Portugal Residence Permit: Benefits and Features

Portugal residency by investment program (also known as the Portugal Golden Visa program) started in 2012 but continues to be popular with foreigners. There are many investment options for obtaining a Portugal residence permit, including investments in real estate, business, culture, etc. The minimum non-real estate investment amount is EUR 200,000. If you plan to buy a property, the minimum investment threshold will be EUR 280,000.

Portugal residency by investment gives the right for:

• visiting the Schengen countries and the EU without visa
• employment in the European Union
• opening accounts in EU banks and access to credit products
• education in Portuguese universities
• European citizenship after 5 years of asset ownership

How to get Portugal residency in 2022: conditions and requirements

Requirements for a Portugal residence permit applicants in 2022:

• Age – 18 years and older.
• Absence of criminal record, suspicious connections with citizens of countries from the EU black list, and restrictions on entry into the European Union.
• Fulfillment of the investment program conditions (funds come from any country with the exception of Portugal). It is also necessary to document the investment made.
• Confirmation of invested funds legality.
• Valid health insurance.
• The investor undertakes to stay in Portugal for at least seven days annually.
• The investor must hold the acquired asset for five years. Otherwise, the permit will be canceled.

The main applicant may include a wife and children under 26 to the application. They must also meet the described requirements. For children aged 18-26, it is necessary to prove their financial dependence (e.g., proof of university studies).

It is also possible to make investments using a sole proprietorship limited liability company. In this case, it is necessary to confirm that the applicant is the sole owner of this company.

Investment options for obtaining a residence permit in Portugal

Foreigners can apply for a residence permit in Portugal if they fulfill the conditions of one of the programs:

• Investment in real estate with subsequent ownership of at least five years. For new real estate, the investment threshold is EUR 500,000 in standard areas and EUR 400,000 in sparsely populated and underdeveloped regions (with a population density of fewer than 100 people per square kilometer or with GDP per capita less than 75% of the national average). For old housing subject to restoration (built more than 30 years ago), The investment threshold for old housing subject to restoration (built more than 30 years ago) is EUR 350,000 in standard areas and EUR 280,000 in sparsely populated and underdeveloped regions.
• Deposit in Portuguese bank (EUR 1,500,000+). In addition, this category includes public debt investment, acquisition of securities, and equity investment.
• Purchase of investment or venture funds shares – from EUR 500,000.
•  Investments in science and technological development – from EUR 500,000. It is possible to reduce the residence permit investment limit by 20% (to EUR 400,000) by investing in sparsely populated and underdeveloped areas.
• Contribution to country’s cultural heritage – from EUR 250,000. It is possible to reduce the residence permit investment limit by 20% (to EUR 200,000) by investing in sparsely populated and underdeveloped areas.
• Registering a company in Portugal or contributing capital to an existing local company + creating at least five workplaces – from EUR 500,000.
• Opening a business in Portugal in any legal form. There is no requirement for a minimum investment, but another necessary condition is to create at least ten permanent workplaces. For sparsely populated and underdeveloped areas, the limit is eight workplaces.

Our assistance in obtaining Portugal residency by investment

The fastest and safest option to become a Portugal residence permit card owner is to contact InternationalWealth experts.

We offer the following services:

1. Assistance in choosing a property in accordance with your budget and purpose. We can offer commercial properties, coastal housing, retirement villas, apartments for renovation, apartments with sea views, ready-to-launch hotels, garden farms, and more. We cooperate only with trusted real estate agencies in Portugal and provide a portfolio with a detailed plan and description.
2. Preparation of a sale contract and documents for ownership registration. You can delegate the authority for transaction completing to a trusted person and not visit Portugal. We will prepare all the documents, certify the translation in a notary office, put an apostille stamp, and also provide assistance in filling out forms and questionnaires.
3. Object demonstration via video call or during a personal visit (at the client’s choice). Our partners in Portugal can meet you and show you the property.
4. A bank account in Portugal, which you will need to open for transferring funds to the seller. Our experts will support you in choosing a financial institution, preparing documents, and opening an account in any currency. All this can be done remotely.
5. Legal support when signing a sale contract.
6. Assistance in Portugal residence permit application (with experienced lawyer participation):

• application to the Immigration Service (SEF) – available online, is considered for 30-90 days
• submission of biometric data – only in person
• ID card issuance
• personal tax number issuance
• obtaining a residence permit card – personal presence is not required if you have a trusted person (lawyer or partner)

After completing all these steps, you just have to register with Portugal’s social and communal services for timely payment of bills. You can do this by confirming your property ownership.

What property is eligible for the Portugal Golden Visa program

You can obtain a Portugal residence permit with the subsequent right to European citizenship by purchasing real estate in this country. Minimum investment limit in 2022:

• From EUR 280,000 in property subject to renovation – real estate objects over 30 years old located in low population areas.
• From EUR 350,000 in property subject to renovation – real estate objects over 30 years old located in densely populated regions of Portugal.
• From EUR 400,000 – real estate, including newly built properties, located in areas with an underdeveloped economy and low population density.
• From EUR 500,000 – any other residential or commercial property in Portugal (from 2022, there are exceptions for some major regions and coastal resort areas).

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER EXPERT SERVICES IN PORTUGAL

from 3 200 EUR

Register a Company in Portugal as a Non-Resident

from 3200 EUR

Register a Company in Portugal – No Need to Travel!

3999 EUR

Open a Corporate Account in Portugal Remotely

Benefits of Portugal residency by investment

Benefits and opportunities of Portugal residence permit by investment are:

• Visiting the Schengen area countries in a visa-free regime.
•  Opportunity to obtain Portuguese citizenship after five years.
• Business in Europe and entry to the global market.
• Tax benefits – 10-year tax exemption under Residente Não Habitual (RNH) program.
• Access to the European banking sector, where you can save and increase your capital, and get a loan.
• Minimum obligation for permanent residing in the country. It is enough to stay in Portugal for seven days within one year.
• Permanent work and life in Portugal, and studying at European universities.

To understand why it is much easier and more profitable to obtain a Portugal residence permit by investment, we will conduct a comparative analysis of standard naturalization and investment residency programs:

European countries with the opportunity to get citizenship by real estate investment

The following European states offer to obtain a residence permit and subsequent citizenship by real estate purchase:

• Portugal first offers a residence permit and then citizenship. The minimum real estate investment amount is EUR 280,000.
• Malta offers to obtain citizenship after purchasing property worth over EUR 700,000. However, you will also have to make a non-refundable contribution to the country’s economy.
• Cyprus is an EU member state which government is also interested in foreign investors. There is a citizenship program by purchasing real estate worth at least EUR 2,000,000.
• Greece, where the minimum investment amount under the residence permit program starts from EUR 250,000.

Both housing prices and the conditions of each program are different. Portugal retains the most minimal requirements for residence. It is enough to stay here for at least seven days within one year, and after five years, you can apply for permanent residence or a Portuguese passport.

Why use our assistance for obtaining a Portugal residence permit

Our contacts: info@offshore-pro.info, +372 5 489 53 37 , +381 6911 12327 .