Portugal Investor Visa Program Overview in 2024

With new legal opportunities to apply for the Residence Permit (Investor visa) in Portugal (Europe – Schengen Area) pursuing investment activities you are getting a chance to freely travel in Europe and work and study in Portugal. This will enable you to settle down in any of the European countries (Schengen Area) once you get the citizenship. Getting a Portuguese Investor Visa is not only obtaining a Residence Permit Card but it is also the opportunity to become a Portuguese Citizen (European Union Citizen). It is also known as the Residence Permit for Investment Purposes (ARI, short for “Autorização de Residência para Atividade de Investimento”).

• Requirements:

  An Investor Visa is granted only to foreign individuals (non-EU citizens) who fulfil the following requirements for a minimum period of 5 years:

  1. Purchase Real Estate in total value equal or greater than:
     • Real estate investment is now limited to the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira or in the interior territories. The property must be used for housing;
     • 500.000 Euro (half a million Euro) with no restrictions;
     • 400.000 Euro (four hundred thousand Euro) for properties located in low density areas – less than 100 habitants per km2;
     • 350,000 euros for old properties built over 30 years ago with renovations work involved or located in urban refurbishment areas (Área de Reabilitação Urbana);
     • 280.000 Euro (two hundred and eighty thousand Euro) for old properties built over 30 years ago with renovations work involved, in low density areas – less than 100 habitants per km2;
  2. Capital transfer with a value equal to or above 500,000 euros for the acquisition of investment units in venture capital funds dedicated to capitalising corporations which have been in operation for at least five years.
  3. Incorporate/Acquire a Portuguese company and create new 10 permanent employees for minimum period of 5 years. All these jobs need to be permanent and certified by local locial Security Institution.
  4. Transfer capital of the amount equal or greater than 1.5 million euros into a Portuguese financial institution for a period of five years. Certification of this transfer needs to be provided by the financial institution in order to be able to apply for the investor visa.
  5. Investing 500,000 euros in the share capital of a company which creates new five permanent jobs for three years.
  6. Capital transfer with a value equal to or above 500,000 euros for investment in research activities conducted by public or private scientific research institutions involved in the national scientific or technological system.
  7. Capital donation with a value equal to or above 250.000 Euro (two hundred and fifty thousand Euro) for artistic output or an organization supporting the arts, for reconstruction or refurbishment of the national heritage through the local and central authorities, public institutions, public corporate sector.
  8. The investment must create at least 10 jobs.

• Required documents:

  A complete copy of the passport (all pages);

  1. Police clearance certificate, from the country of origin or the country where the investor has been living for more than a year, issued within last three months that’s duly legalized by apostille certification of by the corresponding Portuguese embassy from issuing country;
  2. Sworn statement by the Investor attesting that he will comply with the minimum amount and time requirements regarding the investment activity in Portugal (The form will be provided);
  3. Declaration issued by the Portuguese Tax Authorities and social security attesting the inexistence of any debts of the foreign national to the said entities (the declaration will be obtained);
  4. Proof of one of the investment types mentioned above (the proof will be obtained for you once you have completed your investment);
  5. Proof of health insurance (if the applicant plans to live in Portugal);
  6. Declaration from an authorized credit institution in Portugal that can attest the international transfer of assets.

  All the foreign documents need to be officially translated to Portuguese and legalized with apostille certification. (If your country has not signed Apostille Hague convention, the legalization of the documents needs to be done to the documents translated into Portuguese or English and presented at the Portuguese Consulate or Embassy corresponding to the country of origin of the documents).

• Application processing time

  Once the request has been made at the Portuguese immigration authorities (SEF) with all the necessary documentation, the application request shall be reviewed within 90 days.

  Usual time for Resident Permit Cards approval is 12 weeks after submission and around 3 to 4 weeks for them to be issued and available to be collected.

• Other Considerations

  1. A five-year minimum investment time is required counting from the date of the residence permit approval;
  2. Minimum period of stay in Portugal is 7 days in the first year and 14 days in the subsequent 2 years;
  3. The initial permit is valid for 1 year and is renewable subsequently for a period of 2 years providing the requirements mentioned above are met.
  4. Once a permanent residence permit is obtained, the investment does not need to be maintained.
  5. After five years of permanent residency, the investor can apply for Portuguese citizenship.