GOLDEN VISA
YOUR GATEWAY TO EU RESIDENCY
Portugal’s Golden Visa remains one of the most sought-after residency programs in Europe—offering a clear path to citizenship without requiring full-time residency or local taxation. It’s the perfect solution for those looking to expand their global opportunities while maintaining flexibility.
With a Portuguese Golden Visa, you and your family can:
✔️ Qualify for residency by investment and staying only 14 days every 2 years in Portugal
✔️ Travel visa-free across the Schengen Zone
✔️ Live, work, or simply enjoy extended stays in Portugal
✔️ Access world-class healthcare and education
✔️ Apply for EU citizenship potentially after 5 years
This is more than an investment—it’s a gateway to greater freedom, security, and a future filled with possibilities.
Ready to take the next step? Get in touch today and let us guide you through the process.
Eligibility
Investment Types
📌 The real estate investment option was removed in 2023, so property purchases no longer qualify for the Golden Visa.
Portugal is a fantastic country to live and travel around for many. Since the program started in 2012, more than 13,000 investors, plus their respective families, have applied for their Golden Visa with a total investment in Portugal over 8 billion Euros. Ready to learn more?
Golden Visa APPLICATION PROCESS
Due to the popularity of the program, the lead times for residency has been taking longer expected. The good news is that with recent legislation, the process expected to speed up. It might be the perfect time to start your process.
01 SUBMIT INITIAL APPLICATION
Once you’ve made your investment and collected all supporting documents, you submit your application through the ARI portal.
02 PAY APPLICATION FEE
Pay the application fee as soon as possible after submission, as you only secure your spot in line once it has been paid
03 RECEIVE PRE-APPROVAL
After some time (supposed to take less than 90 days, but realistically about a year now), you receive an email from AIMA stating that you’ve received preliminary approval.
04 BOOK BIOMETRICS APPOINTMENT
The online calendar to schedule your biometrics appointment opens up quarterly. You’ll be notified via email when you can book your slot.
05 ATTEND BIOMETRICS APPOINTMENT
On the chosen date, you’ll bring all the original documentation to your in-person biometrics appointment at your chosen AIMA office in Portugal.
06 SUBMIT MISSING / UPDATED DOCUMENTATION
If any documents are missing from your application or have expired, you’ll be asked to re-submit them. This adds a bit of delay, so it’s better to bring updated documents to the biometrics appointment.
07 RECEIVE FINAL APPROVAL
After a few months (or more than a year—depending on which AIMA office you chose for biometrics), you should receive your final approval. Congrats!
08 PAY RESIDENT PERMIT ISSUANCE FEE
You’ll find the payment information in the ARI portal shortly after receiving your approval. Make the payment as soon as possible, as this will trigger the official start of your Portuguese residency!.
09 RECEIVE RESIDENCE CARD
Barring any delays at the printing press, you’ll receive your shiny new residence permit approximately 10-20 days later.
GOLDEN VISA CHECKLIST
Once you have found an investment you like, you need to prepare for how to get your application in.
This involves gathering a lot of documentation, both in Portugal and your country of origin. Your Vivacity client representative and legal team based in Portugal will be working with and for you to ensure the right documents collected and submitted efficiently and correctly.
All of these steps can be completed remotely with the help of VivaCity team, except for the biometrics appointment for which you will need to travel to Portugal.
LIFE WITH GOLDEN VISA
Yea 1-2
Your residence card will allow you to live and work in Portugal, plus travel freely within the Schengen countries (you also need to bring your passport) without applying for any visas. In the first two years, you must spend at least a total of 14 days in Portugal.
To renew your residence permit and receive a new residence card, you must go through an online renewal application process between 30-90 days before your current residence card expires.
Year 3-4
Your new residence card is valid for two years, and you again need to spend at least 14 days in Portugal to qualify for further renewals or citizenship. At the end of the period, you’ll go through another renewal process
Year 5+
After the fifth year, you can apply for permanent residency and citizenship (if you apply for citizenship, you must keep having a valid residence permit). If you don’t want to apply for either, you can keep renewing your Golden Visa every two years (at the end of year 6, year 8, and so on).
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Portugal’s Golden Visa allows you to:
- Travel visa-free within the Schengen Area
- Live, work, or study in Portugal
- Include family members in your application
- Access healthcare and education in Portugal
- Apply for citizenship after 5 years without full-time residency
The primary option available is investing in an approved investment fund. Real estate investment is no longer an eligible route.
Americans may be able to use their retirement accounts to invest in Portugal’s Golden Visa-qualified funds, and there are important considerations. If you are interested in learning more, contact us to review your options.