Key Takeaways
- Portugal’s Golden Visa offers a structured path to Portuguese residency, with minimal stay requirements and a future route to citizenship, while allowing you to keep your primary base elsewhere.
- Since 2023, only qualifying funds of at least €500,000 count toward the Golden Visa, so selecting an asset-backed, regulated fund is central to both residency goals and capital preservation.
- The Golden Visa process usually spans 12 to 18 months, and working with an experienced Portuguese immigration lawyer is essential from preparation to renewals.
- New rules from October 2025 mean most applicants need 10 years of residency before applying for citizenship, with reduced timelines for CPLP and EU nationals, plus language and civics requirements.
- VIDA Capital advises investors in the VIDA Fund and coordinates with legal partners and service providers; speak with VIDA Capital about your Portugal Golden Visa strategy.
1. Understanding the Portugal Golden Visa: A Structured Plan B
The Portugal Golden Visa is an investment migration program that grants non-EU citizens a pathway to temporary residency, potential permanent residency, and eventually Portuguese citizenship. It offers visa-free travel in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, access to Portugal’s public services, and a practical “Plan B” for families seeking stability.
Portugal’s Golden Visa requires only 14 days of physical presence in the country every two years to maintain residency. This low stay requirement makes it suitable for investors who want Portuguese residency and a future citizenship option without relocating. Portugal remains one of the only European countries offering a citizenship route without full-time residence, while Greece requires seven years of living in the country and paying taxes for citizenship, and Spain no longer offers a Golden Visa program.
Why Portugal’s Golden Visa Works for Global Families
- Minimal stay requirement of 14 days every two years to keep residency active.
- Residency rights in Portugal, with a future path to Portuguese citizenship and, later, broader EU rights.
- Comprehensive family inclusion options to extend benefits to spouses, children, and dependent parents.
- Portfolio diversification through euro-denominated, regulated fund investments.
2. The Shift to Strategic Investment Funds: Why Hospitality Helps Protect Capital
Current rules require a minimum investment of €500,000 into a qualifying investment fund to access the Portugal Golden Visa. Personal properties are no longer eligible, so fund selection now plays a central role in both residency planning and risk management.
Portugal continues to attract strong tourism demand, with 31 million visitors in 2024 and further growth expected around major events such as the 2030 FIFA World Cup. This backdrop supports strategies that focus on acquiring and improving existing hospitality assets, where income potential is tied to well-established travel trends.
Investment insight
The VIDA Fund is regulated by the Portuguese Securities Market Authority (CMVM) and audited twice a year by Deloitte. The fund focuses on buying and transforming underperforming hospitality assets in Portugal, giving these assets a second life. This approach combines eligibility for the Golden Visa with tangible, asset-backed exposure. Disclaimer: Historical performance is not a guarantee of future returns.
3. Navigating the Portugal Golden Visa Process with Legal Support
The Portugal Golden Visa process usually spans 12 to 18 months. A specialized Portuguese immigration lawyer is essential to manage documentation, monitor deadlines, and keep your application compliant at every stage.
Key steps in the process
- Pre-application preparation
- Obtain a Portuguese tax number (NIF) and open a Portuguese bank account, often remotely through a lawyer. Select a qualifying fund and complete the €500,000 subscription so the investment is in place before filing.
- Application submission
- Your lawyer submits the online application for you and eligible family members. Typical documentation includes passports, clean criminal records for crimes punishable by three years or more imprisonment, proof of the fund investment, and evidence of family relationships, such as a marriage certificate or other proof for a common-law partner.
- Approval, biometrics, and residency card
- Once AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum) issues preliminary approval, an in-person biometrics appointment is scheduled. After biometrics, you receive a temporary residency permit valid for two years. You must keep the fund investment active and spend at least 14 days in Portugal every two years. The card is then renewed for two additional two-year periods, and, as the approval card issuance usually takes a year, you will most likely only need to complete one renewal instead of two within the five-year period.
A dedicated law firm remains your primary point of contact with the authorities, which reduces administrative burden and helps avoid avoidable delays.
