Portugal Golden Visa

Portugal's golden visa is the Residence Permit for Investment Activity (ARI) under art. 90-A of Lei 23/2007. It is a residence permit, not a consular visa: investors enter Portugal visa-free or on a Schengen visa and apply to AIMA. Its main draw is a very low presence requirement.

• Status: active; the real estate and plain capital transfer routes were revoked by Lei 56/2023 in Oct. 2023
• Minimum investment: €500,000 for most routes, or €250,000 for arts and heritage
• First permit: 2 years
• AIMA fees per person: €632.10 for analysis plus €6,314.20 to grant the permit

People who plan to live in Portugal full time on regular income usually find the D7 passive income visa or the D8 for remote workers far cheaper. The Portugal guide sets the routes side by side.

Art. 3 of Lei 23/2007 lists the qualifying investments, kept for at least five years:

• Units in Portuguese non-real-estate investment funds with at least five years to maturity and at least 60 percent invested in Portuguese companies: €500,000 or more
• Research by public or private scientific institutions: €500,000 or more
• Arts or national heritage: €250,000 or more
• A commercial company with its seat in Portugal plus five permanent jobs: €500,000 or more
• Creation of at least ten jobs

The research, arts and job routes can be 20 percent lower in low-density areas. Applicants need a clean criminal record and no debts to Portuguese tax or social security.

Local work allowed: Yes, once the permit is issued.

AIMA's ARI FAQ lists the documents uploaded to the ARI Portal:

• Current documents proving the investment was made and is still held
• A declaration from a bank registered with Banco de Portugal confirming the transfer of at least the legal minimum
• A valid passport, and every passport for dual nationals
• Certificates of no debts to social security and the tax authority, or proof of no registration
• A sworn declaration of compliance with the investment amount and holding period
• Tax identification numbers from the countries of origin, residence or tax residence
• A criminal record certificate issued less than three months earlier, translated and apostilled or certified

Foreign documents need translation and an apostille or legalization. AIMA may also ask for proof of accommodation and means of subsistence.

• Analysis: €632.10 per person, for the first permit and each renewal.
• Permit grant: €6,314.20 per person.
• Renewal: €3,157.80 per person, plus the analysis fee.

These are the amounts in AIMA's fee table in force since March 1, 2026, after the 25 percent reduction for in-person service. Family members pay the same fees. Fund, legal and translation costs are private and come on top.

Where to apply: Online on AIMA's ARI Portal after entering Portugal visa-free or on a Schengen visa, within 90 days of first entry, then biometrics in person.

1. Make the qualifying investment and get the bank declaration.
2. Register on AIMA's ARI Portal, upload the documents and pay the analysis fee.
3. Attend the biometrics appointment in Portugal when AIMA schedules it. AIMA sets appointments by case progress and availability.
4. Pay the grant fee and collect the residence card.

AIMA publishes no processing standard for ARI. Family members apply through the same portal with a sponsorship declaration from the investor.

• First permit: 2 years.
• Renewal: Renewable for 2-year periods while the investment is kept; minimum stay 7 days in the first year and 14 days in each later 2-year period.
• Family members allowed: Yes. Relatives of ARI holders are exempt from the two-year wait that other permits carry for family reunification.

Longer term: Permanent residence after 5 years of temporary residence (basic Portuguese required); naturalization after 10 years of legal residence (7 for EU and CPLP nationals) since May 19, 2026. Under Lei Orgânica 1/2026, only time under a visa, permit or other title counts toward citizenship.

Holding an ARI does not by itself make someone tax resident. Under art. 16 of the IRS Code, residence follows more than 183 days in Portugal in any 12-month period, or a home held in conditions suggesting habitual residence. An investor who keeps to the minimum stay and has no habitual home in Portugal is generally taxed there only on Portuguese-source income.

Investors who do move full time are taxed on worldwide income at the progressive rates, and should check the treaty with their home country.