Key Takeaways
- Portugal’s Golden Visa grants residency rights in Portugal, with minimal physical presence requirements and visa-free travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
- Temporary residency, permanent residency, and citizenship each apply the idea of “intent to reside” differently, from simple presence and investment maintenance to deeper cultural and legal ties.
- Portugal remains one of the few European countries where investors can follow a path to citizenship without relocating, while Spain has abolished its Golden Visa, and Greece requires seven years of living there for citizenship.
- The Golden Visa process usually spans 12 to 18 months and is smoother with a specialized Portuguese lawyer guiding each step, from investment completion to residency renewals and long-term planning.
- VIDA Capital advises investors on Portugal Golden Visa strategies and provides access to the VIDA Fund, and you can discuss your options through a direct consultation with their team.
How the Portugal Golden Visa Applies ‘Intent to Reside’
Portugal’s Golden Visa is a residency-by-investment program that now requires a minimum investment of €500,000 in qualifying investment funds. The program focuses on “intent to reside” rather than full relocation, which suits globally mobile investors who want a European Plan B while keeping their primary base elsewhere.
Program rules require Golden Visa holders to spend at least 14 days in Portugal in every two-year period. This light presence requirement sets Portugal apart from countries like Greece, where long-term citizenship paths require full relocation and tax residency.
The Golden Visa grants residency rights only in Portugal. During the residency phase, holders gain visa-free entry to other Schengen countries for short stays, not residency there.
Temporary Residency: Minimal Presence, Clear Obligations
For temporary residency, “intent to reside” has a practical definition. Golden Visa rules require at least 14 days of presence in Portugal during each two-year permit, which can be in a single trip or several shorter visits.
The first residency card is valid for two years, then can be renewed for additional two-year periods as long as you maintain your qualifying investment and meet the stay requirement. During this phase, you can live primarily outside Portugal, while using the residency to spend time in the country and travel within Schengen for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Many investors mistakenly assume they must become Portuguese tax residents or relocate their families immediately. For temporary residency, the focus is on investment continuity and meeting the minimum time in Portugal. This structure fits busy professionals and families who need flexibility while starting to build a relationship with the country.
Permanent Residency: Stronger Ties and Presence Rules
After five years of legal temporary residency, Golden Visa holders can apply for permanent residency. Eligibility is based on five years of legal residence, continued investment, and compliance with minimum stay requirements.
Permanent residency is indefinite but must be renewed every five years. The presence rules are stricter than for the Golden Visa phase. Holders generally cannot be absent from Portugal for more than 24 consecutive months or 30 months within any three-year period.
Permanent residents can live, work, and study in Portugal, and continue to travel in the Schengen Area for short stays. The original Golden Visa investment no longer defines the status, but the way you met your obligations over the first five years helps show a consistent intent to reside.
Citizenship: Long-Term Residence and Integration
Citizenship is the long-term goal for many investors and requires the strongest demonstration of connection to Portugal. For applications submitted after October 2025, most investors must complete 10 years of legal residence, prove A2-level Portuguese language skills, and hold a clean criminal record.
Portugal’s Parliament introduced this longer timeline in October 2025. Nationals of Portuguese-language countries (CPLP) and EU citizens have a reduced seven-year requirement.
Citizenship gives full EU rights, including the ability to live, work, and study in any EU or Schengen Zone country, and access to public healthcare and education across the bloc. Unlike residency, citizenship does not expire.
The extended timeline and language test show how Portugal interprets “intent to reside” at this level. Authorities expect applicants to go beyond minimum stays, build cultural ties, and integrate into Portuguese society over many years.
How VIDA Capital Aligns Investments With Golden Visa Rules
Strategic planning across this journey benefits from specialized advisory support. VIDA Capital focuses on guiding investors who use qualifying funds for their Golden Visa strategy, particularly through access to the VIDA Fund.
The VIDA Fund concentrates on Portugal’s hospitality sector. The fund acquires existing hospitality assets and transforms them, giving these properties a second life instead of building new projects from scratch. This approach intends to preserve capital through tangible, operating assets linked to Portugal’s tourism demand.
Portugal registered strong tourism numbers in 2024 and is preparing to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which supports long-term visitor growth and demand for hospitality assets. VIDA Capital uses this context to help investors select asset-backed fund exposure that also qualifies for the €500,000 Golden Visa threshold. Any discussion of past performance must be treated carefully, and historical returns are not a guarantee of future returns.
