Archive · 25 Sep 2025
Portugal Golden Visa: Residency, Investment, and Citizenship
The Portugal Golden Visa lets people from outside the EU live, work, and study in Portugal if they invest a certain amount of money.
The program has been popular since 2012, and offers a pathway to permanent residency or citizenship after five years.
To get a Golden Visa, you need to invest at least €250,000.
With the Visa, you only need to spend about a week a year in Portugal.
You can include your family.
You can travel freely in the Schengen Area.
Portugal has a safe environment, good infrastructure, and reasonable living costs.
Rules about how long you need to live in Portugal to become a citizen might change soon.
The Portugal Golden Visa allows residency in Portugal through investment.
The program has granted residency to over 12,000 investors since 2012.
Minimum investment starts at €250,000.
Applicants need to spend a minimum of seven days per year in Portugal.
Changes to citizenship law may impact the time required to gain citizenship.
- Who
- Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals seeking residency in Portugal
- What
- Portugal's Golden Visa program offering residency through investment.
- When
- Launched in October 2012; Proposed citizenship changes on June 23, 2025
- Where
- Portugal
- Why
- To attract international capital after the 2008 economic crisis.
- Program Name
- Portugal Golden Visa (ARI)
- Launched
- October 2012
- Investors Granted Residency
- Over 12,000
- Minimum Investment
- €250,000
- Residency Requirement
- 7 days per year
- Citizenship Path
- 5 years (potentially 10)