal citizenship applicants have to acquire a valid residence permit for five years, although they do not have to reside in the country during this period.
Another aspect that makes investing in Portugal rather attractive is the diverse and inexpensive investment options the government has provided for the applicants. The stable economy and various real estate markets have paved the way for relatively small investments to enter international real estate markets quickly. Portugal Golden Visa requires a starting investment of a minimum of USD 350,000. Investors can choose between investing in Portuguese real estate or Portuguese investment funds. This latter option has gained significant attention recently for multiple reasons:
These, in turn, signify that investors can expect higher returns for their investments and shares in the long term.
The real estate market of Portugal is flourishing due to its tourism industry growth. In 2019, Lisbon was the most attractive European city for property investment. In the same year, more than twenty-seven million tourists visited Portugal. This is mainly due to foreign property ownership conditions and reasonable mortgage rates. Investments in Portugal’s real estate market cover 90% of all the assets made in the country. Investors can buy properties directly or make a mixed property and renovation investment.
On top of these, tax waiver/reduction programs included in the Portugal Golden Visa lead to the total investment tax exemption over ten years. This has become possible through the Non-Habitual Tax Regime (NHR) program offered by the Portugal government exclusively.
It is also possible to obtain Portugal’s permanent citizenship, considering the qualifying investment is maintained for over five years. In summary, the Golden Visa requirements are as follows:
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