Secure EU residency with €500K investment. Fastest EU citizenship path (5 years), minimal stay requirements (7 days/year), and Schengen access for your family.
Citizenship Clock: The 5-year residency requirement now starts from your application date (not card issuance date). This saves applicants 1-2 years!
NHR Tax Regime: The original NHR program ended December 2023. It has been replaced with NHR 2.0 (IFICI), which is highly restricted to specific professions (researchers, tech specialists) and is NOT available to general Golden Visa investors.
Processing Times: Current realistic timeline is 18-24+ months for initial residence card (not the optimistic 10-16 months often quoted).
Europe's most accessible path to EU citizenship
The Portugal Golden Visa is Europe's most popular residency-by-investment program with 12,000+ approved applications. It combines EU access, minimal stay requirements (7 days/year), and the fastest pathway to one of the world's strongest passports (5 years vs 7-10 elsewhere).
Portugal transitioned to a fund-only strategy in 2023, closing real estate routes. This improves program quality by directing capital into economic growth and innovation versus real estate speculation.
Choose from approved investment funds tailored to your objectives
5+ year holding, professional management
Support R&D and innovation
Direct company investment
Portugal eliminated real estate routes in October 2023. Programs now accept investment fund subscriptions of €500K minimum only.
Benefits: Professional management, diversified exposure, simpler due diligence, easier exit, no property maintenance.
Read more: Portugal Golden Visa 2026: Fund-Only Guide
What you need to qualify
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Age | 18+ years old |
| Investment | €500K funds, 5+ year hold |
| Background | Clean criminal record |
| Source Proof | Legal origin of funds |
| Stay | 7 days/year minimum |
| Health | Valid insurance coverage |
No additional investment required for:
Processing fees: €534/adult, €83/child. Same residency rights for all.
Step-by-step journey to residency
Assess eligibility, select funds, plan strategy with CIVITAS advisors.
Gather passports, certificates, police clearances, apostilles, translations.
Subscribe to fund, transfer €500K, obtain certificates, open bank account.
Submit to AIMA with all documents and proof. Pay government fees. Citizenship clock starts here!
Background checks, sanctions screening, wealth verification by AIMA.
Travel to Portugal for fingerprints and photo at AIMA office.
Receive residency permit card. Valid 1 year, renewable for 2-year periods.
Major 2025 change: Your 5-year citizenship eligibility period now starts from the date you submit your application (Step 4), not when you receive your residence card (Step 7).
This effectively saves applicants 1-2 years compared to the old system, making the actual time to citizenship eligibility closer to 5-6 years from the start of the process instead of 6-8 years.
Document prep (1-3 months) + Investment (2-4 weeks) + AIMA processing (14-20 months) + Approval (1-2 months) = 18-24 months total for initial residency card.
Why 12,000+ families chose Portugal
Live, work, study in 27 EU countries. 500M consumer market for business. Schengen travel freedom (29 countries). EU university rates (€1K vs €20K+).
Portuguese passport in 5 years from application (fastest EU). Easiest language requirement (A2 vs B1-B2). 187 visa-free countries. Dual citizenship allowed.
Only 7 days/year required. Lowest in EU. Maintain residency while living elsewhere. Perfect for those wanting EU access without full relocation.
Spouse, children, dependents included at no extra investment. Everyone gets work authorization and citizenship pathway.
SNS public healthcare for residents. No premiums, low co-pays. Optional private €50-€150/month. EU health card included for travel.
Full work authorization in Portugal and EU. Establish businesses, access EU markets, benefit from Portugal's growing tech and startup ecosystem.
vs Greece: Faster citizenship (5 vs 7 years), stronger passport (187 vs 184), minimal stay vs none
vs Malta: Lower cost (€500K vs €600K-€750K), larger country, more lifestyle options
vs Italy: Much faster (5 vs 10 years), easier language (A2 vs B1), clearer pathway
Understanding Portuguese tax residency and obligations
Important: The original Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) tax regime that offered broad tax exemptions ended in December 2023.
NHR 2.0 (IFICI): The replacement program is highly restricted and limited to specific "highly qualified" professionals (researchers, tech specialists, etc.). It is NOT available to general Golden Visa investors.
Standard Tax Rates: Without NHR status, Portugal uses progressive tax rates up to 48% on Portuguese-sourced income. Foreign-sourced income may be exempt depending on tax treaties.
You become a Portuguese tax resident if you:
Golden Visa holders: With only 7 days/year required, most investors do NOT become tax residents unless they choose to. You can maintain tax residency elsewhere while holding Portuguese residency rights.
Tax planning: Consult with a cross-border tax advisor to optimize your situation based on your specific circumstances and income sources.
Total investment required
| Cost | Amount | When Due |
|---|---|---|
| Fund Investment | €500,000 | Before application |
| Gov Fee (main) | €534 | At submission |
| Legal Fees | €15K-€25K | Throughout process |
| Due Diligence | €3K-€5K | During processing |
| Translations | €1K-€2K | Before submission |
| Health Insurance | €600-€1.8K/yr | Ongoing annual |
Year 1: €520K-€535K (€500K investment + €20K-€35K fees)
Years 2-5: €3K-€5K/year (insurance, renewals, compliance)
5-Year Total: €535K-€560K (investment recoverable after 5 years)
CIVITAS has helped 200+ families obtain Portuguese residency. Expert guidance from fund selection to citizenship.