Portugal Golden Visa Residency Card Renewal Guide 2026

Key Takeaways

• Golden Visa residency cards are valid for two years and must be renewed for additional two-year periods while you maintain your qualifying investment and minimum stay requirements.
• Timely renewals protect your legal residency in Portugal and your visa-free travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
• New rules introduced in October 2025 extend the citizenship timeline to 10 years of residency, or seven years for nationals of Portuguese-language countries and EU citizens.
• Portugal remains attractive for Plan B strategies because it allows a low physical presence requirement of 14 days every two years, while Greece and Spain require you to live there to keep long-term residency.
• For personalized guidance on renewals and fund-based Golden Visa strategies, contact VIDA Capital through this dedicated advisory form.

Understanding the Portugal Golden Visa Renewal Cycle

Your Route From Temporary Residency To Long-Term Stability

The Portugal Golden Visa grants a temporary residency permit that is initially valid for two years. You must then renew this permit for additional two-year periods, while maintaining both your qualifying investment and your minimum physical stay in Portugal throughout the five-year period before you can apply for permanent residency.

The renewal pattern usually follows this structure: your first renewal takes place near the end of year two and extends your permit through year four. Your second renewal is scheduled near the end of year four and is intended to cover you through year six. As the approval card issuance usually takes a year, you will most likely only need to do a single renewal instead of two in the 5-year period.

Throughout this time, you must keep at least 500,000 euros invested in eligible funds and respect the residency requirement. These two elements form the basis for every successful renewal and for later permanent residency eligibility.

Why Timely Renewal Protects Your Residency

Submitting your renewal application before your residency card expires is essential. Late applications can interrupt your legal residency in Portugal, which risks resetting the time you have accumulated toward permanent residency and future citizenship.

On-time renewals protect your ability to live in Portugal, keep your family together under the same process, and preserve visa-free travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Key 2026 Rule Changes That Affect Your Strategy

In October 2025, Portugal introduced a new legal framework for citizenship through residency. The required period of legal residency increased from five to ten years, with a reduced seven-year requirement for nationals of Portuguese-language countries and EU citizens. This new framework should apply to all Golden Visa holders except those who have already submitted their citizenship application before the new law is published.

The citizenship clock starts from the date of your first residency card. All Golden Visa processes, including renewals, now run through the AIMA ARI online portal, where biometrics appointments are also scheduled.

Step-by-Step: How To Renew Your Portugal Golden Visa Residency Card

Step 1: Prepare All Required Documentation Early

Comprehensive documentation for both the main applicant and dependents is the foundation of a smooth renewal. For the main applicant, gather your valid passport, current residency card, clean criminal record certificate from your country of residence, and recent investment statements from your fund manager that confirm your 500,000 euro commitment remains in place.

Family members need similar documents. Spouses must show a marriage certificate or other proof of relationship. Children must prove economic dependence, full-time student status, and confirm they are not married or working at any time during the residency program until the Golden Visa application is completed. Parents and in-laws must show financial dependence or age-based eligibility.

Engaging a specialized Portuguese immigration lawyer is essential at this stage. A lawyer checks deadlines, document validity periods, translations, and certifications, and then aligns everything with AIMA requirements.

Step 2: Confirm You Have Met The Minimum Stay Requirement

The Golden Visa requires you to spend at least 14 days in Portugal during each two-year renewal period. These days can be consecutive or spread across several trips.

Keep clear evidence of your time in Portugal, such as flight tickets, accommodation confirmations, and passport stamps. This light physical presence requirement remains one of the main reasons the Portugal Golden Visa is competitive as a Plan B strategy.

Step 3: Submit Your Renewal Through The AIMA ARI Portal

Your lawyer submits your renewal application through the AIMA ARI portal and uploads all supporting documents in the required formats. Starting the online submission well before your card expiry creates room to fix any issues that AIMA may identify.

Legal support helps avoid common technical errors, such as missing pages, expired certificates, or incorrect document certifications.

Step 4: Attend Your Biometrics Appointment

After pre-approval of your online file, AIMA invites you for a biometrics appointment. During this visit, AIMA records fingerprints and photographs and reviews original documents where required.

Each family member listed in your application must attend an individual appointment. This step confirms that all applicants still meet Golden Visa conditions, including clean criminal records and up-to-date family relationships.

Step 5: Pay Government And Professional Fees

Government renewal fees currently stand at 3,023.20 euros per applicant for each renewal cycle. These are payable during processing and form part of the total cost of maintaining your residency status.

You must also consider legal fees for your lawyer and any advisory services you use. Clarifying these costs in advance provides transparency for each renewal cycle.

Step 6: Receive Your New Residency Card

The overall Portugal Golden Visa process, from initial application to card issuance, typically spans 12 to 18 months, although individual renewal timelines can vary. Once your renewal is approved, you receive a new residency card that is valid for two years. This card confirms your right to live in Portugal and to travel visa-free within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

As the approval card issuance usually takes a year, you will most likely only need to do a single renewal instead of two in the 5-year period.