VIDA Capital also connects investors with specialized Portuguese law firms and coordinates documentation, which reduces administrative friction during the Golden Visa process.
Why Portugal’s Program Stands Out in Europe
|
Feature |
Portugal Golden Visa (2026) |
Greece Program |
Spain Program |
|
Temporary residency physical presence |
14 days every 2 years |
Minimal for permit, relocation needed for citizenship path |
Program abolished for new Golden Visa applicants |
|
Permanent residency presence rules |
Cannot be absent more than 24 consecutive months or 30 months over 3 years |
Presence is needed to maintain long-term residency |
Standard long-term residency rules only |
|
Citizenship residence requirement |
10 years, 7 years for CPLP/EU nationals |
7 years of living in Greece and paying taxes |
10 years of residence, no Golden Visa route |
|
Relocation needed for citizenship |
No, minimal presence for residency, deeper ties over time |
Yes, long-term physical presence in Greece |
Yes, relocation required |
Portugal is currently one of the only European countries that combines fund-based investment, light physical presence for residency, and a structured route to citizenship without relocation. This balance makes the Golden Visa a practical Plan B for globally mobile families who want long-term European options while keeping their main home elsewhere.
Key Steps and Legal Considerations for Your Golden Visa
A clear view of the main steps helps you plan both investment and “intent to reside” requirements. The overall process usually takes 12 to 18 months, and legal support is essential at every stage.
Step 1: Pre-application
Select a specialized Portuguese immigration lawyer. Your lawyer can help obtain your NIF, open a Portuguese bank account remotely, and coordinate your €500,000 investment in a qualifying fund such as the VIDA Fund.
Step 2: Application submission
Your lawyer files the online Golden Visa application for you and eligible family members, such as a spouse or recognized partner with proof of relationship, and dependent children who are full-time students, not working, and unmarried. Once AIMA approves the file, you attend in-person biometrics in Portugal.
Step 3: First residency card
You receive a temporary residency permit valid for two years, which allows you to live in Portugal, travel in Schengen for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and begin accumulating years of legal residence.
Step 4: First renewal
Near the end of the first card, you and your lawyer demonstrate that the qualifying fund investment remains in place and that you have spent at least 14 days in Portugal during the two-year period. You also complete new biometrics and provide updated criminal records.
Step 5: Second renewal
The second two-year renewal follows the same logic. 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.
Step 6: Permanent residency
After five years of legal residence on Golden Visa cards, you can apply for permanent residency, as long as you have respected stay requirements and maintained your investment during the temporary residency period.
Step 7: Citizenship
After 10 years of legal residence, or seven years for CPLP or EU nationals, you can apply for Portuguese citizenship if you meet language and criminal record requirements. The new law adopted in October 2025 applies to Golden Visa holders unless they submitted their citizenship application before the law was published.
Throughout these stages, accurate travel records, continued legal advice, and consistent visits to Portugal help show a credible, long-term intent to reside.
Frequently Asked Questions About ‘Intent to Reside’
How does ‘intent to reside’ differ between residency and citizenship?
For temporary residency, intent is shown by maintaining your qualifying investment and spending at least 14 days in Portugal in each two-year period. For citizenship, intent includes a longer period of legal residence, language skills, and evidence that you have integrated into Portuguese life, beyond the minimum presence rules.
Does the 10-year citizenship rule change my Golden Visa plan?
The 10-year rule that came into effect in October 2025 extends the standard timeline before most Golden Visa holders can apply for citizenship. CPLP nationals and EU citizens can apply after seven years. The previous five-year route remains available only to those who already submitted a citizenship application before the new law was published.
How does VIDA Capital help with these requirements?
VIDA Capital advises on structuring a qualifying fund investment that suits the Golden Visa rules and introduces you to specialist immigration lawyers. The team focuses on clear explanations of presence requirements, status upgrades from temporary to permanent residency, and long-term planning toward citizenship, while the VIDA Fund offers exposure to transformed hospitality assets in Portugal. Historical returns from the fund, if any, do not guarantee future results.
Plan Your Portugal Golden Visa Strategy With Expert Support
Progressing from temporary residency to permanent residency and then citizenship requires consistent planning and a clear understanding of “intent to reside” at each stage. Portugal’s Golden Visa remains a competitive option in 2026 for investors seeking a structured path to eventual EU citizenship without full relocation.
To explore whether a fund-based Portugal Golden Visa strategy fits your goals, and to understand how the VIDA Fund and partner law firms can support you, contact VIDA Capital for a detailed consultation.
