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What are the Portugal Golden Visa Requirements to Secure EU Residency and Citizenship?
Jun 21, 2025

What are the Portugal Golden Visa Requirements to Secure EU Residency and Citizenship?

Supriyo Khan-author-image Supriyo Khan
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Do you want to own the 4th powerful passport in the world? Do you want to expand your business to European markets? Do you want global mobility to Schengen, UK, Canada, USA, Japan and overall 185+ countries? Do you want to invest in the best real estate market in Europe? Portugal Golden Visa by investment is the right solution for you. With an investment starting from €250K, you can get 5 years of Portugal residency and qualify for Portuguese citizenship.


Portugal Golden Visa Requirements

Golden Visa of Portugal is a gateway to Europe for non-EU residents that grants residency permits and the right to find employment and do business. Now, being aware of perks, you would look for the Portugal Golden visa requirements. Apart from a quarter million Euros in investment, in terms of residency, you need to spend 7 days a year. This is especially beneficial for businesspersons who want European residency but, due to their business commitments in their home country, can’t live for long outside. Here are the requirements for a Portugal Golden Visa:


Non-EU Citizen


The first requirement for a Golden Visa of Portugal is to be a national of a non-EU country. That means the investor must not be a citizen of any EU country. Golden Visa by European Union countries is like a tool to attract foreign direct investment, so the European countries made it mandatory that investors should be outside of the EU zone.


Minimum Investment for Portugal Golden Visa


The second most important point to qualify for a Golden Visa of Portugal is the minimum investment requirement in the approved stream. Investors must contribute €250,000 or more to qualify for a D9 visa from Portugal and become a resident with family.


Non-Real Estate Investment


Before 2024, real estate investment was the top stream for Portugal Golden Visa. As per 2012-2022 statistics by SEF, 12718 permits were issued with 75% investment in real estate, 15% share for renovation of properties, 6% for venture capital investment funds, 4.4% for capital transfer, 0.2% for job creation, 0.1% for scientific research contribution, and 0.1% for cultural heritage contribution. However, the government ended real estate investment for golden visas to stabilize the local market. From 2024 onward, the Golden Visa investment must be in the non-real estate stream.


Stay Requirements


To show a genuine link and integration of investors to local community, there is a stay requirement for Golden Visa investors. Portugal residency by investment requires stay of 7 days a year stay which is a total of 35 days during 5 years. This is the minimum stay requirement, and you can stay more than that as per your plan.

Requirements for Family Members


Golden Visa of Portugal allow inclusion of family members and get Portugal residency along dependent family members. Investors can include spouse, dependent children and dependent parents via family reunification. For spouse, proof of marriage is required, while for minor children under 18, proof of birth and relationship. For children above 18, you need to provide proof of student status and financial dependency on the main applicant.


Tax Requirements


Portugal government offers lucrative tax incentives to new residents with no tax on foreign income sources with exception to foreign pension. Golden Visa investors who reside in Portugal only need to pay taxes on their investment and Portuguese income sources. You become a Portuguese resident if you stay for 183 days or more in Portugal. Currently, investors who become new Portuguese residents pay a flat tax rate of 20%.


Requirements to Get Portugal Citizenship


Portugal Golden Visa is a pathway to citizenship upon meeting the requirements. The first requirement is to maintain the investment for 5 years and reside in Portugal for 5 years to meet the naturalization requirements. This includes your ability to integrate with Portuguese society by showing Portuguese language skills. You must also have a clean record and no involvement in any criminal activity to apply for Portuguese citizenship.


Portugal Golden Visa Investment Options


Portugal Golden Visa offers a wide array of investment streams to non-EU investors. This includes the following:


Fund the Research Activities


Investing at least €500K or more to fund the research activities of public or private scientific research institutions is a qualification for Portugal Golden Visa.


Portugal Golden Visa by Job Creation


Portugal Golden Visa by job creation involves creating five permanent jobs or establishing a Portuguese company with the injection of €500,000 funds.


€500,000 Investment to Golden Visa Funds


You can invest €500,000 in government-approved Golden Visa Funds as a qualification to get Portugal residency.


Fund the Cultural Activities


A capital transfer of €250,000 to fund the cultural activities for the preservation of Portuguese heritage is also a qualification for a Portugal Golden Visa.


Capital Transfer to Non-Real Estate Streams


You can invest €500,000 or more to acquire shares in a non-real estate collective investment option approved by the government of Portugal.

 

Conclusion

With just 7 days a year stay requirements, streamlined process and confidence of the European Union in Portugal Golden Visa due to strict compliance and due diligence, Portugal Golden Visa has emerged as the best EU residency by investment option due to associated benefits. The political stability, growing real estate sector, and being the safest country in the world make Portugal the first choice for non-EU investors.

 



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