Key Takeaways
- The Portugal Golden Visa allows you to obtain Portuguese residency through a qualifying €500,000 investment in regulated investment funds, usually without relocating, with initial approval and card issuance often taking about 12 to 18 months.
- You must maintain a qualifying fund investment in place and meet a minimal physical presence requirement of 14 days in Portugal every two years over a 5-year period before applying for permanent residency, and most applicants now need 10 years of residency before becoming eligible for citizenship.
- Golden Visa residency grants the right to live, work, and study in Portugal and to travel visa-free within the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, while Portuguese citizenship later provides an EU passport with full rights to live, work, study, and access public healthcare and education across the European Union and Schengen Zone.
- Portugal remains one of the only European countries offering a practical path to citizenship without relocation, especially now that Spain has closed its Golden Visa program and Greece links long-term residency and citizenship to actual residence and tax payment for at least seven years.
- Investors can use regulated funds such as VIDA Fund, which buys and transforms hospitality assets in Portugal to give them a second life, and can request tailored guidance from VIDA Capital by using the contact form at VIDA Capital.
Pre-Application Phase: Setting the Foundation
This phase establishes your legal and financial footprint in Portugal and usually takes a few months, as outlined in recent process checklists.
Essential Legal Setup
You first obtain your NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal), Portugal’s tax identification number. A qualified Portuguese lawyer can usually arrange this remotely. Legal representation throughout the Golden Visa process is essential, because your lawyer prepares and validates documentation, represents you with authorities, and anticipates regulatory changes.
You then open a Portuguese bank account to route your investment. Lawyers typically coordinate this step remotely as well, which simplifies the process before you travel to Portugal for biometrics.
Investment Selection and Completion
You select a qualifying investment fund with a minimum subscription of €500,000. Regulated, asset-backed funds that focus on Portugal’s hospitality sector can add an extra layer of capital preservation, because underlying properties retain intrinsic value that can be sold if required. VIDA Fund follows this model by buying and transforming hospitality assets and giving them a second life. Any reference to past performance of such funds must be read with the understanding that past returns are not a guarantee of future returns.
Once the subscription is executed and fully paid, you receive proof of investment from both the custodian bank and the fund manager. These documents later form part of your application file.
Document Preparation and Application Submission
The formal application begins after your investment is in place. Applications are now filed entirely online through the AIMA portal, which removed previous paper-based requirements.
Required Documentation
Core documents typically include:
- Valid passports for all family members to be included.
- Criminal record certificates from all relevant countries of residence, issued recently and legalized or apostilled as required.
- Proof of your qualifying fund investment from the custodian bank and fund manager.
- Evidence of family ties, such as a marriage certificate or other acceptable proof of relationship for a spouse or common-law partner, and birth certificates for children.
- Completed application forms and any required Portuguese translations.
Documents usually need to be issued close to the submission date so they remain valid throughout the review. Your lawyer organizes the file, checks formalities like apostilles and translations, and submits the application through the AIMA portal.
Initial Review Period
AIMA carries out an initial review to confirm completeness and compliance. The authority may request clarifications or updated documents. Close coordination with your lawyer during this period helps ensure that any official requests receive quick and accurate responses.
Clear documentation and professional legal support reduce the risk of avoidable delays and set up a smoother transition to biometrics and approval.
Biometrics Appointment and Final Processing
The biometrics appointment is the only mandatory in-person step in Portugal. Scheduling often takes several months because of limited availability, and all included family members must attend together.
Biometrics Requirements
Each applicant, including spouse or partner, dependent children, and any qualifying parents or in-laws, must appear in person at the same appointment. The session includes fingerprinting, photographing, and final identity checks.
Children included in your application must remain financially dependent, full-time students, and unmarried, and they cannot work during the residency period until you file their Golden Visa-based citizenship applications. These conditions are important for maintaining their eligibility over the long timeline.
Card Issuance
Final approval and residency card production usually take several months after biometrics, at which point your temporary residence permit becomes active. As the approval card issuance usually takes a year, you will most likely only need to do a single renewal instead of two in the 5-year period.
Residency Renewal Timeline
Your initial Portugal Golden Visa residence permit is valid for two years. The regulatory structure then provides for two additional two-year renewals, during which you must maintain your qualifying investment and comply with residency requirements. As the approval card issuance usually takes a year, you will most likely only need to do a single renewal instead of two in the 5-year period.
Renewal Requirements
Key renewal conditions include:
- Proof from your fund manager and bank that you still hold the qualifying fund units.
- Evidence that you have spent at least 14 days in Portugal during each two-year period.
- Updated criminal record certificates and fresh biometrics.