4. From Portuguese Residency to Long-Term Security and Citizenship
After maintaining Golden Visa-derived temporary residency for five years, you become eligible to apply for permanent residency in Portugal, provided you have respected investment and stay requirements. This status offers greater security and stability within Portugal.
Citizenship pathway and new timelines
Legislative changes in October 2025 introduced a 10-year residency requirement for citizenship for most Golden Visa holders. Nationals of Portuguese-language countries (CPLP) and EU citizens face a reduced requirement of seven years. Applicants must also demonstrate A2-level Portuguese, pass a civic knowledge test, and maintain a clean criminal record for crimes punishable by three years or more imprisonment. The new framework is expected to apply to all Golden Visa applicants, except those who have already submitted a citizenship application before the new law is officially published.
Once you obtain a Portuguese passport, you gain the right to live, work, study, and access public healthcare and education in any EU or Schengen Zone country.
Family inclusion and legacy planning
The Golden Visa allows you to include your spouse or partner, dependent children, and dependent parents or parents-in-law. Children can be included if they are under 18, or under 26 if they are full-time students, not working, and unmarried throughout the residency program until the citizenship application is filed. Documentation can rely on a marriage certificate or other proof of relationship, especially for common-law partners.
- Portugal: €500,000 in qualifying funds, 14 days of stay every two years, and a path to citizenship without mandatory relocation.
- Greece: investment-based residency, but seven years of living in the country and paying taxes are required for citizenship.
- Spain: the Golden Visa program has been discontinued.
5. How VIDA Capital Supports Your Golden Visa Strategy
Choosing the right advisory firm and fund is central to aligning your residency goals with a clear investment thesis. VIDA Capital is an advisory firm that guides investors into the VIDA Fund and coordinates the broader Portugal Golden Visa journey.
Asset-backed hospitality strategy
Through VIDA Capital’s advisory, clients allocate capital into the VIDA Fund, which buys and transforms existing hospitality assets in Portugal rather than building new ones. This approach gives underused properties a second life and creates exposure to a sector supported by structural tourism demand. Portugal ranks as the 7th safest country in the world, and travel and tourism are projected to reach a 22.6% contribution to national GDP by 2035, which underpins long-term hospitality fundamentals.
Coordinated, concierge-level guidance
VIDA Capital’s advisory team works as a central coordinator between you, your chosen immigration lawyer (or a recommended specialist), and the VIDA Fund. The team focuses on clear communication, transparent reporting, and practical support on documentation, timelines, and renewals, so you always know the status of both your investment and residency process.
Your next step
VIDA Capital helps you assess whether a Portugal Golden Visa via the VIDA Fund matches your goals, risk profile, and family situation, and clarifies what to expect at each stage of the process.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Portugal Golden Visa
What is the minimum investment for the Portugal Golden Visa?
The minimum qualifying investment is €500,000 in an eligible fund. Personal properties are no longer valid for the program, so fund investments are now the primary route.
How long do I need to stay in Portugal to maintain my residency?
You must spend at least 14 days in Portugal during every two-year residency period. These days can usually be split into several trips, giving you flexibility while keeping your status active.
Can my family be included in the Golden Visa application?
Your spouse or partner, dependent children, and dependent parents or parents-in-law can be included. Children over 18 must be full-time students, not working, and unmarried during the residency period. Relationship proof can rely on a marriage certificate or other documentation for common-law partners.
What happens after five years of holding the Golden Visa?
After five years of legal residency with an active qualifying investment and compliance with stay requirements, you may apply for Portuguese permanent residency. Citizenship is then possible after 10 years of residency, or seven years for CPLP and EU nationals, subject to language and civics requirements.
Is Portuguese or EU citizenship guaranteed with the Portugal Golden Visa?
Citizenship is never guaranteed. The Golden Visa provides a clear legal framework leading to Portuguese citizenship, but applicants must complete the required residency period, maintain a clean criminal record for relevant offences, demonstrate A2 Portuguese, and pass a civic knowledge test.
Secure Your European Future Today
The Portugal Golden Visa offers a structured way to secure Portuguese residency and, over time, the opportunity for EU citizenship, while keeping your investment capital in a regulated, asset-backed fund. With experienced advisory support and legal guidance, the process becomes more predictable and manageable for you and your family.
