Portugal Golden Visa

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Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned stay and have at least 2 blank visa pages.

Two recent passport-style photos meeting Schengen biometric requirements.

Golden Visa is not realistically DIY. Engage a Portuguese lawyer with Golden Visa expertise (or a vetted full-service partner) who will manage AIMA filings, AML documentation, fund manager liaison, and the 10-year compliance horizon.

Get your NIF via a Portuguese tax representative. Required to open a Portuguese bank account, which is required to receive the investment wire.

Open a Portuguese bank account that will receive the investment wire. Required for AML / origin-of-funds trail.

Select an investment route: €500k fund (CMVM-supervised), €500k venture capital, €500k research (FCT), €250k cultural heritage (DGPC), €500k company capitalization + 5 jobs, or business creation with 10 jobs. Real-estate route was eliminated October 2023.

Sign the legal documentation tying you to the chosen investment vehicle. The investment must be held continuously for ≥ 5 years.

Transfer the qualifying investment amount from your origin-country account to your Portuguese bank account. Document every step — AIMA scrutinizes the AML / origin-of-funds trail closely.

Get the formal confirmation document from the fund manager (or cultural-heritage / research recipient) that the investment is executed and held. Required for the AIMA filing.

Police clearance from country of citizenship and every country of residence > 1 year in the past 5 years. Apostilled per Hague Convention.

Sworn Portuguese translation of every foreign-language document (criminal record, marriage cert, birth certs, bank records relevant to AML).

Letter describing the investment, the applicant's intent to maintain it for the required period, and the planned use of Portuguese residence.

Schengen-compliant private health insurance with ≥€30,000 medical coverage valid in Portugal.

Notarized power of attorney giving your Portuguese lawyer authority to file the ARI application and represent you with AIMA.

Your lawyer files the ARI application online via the AIMA portal, including the investment confirmation, AML trail, criminal records, insurance, and cover letter.

AIMA Golden Visa government fees: ~€605 processing + ~€5,500 per main applicant + ~€2,758 per family member. 2026 figures pending lawyer confirmation.

Once the AIMA application is accepted, you receive a biometric appointment in Portugal. AIMA backlog is currently 6–18 months for new applications.

After biometrics, AIMA issues your 2-year ARI residence permit card. You're a legal Portuguese resident — with 7 days/year physical-presence obligation.

Maintain at least 7 days per year (or 14 days per 2-year cycle) of physical presence in Portugal. Track travel — AIMA reviews presence at renewal.

File the first renewal via the dedicated AIMA Renewal Portal (launched 16 February 2026). Renewed permit is for 3 years.

For citizenship eligibility at year 10, pass an A2-level Portuguese test (CAPLE certification). CPLP nationals (Brazil, Cape Verde, Angola, Mozambique, etc.) are exempt.

Pass the civic-knowledge assessment introduced by Lei 21/2025 covering Portugal's political structure and history.

Sign the formal declaration affirming democratic values, introduced by Lei 21/2025 as a citizenship integration requirement.

After 10 years of continuous legal residence (with absences within statutory limits), file for naturalization at IRN with proof of A2 Portuguese, civic-knowledge assessment, democratic-values declaration, and residence history.