The minimal stay obligation of 14 days in every two-year cycle makes Portugal’s program particularly suitable as a “Plan B” compared with options in countries like Greece, where long-term residency and citizenship require living there and paying taxes for at least seven years. Portugal also differs from Spain, which has now closed its Golden Visa program.
Submitting renewal files well before your card expiry helps avoid gaps in residency. Your lawyer monitors deadlines, prepares updated documentation, and handles portal submissions.
Permanent Residency Application (Year 5)
After five years of temporary residency, you become eligible to apply for permanent residency in Portugal, provided you have met investment, documentation, and stay requirements throughout that period.
Permanent Residency Benefits
Permanent residency reduces the frequency of renewals and maintains the core benefits you already enjoy under the Golden Visa. You can continue to live, work, and study in Portugal, access the public healthcare and education systems, and travel within the Schengen area visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Golden Visa and permanent residency both grant residency rights in Portugal only, not in other EU countries.
Legal guidance remains important at this stage, as authorities can update forms or evidentiary requirements over time.
Contact VIDA Capital for advisory support if you want a fund-based route that aligns investment strategy with long-term residency goals.
Portuguese Citizenship Timeline (Year 10)
Portugal’s Parliament approved a new framework in October 2025 that extended the required period of residence for most Golden Visa holders to 10 years before citizenship eligibility. Nationals of Portuguese-language countries (CPLP) and EU citizens qualify under a reduced seven-year requirement.
Updated Citizenship Requirements
The new law applies to Golden Visa holders unless they had already submitted a citizenship application before its publication. This change replaces the former five-year pathway with a longer residency horizon, so planning now needs to consider a 10-year perspective for most investors.
Besides residency duration, applicants must demonstrate basic Portuguese language skills and integration into Portuguese society. Your lawyer will coordinate language certificates, registry records, and other supporting documents for the citizenship file.
Citizenship Benefits
Portuguese citizenship provides an EU passport with the right to live, work, and study throughout the European Union and the Schengen Zone, and to access public healthcare and education in those countries. This status goes beyond the more limited travel rights attached to Portuguese residency and is often the ultimate objective for Golden Visa investors.
Total Timeline Summary
|
Phase |
Approximate Timing |
Key Milestones |
Main Requirements |
|
Pre-Application |
First few months |
NIF, bank account, fund subscription |
Portuguese lawyer, €500,000 fund investment |
|
Application & Review |
Within 12–18 months of starting |
Online submission, biometrics, first card |
Complete file, in-person biometrics in Portugal |
|
Residency Period |
Years 1–5 |
Card renewals, minimum stay met |
Maintain fund investment, 14 days in Portugal every 2 years |
|
Permanent Residency |
Around Year 5 |
Longer-term residence permit |
Five years of compliant residency |
|
Citizenship Eligibility |
Around Year 10 |
EU passport |
10 years of residency for most applicants, language and integration |
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the entire Portugal Golden Visa process take from start to citizenship?
The overall path from initial investment to Portuguese citizenship now usually spans about 10 to 11 years for most applicants. This includes roughly 12 to 18 months to obtain the first residence permit, about five years to reach permanent residency, and a total of 10 years of residency under the framework introduced in 2025. Throughout this period, you must keep your qualifying fund investment and meet the 14-days-every-two-years physical presence rule.
Can I reduce the citizenship timeline by spending more time in Portugal?
Legislation introduced in 2025 set a fixed 10-year residency requirement for most Golden Visa holders, regardless of how many days they actually spend in Portugal. Nationals of Portuguese-language countries (CPLP) and existing EU citizens benefit from a shorter seven-year requirement. Spending more time in Portugal can still help with integration and language learning, but it does not shorten the legal residency period needed for citizenship.
What happens if I miss a renewal deadline during the residency period?
Missing a renewal deadline can place your Golden Visa status at risk and may disrupt the continuity of residency that counts toward citizenship. Submitting renewal applications several months before your card expires and coordinating with your lawyer on updated documents and biometrics helps protect your status and your long-term timeline.
Do my family members follow the same timeline for citizenship?
Family members included in your Golden Visa application generally follow the same residency and citizenship timeline as the main applicant. This applies to your spouse or recognized partner, dependent children, and eligible parents or parents-in-law. Children must remain financially dependent, full-time students, unmarried, and non-working throughout the residency period until their own citizenship applications are submitted.
Can I apply for citizenship in other EU countries while holding Portuguese residency?
Golden Visa or permanent residency in Portugal does not create a direct pathway to citizenship in other EU countries, because each country sets its own rules and most require physical residence within their borders. Portugal stands out because it still offers a route to citizenship without relocation, which many investors use as a long-term strategy for European mobility.
