Portugal Golden Visa Benefits for Investors
Discover the benefits of Portugal's Golden Visa—gain residency, enjoy visa-free travel, unlock tax advantages, and secure a path to citizenship in just five years.
The benefits of the Portugal Golden Visa program make it one of the world’s most attractive residency-by-investment (RBI) schemes.
The program offers a direct path to European residency and citizenship after five years. Investors and their families benefit from visa-free travel, the chance to live, work, and study in Portugal and potential tax advantages.
This article explores the key advantages of Portugal’s Golden Visa scheme. Read on to learn how you and your family can benefit.
Key benefits of the Golden Visa in Portugal
The Portugal Golden Visa offers a wide range of benefits. Let’s explore some of the program’s key advantages.
Residency Rights
One of the main benefits of the Portugal Golden Visa is that it grants residency rights. This means you get the right to live,work, and study in Portugal. Unlike many other programs, you do not have to live there full-time to keep your visa.
You can also apply for permanent residency or citizenship without becoming a full-time resident.
Low Minimum Stay Requirements
You only need to spend an average of seven days per year in Portugal to maintain your residency. This makes it ideal if youwant the benefits of European residency without relocating permanently.
Learn more about Portugal Golden Visa requirements here.
Visa-Free Travel
Golden Visa holders can travel freely across the Schengen Area. With a Portuguese residency permit, you can stay for up to 90days in any 180-day period without extra paperwork.
Pathway to Citizenship
One of the key benefits that a golden visa in Portugal offers is a direct route to becoming a citizen.
You can apply for Portuguese citizenship after five years of residency status. As a citizen, you can also apply for aPortuguese passport, which ranks amongthe top three globally.
To become a citizen, you must meet some basic requirements. To learn more, read our article on how to secure Portuguese citizenship.
Lifestyle and Quality of Life
Portugal is renowned for its high quality of life. The country offers:
- A warm climate
- Excellent healthcare and education
- Beautiful cities and coastal areas
The cost of living is also lower compared to other Western European countries. According to Numbeo’s European cost ofliving ranking, Portugal ranks 27th. This ranking accounts for expenses such as rent, groceries and dining.
Business and Investment Opportunities
Portugal has a thriving business environment. There are opportunities in key sectors, such as:
- Technology
- Tourism
- Renewable energy
Investors can also apply through Portuguese investment funds. Thisroute is the most popular way to secure a golden visa since real estate investments are no longer eligible.
Family Members
The benefits of the Portugal Golden Visa extend to family members. Investors can include the following family members on theirapplication:
- Spouse or partner
- Children under 18
- Unmarried children under 26 who are financially dependent and studying full-time
- Dependent parents under 65
- Dependent siblings under guardianship
Your family members can also apply for permanent residency and later become citizens.
If you relocate with children, you will be pleased to know that Portugal ranks highly for family-friendliness. A recent reportplaced Funchal and Lisbon as the first and third best cities in Europe for raising a family.
Golden visa holders and their families also gain access to Portugal’s high-quality education and healthcare system.
Portugal ranks 23rd in Numbeo’s healthcare index, ahead of countries such as Germany and the United Arab Emirates. This makesthe country a popular location for retirees.
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Portugal Golden Visa Tax Benefits
One of the main advantages of the Portuguese Golden Visa program involves tax.
Tax residents in Portugal can benefit from the Incentivised Tax Status Program (ITS). This program replaces the popular Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) scheme. Because of this, the ITS is sometimes referred to as ‘NHR 2.0’.
Some of the Portugal Golden Visa program’s tax benefits include:
- Potential tax exemptions on foreign income
- A flat 20% tax rate for certain high-skilled professions
- No wealth, inheritance, or gift tax on foreign assets
These benefits make Portugal attractive for investors looking to manage their taxes efficiently.
Related article: Guide to Tax in Portugal.
1000+
Families helped to gain citizenship/residency
$300 million
Amount we have invested in CBI programmes
$450 million
Value of property assets purchased in the last three years
40+
Client nationalities we have helped secure a golden visa
Summary
The Portugal Golden Visa benefits set the program apart from other residency schemes. It offers a straightforward path to EU citizenship, minimal stay requirements and excellent tax benefits.
To learn more about Europe’s leading RBI program, download our factsheet {link to factsheet here}. If you are ready to take the next step, contact our team.
Holborn Pass is a leader in investor visas. We have worked with investors from around the globe to help them and their families secure a Portugal Golden Visa.
We are part of the wider Holborn Assets Group, an award-winning financial advisory company with over $2 billion in assets under management (AUM).
Explore the Portugal Golden Visa benefits or start your golden visa journey today. Book a free consultation with one of our professional advisers to learn more.
Frequently asked questions
The Portugal Golden Visa offers investors and their families:
- The right to live, work and study in Portugal
- A path to citizenship in five years
- Visa-free travel in the Schengen Area
- Tax advantages
- Access to healthcare, education and business opportunities
Portugal offers an attractive tax regime called ‘NHR 2.0’. Under the NHR 2.0 scheme, eligible professionals benefit from a 20% flat tax rate on Portugal-based income for up to 10 years — a huge reduction from the standard rate of 48%
Mostly, yes. The only exceptions are you do not have voting rights and cannot run for office.
While the Portugal Golden Visa is not a citizenship by investment program, it does provide a pathway to becoming a citizen after five years. There are certain criteria you must meet to become a citizen. For example, you must pass a Portuguese language proficiency test (or attend an approved course) and have a clean criminal record.
Yes. The program allows you to include the following family members:
- Spouse or partner
- Children under 18
- Unmarried children under 26 who are financially dependent and studying full-time
- Dependent parents under 65
- Dependent siblings under guardianship