Maintaining Your Investment For Successful Renewal

Keeping your qualifying investment fully compliant is central to Golden Visa renewal. For fund-based applications, you must maintain a minimum of 500,000 euros in eligible Portuguese investment funds for the entire residency period.

For each renewal, you should be ready to present recent fund statements, confirmation from the fund manager about your current investment amount, and, when applicable, letters from your lawyer confirming that the fund structure aligns with Golden Visa regulations.

Working with an advisory firm such as VIDA Capital can help you coordinate among your fund manager, lawyer, and tax advisers, so your investment documentation remains complete and consistent at every renewal stage.

Speak with VIDA Capital about fund-based Golden Visa strategies in Portugal’s hospitality sector. VIDA Capital focuses on asset-backed projects that give existing hospitality assets a second life.

Managing Common Renewal Challenges

Reduce Delays With Proactive Document Management

Many delays arise from expired criminal record certificates, missing fund statements, or relationship documents that no longer reflect your current family situation. Starting document collection several months before your card expiry and working closely with your lawyer reduces these risks.

Navigate AIMA Timelines With Professional Support

AIMA processing times can fluctuate based on application volumes. Legal teams monitor your file in the AIMA ARI portal and can follow up with the authorities when necessary, which helps you maintain visibility on your case and plan travel and family decisions around realistic timelines.

Keep Dependents Fully Eligible

Family renewals follow the same schedule as the main applicant, but individual eligibility can change. Children who stop studying full-time, start working, or marry during the residency period can lose eligibility as dependents. Document-wise, you can present either a marriage certificate or other proof of relationship for spouses or common-law partners.

Regular reviews of each family member’s status with your lawyer help you avoid surprises when the next renewal cycle approaches.

What Comes After Renewal: Permanent Residency And Citizenship

Permanent Residency After Five Years

After holding temporary Golden Visa residency for five years and complying with all requirements, you can apply for permanent residency in Portugal. This status gives you the right to live in Portugal indefinitely without further Golden Visa renewals, while still allowing visa-free travel in the Schengen Area for short stays.

The permanent residency application requires proof that you maintained your qualifying investment, respected the 14-day per two-year stay requirement, and held valid cards throughout the five-year period.

Updated Citizenship Timelines And Rights

Under the new rules introduced in October 2025, most applicants now need ten years of legal residency in Portugal before applying for citizenship. Nationals of Portuguese-language countries and EU citizens benefit from a seven-year requirement. The law is expected to apply to Golden Visa holders unless they have already submitted a citizenship application before the new law is officially published.

Citizenship still requires A2-level Portuguese language skills and proof of continuous legal residency. Portuguese citizenship then provides full EU mobility: you can live, work, and study in any EU or Schengen Area country and access public healthcare and education systems across those countries. The Golden Visa, by contrast, gives residency rights only in Portugal.

Why Portugal Remains Competitive For Plan B Strategies

Portugal remains one of the few European countries that offers a clear route from investment-based residency to citizenship without requiring you to relocate full-time. Spain no longer runs a Golden Visa program, and both Spain and Greece require you to live there to keep long-term residency. Greece also requires seven years of living there and paying taxes before you can access citizenship.

Portugal’s requirement of only 14 days in the country every two years is therefore an important advantage for globally mobile families who want a Plan B without disrupting their primary base.

Plan your path from Portugal Golden Visa renewal to long-term residency and citizenship. VIDA Capital offers specialized advisory support focused on fund-based investments in the hospitality sector.

Conclusion: Planning Your 2026 Portugal Golden Visa Renewal

By understanding the renewal timeline, documenting your 14-day minimum stay, and maintaining a fully compliant 500,000-euro fund investment, you can protect your Portuguese residency and keep your future options open for permanent residency and eventual citizenship under the new 10-year framework.

Working with a specialized Portuguese immigration lawyer and an advisory firm like VIDA Capital helps you coordinate legal, investment, and documentation requirements so each renewal is predictable and controlled rather than reactive.

If you are preparing for a Golden Visa renewal or planning your first investment, reach out to VIDA Capital’s advisory team to explore asset-backed hospitality fund strategies designed to support a smooth, long-term residency and citizenship plan for you and your family.

Frequently Asked Questions About Portugal Golden Visa Renewals

How often do Portugal Golden Visa residency cards need to be renewed?

Golden Visa residency cards are typically renewed every two years. However, because approval of the initial card often takes many months, most investors only complete one renewal cycle before reaching five years of residency and applying for permanent residency.

What is the minimum stay requirement for Portugal Golden Visa renewals?

You must spend at least 14 days in Portugal during each two-year period covered by your residency card. These days can be split across several shorter trips.

What are the current citizenship rules for Portugal Golden Visa holders in 2026?

Most Golden Visa holders will need ten years of legal residency in Portugal before they can apply for citizenship, counted from the date of their first residency card. Nationals of Portuguese-language countries and EU citizens can apply after seven years. Those who submitted their citizenship applications before the new law was published may still be assessed under the previous five-year framework.

Contact VIDA Capital for personalized guidance on your 2026 Portugal Golden Visa renewal and long-term strategy. VIDA Capital is an advisory firm that supports investors in accessing asset-backed hospitality fund opportunities aligned with Golden Visa rules.