Key Takeaways
- Portugal’s Golden Visa grants residency rights in Portugal and visa-free travel across the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
- The program requires a minimum €500,000 investment in qualifying funds, with personal properties no longer allowed as an eligible route.
- Golden Visa holders can pursue permanent residency after five years and may apply for Portuguese citizenship after ten years of residency, under rules updated in October 2025.
- Portugal remains one of the few European countries offering a path to citizenship without relocation, with a low stay requirement of 14 days every two years.
- VIDA Capital guides investors through the Golden Visa process and the VIDA Fund, focused on hospitality assets, with a clear advisory-led approach; contact VIDA Capital to discuss your options.
Understanding Portugal’s Golden Visa: A Gateway to Global Mobility
Portugal’s Golden Visa is a residency-by-investment program for non-EU individuals who want Portuguese residency while keeping their current home base and business activities. This Plan B structure requires only 14 days of stay in Portugal every two years and grants the right to live, work, and study in Portugal.
The program also covers close family. Eligible family members include spouses or common-law partners, economically dependent children who are full-time students, not working, and unmarried throughout the residency period, and financially dependent parents or in-laws. With Portugal ranking among the safest countries in the world, families gain access to a stable environment, strong healthcare, and quality education in Portugal.
Portugal’s Golden Visa offers flexibility that many European residency routes do not. Greece and other programs often require extended physical presence, while Portugal allows investors to maintain global commitments and still comply with residency rules in Portugal.
Secure Portuguese residency and a future path to EU rights through Portuguese citizenship with a Portugal Golden Visa. VIDA Capital provides advisory support focused on asset-backed fund investments in Portugal’s hospitality sector.
Unlocking Visa-Free Schengen Travel with Your Golden Visa
Golden Visa holders can travel without a visa across the 27 Schengen Area countries for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. This benefit supports frequent business trips, family visits, and leisure travel across much of Europe.
This Schengen access removes repeated visa applications for short stays. Holders can attend meetings, explore opportunities, or visit relatives across the region while keeping Portugal as their legal residency base.
Portuguese residency alone does not grant work or residency rights in other EU states. A Portuguese passport provides broader mobility and rights across the European Union. The Golden Visa offers a structured path toward this status once citizenship is achieved.
The Golden Path: Step-by-Step to Portuguese Residency
Portugal’s Golden Visa currently requires a minimum €500,000 investment in qualifying investment funds. Personal properties are no longer accepted as a direct route. This policy has shifted the program toward professionally managed, diversified fund strategies.
Funds focused on Portugal’s hospitality sector give investors exposure to tangible assets. Many strategies target the purchase and transformation of underperforming hospitality properties, giving these assets a second life while aiming to preserve capital and meet residency rules. Historical returns are not a guarantee of future returns, and all investments carry risk.
The Golden Visa process usually spans 12 to 18 months from initial steps to issuance of the first residency card. Working with an experienced Portuguese immigration lawyer is essential for document preparation, application strategy, and representation before the authorities.
Key stages include:
Pre-application: You select a Golden Visa-focused lawyer, obtain a Portuguese tax number (NIF), open a local bank account, and complete the €500,000 fund subscription. A lawyer guides due diligence, reviews fund documentation, and ensures your structure meets legal requirements.
Application submission: Your lawyer files the online application for you and all included family members. After analysis and approval by AIMA, you attend an in-person appointment to provide biometrics.
Temporary residency card: The first residency permit is valid for two years and confirms your status as a Portuguese resident. The card also supports your visa-free Schengen travel, subject to the 90/180-day rule.
Residency renewals: You must maintain the investment and meet the minimum stay of 14 days in Portugal within each two-year period. The law contemplates two additional two-year renewals within a five-year period, but as the approval card issuance usually takes around a year, you will most likely only need to complete a single renewal instead of two in the five-year period.
Permanent residency: After five years of legal residency, you may apply for permanent residency in Portugal, provided you still meet investment and stay requirements.
Current rules allow Golden Visa holders to apply for Portuguese citizenship after ten years of residency, with a reduced requirement of seven years for citizens of Portuguese-language countries (CPLP) and EU nationals. The new timelines were introduced in October 2025 and should apply to Golden Visa holders unless their citizenship application was filed before the new law was published.
Recent administrative reforms and additional staffing aim to keep processing times in the 12 to 18 month range.
Speak with VIDA Capital for coordinated support between legal counsel and fund selection, and to align your residency steps with your investment strategy.
Costs and Considerations: What to Expect from Your Golden Visa
Planning for all Golden Visa costs helps you evaluate the program alongside other family priorities.
Government fees: Official fees currently include €618.60 per family member for the initial submission, €6,179.40 per family member for card issuance, €3,023.20 per family member for each renewal, and about €250 per family member for a later citizenship application.
Legal fees: Specialist immigration firms typically charge between €16,000 and €20,000 for a standard family case, depending on the number of applicants and the level of service. Legal representation reduces the risk of delays or refusals due to documentation issues.
Fund subscription fees: Fund managers charge their own subscription and management fees. The VIDA Fund applies a 1% subscription fee on invested capital, alongside standard fund terms disclosed in its documentation.
