Key Takeaways
- Portugal’s Golden Visa offers residency rights in Portugal, plus visa-free travel across the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, without requiring relocation.
- Core eligibility includes being a non-EU/EEA/Swiss national, at least 18 years old, with a clean criminal record, and a minimum investment of €500,000 in qualifying investment funds.
- Portugal is currently one of the only countries in Europe that offers a pathway to citizenship without relocation, while Greece requires long-term residence, and Spain has ended its Golden Visa program.
- The Golden Visa process usually spans 12 to 18 months and involves legal support, government fees, and ongoing renewals over a 5-year period before eligibility for permanent residency and later citizenship.
- Specialized advisors like VIDA Capital help investors navigate fund-based Golden Visa strategies in Portugal’s hospitality sector. To discuss your plan, contact VIDA Capital.
Why Eligibility Requirements are Paramount for EU Permanent Residency
Clear eligibility criteria form the foundation of any successful Portugal Golden Visa application. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals, hold a clean criminal record in both their home country and Portugal, and invest funds that originate from outside Portugal.
Early verification of these points helps avoid costly delays, refusals, or the need to restart with a different strategy. A minimum investment of €500,000 in qualifying funds is only one part of the framework; families also need to plan for documentation, timelines, and family inclusion from the outset.
Families who understand eligibility at the start can plan investment allocation, travel, and document preparation more efficiently. That preparation leads to a smoother application and a more predictable path to Portuguese residency.
Portugal Golden Visa Eligibility: Your Pathway to Portuguese Residency in 2026
The Portugal Golden Visa remains an attractive option for investors who want residency in Portugal, visa-free travel across Schengen, and a future path to EU citizenship, without relocating. Residency rights apply to Portugal only, while the residence card allows travel across the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Core eligibility requirements for the Portugal Golden Visa include:
- Age and nationality: at least 18 years old and a non-EU/EEA/Swiss national
- Criminal background: clean criminal record from both the home country and Portugal
- Investment source: funds transferred from outside Portugal
- Investment amount: minimum €500,000 in qualifying investment funds such as the VIDA Fund
- Residency obligation: at least 14 days in Portugal in every two-year period
- Documentation: Portuguese Fiscal Number (NIF) and a Portuguese bank account
Family inclusion is a major strength of the program. The main applicant can include a spouse or legal partner, economically dependent children, and parents or in-laws who are either over 65 or financially dependent on the main applicant. Document-wise, applicants can present a marriage certificate or other proof of relationship, including for a common-law partner.
Children included in the application must remain full-time students, not be employed, and cannot marry at any time during the residency program until the Golden Visa application process is completed for them. All included family members receive the same Portuguese residency rights and Schengen travel privileges as the main applicant.
For investors using fund routes such as the VIDA Fund, the structure focuses on buying and transforming hospitality assets, giving these assets a second life within Portugal’s hospitality sector.
Eligibility Showdown: Portugal Golden Visa vs. Leading EU Programs
Portugal and Greece continue to attract investors seeking residency through investment, while Spain has ended its Golden Visa program. These countries differ in eligibility rules, investment types, and the practical path to citizenship.
Key Eligibility Criteria: Portugal vs. Greece Golden Visa
Portugal requires a minimum investment of €500,000 in qualifying funds. Greece generally requires €400,000 to €800,000, typically through property purchases, with higher thresholds in key urban regions.
Citizenship rules diverge even more. From October 2025, new Portugal applicants need 10 years of residency before applying for citizenship. Nationals of Portuguese-language countries (CPLP) and EU citizens benefit from a reduced 7-year requirement. Greece requires 7 years of living there and paying taxes to qualify for citizenship, plus integration requirements such as a B1-level Greek language exam and strict limits on absences.
Long-term residence obligations also differ. Portugal requires only 14 days of presence in Portugal every two years to maintain Golden Visa residency. Greece and Spain require you to live there to keep long-term residency, which makes them less suitable for a low-presence “Plan B” strategy.
|
Feature |
Portugal Golden Visa |
Greece Golden Visa |
|
Minimum investment |
€500,000 (qualifying investment funds) |
€400,000–€800,000 (property) |
|
Citizenship timeline |
10 years of residency for most applicants, 7 years for CPLP and EU nationals |
7 years of living there and paying taxes, with language and integration requirements |
|
Physical presence |
At least 14 days in Portugal every 2 years |
A residence card can be maintained with low presence, but long-term residency and citizenship require living there |
|
Investment focus |
Investment funds, often focused on hospitality assets |
Direct property ownership |
Broader Implications: Beyond the Checklist
Investors who want a residency-based “Plan B” without relocation often find Portugal’s structure more compatible with their lives. The focus on regulated funds offers professional management and diversification, while the 14-day presence rule allows global mobility.
