Destinations
Portugal
Portugal’s Golden Visa gives EU residence from a 500,000 EUR fund investment, with one of the lowest presence requirements in Europe. Two facts most sites get wrong: real estate has been excluded since October 2023, and since May 2026 naturalisation takes ten years, not five.
Key facts
- From
- €250 000≈ $360 450 — estimated total, family of four, fees included
- Processing time
- 12–24 months18–40 months observed in practice
- Physical presence
- Seven days in the first year, then fourteen days in each subsequent two-year period.
Tax at a glance
- Residence and tax residence are distinct: a golden visa does not by itself make you a Portuguese tax resident
- Portuguese tax residence generally begins at 183 days of presence in a year, or a habitual home in Portugal
- The former non-habitual resident regime has been largely replaced; verify the current incentive rules before relying on any tax benefit
Frequently asked questions
Can I still get a Portuguese golden visa by buying property?
No. Real estate was removed as a qualifying route on 7 October 2023. The dominant route today is a 500,000 EUR investment in a CMVM-regulated fund. Any site still offering the property route is out of date.
How long until I can apply for citizenship?
Under the organic law in force since 19 May 2026, naturalisation takes ten years, or seven for EU and Portuguese-speaking nationals, with a civic test and A2 Portuguese. The widely quoted five years no longer applies to new applicants.