Investment landscape: Portugal’s hospitality sector continues to benefit from strong tourism and international visibility. The market remains fragmented, so specialized managers can acquire and reposition properties that underperform their potential. Historical returns are not a guarantee of future returns, and investors should treat the Golden Visa as both an immigration and financial decision.
Why Work with VIDA Capital on Your Portugal Golden Visa?
Concierge advisory and personal support: VIDA Capital operates as an advisory firm, not a commission-driven brokerage. Clients receive a clear point of contact and ongoing support across fund selection, coordination with lawyers, and practical steps after approval.
VIDA Fund’s asset-backed focus: The VIDA Fund concentrates on buying existing hospitality assets and transforming them to higher-value uses, rather than building from the ground up. This second-life approach aims to combine exposure to physical assets with disciplined risk management, while also qualifying for Golden Visa purposes. VIDA Fund is a private equity fund investing in hotel operating companies, not property ownership. Historical returns achieved by the fund or its team are not a guarantee of future performance.
Specialized hospitality expertise: The management team behind the VIDA Fund has collectively managed several billion euros and completed over 100 private equity transactions. Their experience in hospitality helps them identify mispriced properties, improve operations, and reposition assets within Portugal’s tourism market.
Transparency and trust: VIDA Capital provides clear information on fees, processes, and timelines, and helps clients assess whether the Golden Visa and the VIDA Fund are suitable for their goals and risk profile.
Comparing Portugal’s Golden Visa with Other Programs
|
Feature |
Portugal Golden Visa |
Greece Golden Visa |
Spain Golden Visa |
|
Visa-free Schengen |
Yes |
Yes |
Program discontinued |
|
Minimum stay to keep residency |
14 days every 2 years |
Residence required, with regular presence |
Program discontinued |
|
Path to citizenship |
Yes (10 years of residency, 7 years for CPLP/EU) |
Yes (7 years of living in Greece and paying taxes) |
Program discontinued |
|
Primary eligible investment |
Investment funds |
Personal properties |
Program discontinued |
Portugal is currently one of the few European countries offering a realistic path to citizenship without requiring relocation. Spain has closed its Golden Visa program, and Greece expects long-term residents to live in the country and pay taxes for seven years before a citizenship application becomes possible. By contrast, Portugal keeps the stay requirement at 14 days in each two-year period while maintaining access to permanent residency and, over time, citizenship.
Discuss Portugal’s Golden Visa with VIDA Capital to see how it compares with other residency strategies for your family.
Your Next Step Toward Mobility and Security
Portugal’s Golden Visa offers a combination of Portuguese residency, Schengen travel access, and a structured route to permanent residency and citizenship over time. The program suits families who value diversification, a European base, and flexibility on physical presence.
Choosing experienced advisors is central to a smooth process. VIDA Capital coordinates closely with immigration lawyers and the VIDA Fund to align your investment, documentation, and long-term residency plan within Portugal’s updated legal framework.
Contact VIDA Capital to explore an asset-backed fund route to the Portugal Golden Visa and begin planning your long-term European strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About the Portugal Golden Visa
Portugal’s Golden Visa overview
Portugal’s Golden Visa is a residency-by-investment program that allows non-EU applicants and their families to obtain Portuguese residency through a qualifying €500,000 investment in approved funds. The program grants residency rights only in Portugal, plus visa-free travel across the Schengen Area for short stays, and can lead to permanent residency and then Portuguese citizenship if long-term rules are met.
Typical Golden Visa timeline
The overall Golden Visa process usually takes 12 to 18 months from initial preparation to receiving the first residency card. This period covers document gathering, application submission, AIMA review, approval, and biometrics. Actual timing varies by case and government workload.
Relocation requirements
Golden Visa holders do not need to relocate to Portugal. To keep residency, they must spend at least 14 days in Portugal during each two-year period while maintaining the qualifying investment.
Main costs beyond the €500,000 investment
Key additional costs include government fees of roughly €12,800 per family member over the life of the program, legal fees often in the €16,000 to €20,000 range, and fund subscription or management fees. The VIDA Fund charges a 1% subscription fee on invested capital.
Family eligibility and documentation
Applicants can include spouses or common-law partners, dependent children who are full-time students, not working, and unmarried during the residency period, and financially dependent parents or in-laws. Relationship proof can be shown through a marriage certificate or other accepted evidence for common-law partnerships. All approved family members receive the same residency status in Portugal and the same Schengen travel privileges.
Conclusion
Portugal’s Golden Visa remains a competitive option for globally mobile families seeking a secure European base, combining a relatively light physical stay requirement with clear rules for progressing from temporary residency to permanent residency and, over time, citizenship. When paired with an asset-backed hospitality strategy through the VIDA Fund and coordinated legal support, the program can form a cornerstone of a broader Plan B for mobility, protection, and legacy.
Connect with VIDA Capital to evaluate whether the Portugal Golden Visa, accessed through a qualifying fund investment, aligns with your family’s risk profile, lifestyle goals, and long-term succession planning.