Greece may appeal to investors ready to live there and accept tax residency over the medium term. However, the need to live in Greece for 7 years to reach citizenship, and to keep long-term residency can be challenging for highly mobile families.
Portugal remains one of the only European options where investors can access a citizenship path without relocating, while still complying with relatively light presence requirements.
Navigating the Portugal Golden Visa Process and Total Costs
A clear view of total costs helps families budget realistically for the Portugal Golden Visa. Government fees currently include application fees of €618.60 per family member, residency card issuance fees of €6179.40 per family member, and renewal fees of €3023.20 per family member for each renewal. Larger families should factor in these per-person costs carefully.
Legal support is essential at every stage. Specialized immigration lawyers usually charge around €16,000 to €20,000 for end-to-end guidance, including preparing documentation, submitting the application, and managing renewals. Fund subscription fees vary by fund; the VIDA Fund, for example, charges a 1% subscription fee on the total amount invested.
The process usually spans 12 to 18 months. Typical steps include obtaining a Portuguese NIF, opening a bank account, executing the qualifying fund investment, submitting the application, and attending biometrics. 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.
Once your application is approved, you receive a temporary residency permit valid for 2 years. You must then renew this permit for two additional 2-year periods, maintaining both your qualifying investment and the 14-day presence requirement across the 5-year period. At that stage, you can apply for permanent residency in Portugal.
The Golden Visa grants residency rights only in Portugal. During the residency period, you can live, work, and study in Portugal and travel visa-free across the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Citizenship later provides full rights to live, work, study, and access public healthcare and education across EU and Schengen countries.
Frequently Asked Questions on Golden Visa Eligibility
What is Portugal’s Golden Visa and its eligibility requirements?
Portugal’s Golden Visa is a residency-by-investment program that grants the right to live, work, and study in Portugal, plus visa-free travel across the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Eligibility requires being at least 18 years old, a non-EU/EEA/Swiss national, holding a clean criminal record from both the home country and Portugal, investing at least €500,000 in qualifying investment funds, transferring those funds from outside Portugal, and spending at least 14 days in Portugal in every two-year period.
Is Portugal’s Golden Visa still active and valid in 2026?
Portugal’s Golden Visa program remains active in 2026 and continues to accept qualified applicants and their families. Investment funds such as the VIDA Fund continue to qualify for Golden Visa purposes, focusing on buying and transforming hospitality assets in Portugal and giving them a second life. Program rules, especially around citizenship timelines, have evolved compared with 2024 and 2025, so current legal guidance remains important.
Do I need to relocate to Portugal to maintain Golden Visa eligibility for permanent residency?
Relocation to Portugal is not required to maintain Portugal Golden Visa residency. You must spend at least 14 days in Portugal in every two-year period and maintain your qualifying investment. This setup suits investors who want a residency “Plan B” while keeping their main base elsewhere, while still preserving a path to permanent residency and later citizenship.
Can my family members be included in my Portugal Golden Visa application for residency?
Portugal’s Golden Visa allows broad family inclusion. The main applicant can include a spouse or legal partner, dependent children, and parents or in-laws who are over 65 or financially dependent on the main applicant. Evidence of the relationship can include a marriage certificate or other proof of partnership, particularly for common-law partners. Children must remain full-time students, not be employed, and must not marry during the residency program until their Golden Visa process is completed. All included family members receive the same Portuguese residency rights and Schengen travel privileges.
What happens to my eligibility if I want to apply for Portuguese citizenship after permanent residency?
From October 2025, most new Golden Visa applicants must complete 10 years of residency in Portugal before applying for citizenship. This extends the previous 5-year rule. Nationals of Portuguese-language countries (CPLP) and EU citizens can qualify after 7 years. The new framework should apply to all Golden Visa applicants except those who submitted their citizenship applications before the new law was published. After citizenship, you can live, work, study, and access public healthcare and education across the EU and Schengen countries.
Choosing Your Pathway: A Guided Decision for Permanent Residency
Choosing a Golden Visa route requires alignment between your family’s priorities, mobility goals, and investment strategy. Meeting basic eligibility as a non-EU/EEA/Swiss national with a clean criminal record and qualifying funds is only the first filter. The deeper decision involves how much presence you want in Portugal, how you structure your investments, and whether you intend to pursue citizenship over the long term.
Portugal offers residency rights in Portugal, modest presence requirements, and one of the few citizenship pathways in Europe that does not require relocation. For many internationally mobile families, that balance between flexibility and a long-term EU option is the key attraction.
VIDA Capital focuses on advisory support rather than product sales. The team helps assess whether the Portugal Golden Visa via investment funds, including the VIDA Fund, fits your plans and, when appropriate, can recommend alternative paths outside the Golden Visa framework. Any discussion of fund performance reflects historical data only and does not guarantee future returns.
