RESIDENCY BY PROPERTY INVESTMENT
One of Europe’s most popular visa schemes, Portugal launched its Golden Visa in 2012 as a residency-by-investment programme. Appealing due to its flexibility and benefits, the investor visa programme offers property investors the opportunity to gain EU citizenship in just 5 years for their family including dependent children.
Q1: WHAT IS THE GOLDEN VISA PROGRAMME?
Portugal’s Golden Visa programme is a government scheme which offers citizens of non-European Union countries the opportunity to obtain residency – and potentially, citizenship – in Portugal once they have invested in Portuguese property. It is dealt with by the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service and has helped Portugal generate significant foreign investment and employment in the country.
Q2: WHO CAN APPLY FOR IT?
An individual must be a citizen of a third-party country to apply for a golden visa, which means Portuguese and EU nationals are not eligible to apply.
Since launching in 2012, the scheme has mainly attracted high-net worth individuals, highly-skilled professionals and retirees from across the world
Q3: HOW DO YOU QUALIFY?
To qualify for a golden visa, one of the following three key criteria must be met:
In some cases, people who are investing in small and medium businesses, or in the arts and culture or scientific research may qualify too but the vast majority (90%) receive the visa through real estate investment.
Q4: HOW LONG IS IT VALID FOR?
The visa is valid for one year and it must then be renewed every two years after that. After five years, most people can apply for permanent residency and after six years, it is possible to apply for full citizenship. To keep a golden visa valid, the holder must spend at least seven days in the country during their first year as part of the programme, and after this, two weeks in the country every two years.
Q5: WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS?
The scheme requires that the investor maintains their investment for five years and complies with the minimum required periods of stay during this time. Most applicants need to provide proof of medical insurance to stay in the country, and the government may carry out checks to ensure applicants have a clean criminal record.
Would you like to see the rest of the frequently asked questions about Portugal's residency-by-investment programme? Download the 9 Common Investor Questions Answered now.
Sagres is the southernly tip of the western Algarve, famed for its natural and untouched beauty. Upscale hotels, trendy bars and restaurants, all feature in Sagres, alongside the traditional arts and craft stores. This popular beach town has caught the attention of many digital nomads. With the trend of remote working set to grow, idyllic locations like this are primed for strong capital and rental growth and increasingly popular with international holiday makers.
Whilst being well-located near the beach, golf course and all things vacation-oriented, South Beach Sagres recognizes the convenience of having certain amenities on-site. These include a concierge, an inhouse gym, a lagoon pool and rooftop terrace. Enjoy the space for 14 days a year in order to qualify for your citizenship while benefiting from a guaranteed fixed rental income over the remaining period.
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